Effects of DDT on the Density and Diversity of Tardigrades

Authors

Gary W. Barrett, Miami University
Ronald G. KimmelFollow

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Tardigrades, Density, Diversity, Effects of DDT

Abstract

Twenty lichen-bearing tree bark samples were collected from DDT sprayed American elm trees (Ulmus Americana L.) in central Iowa. Twenty comparable samples were collected from an adjacent nontreated habitat. A tardigrade density of 4 individuals collected from the treated habitat was found to differ significantly (P < .01) from a density of 97 individuals collected from the non-treated area. Margalef's diversity index (D=S-1/1n N) determinations were found to be 0.00 and 0.44 for the treated and non-treated habitats, respectively. Tardigrade species organization within the nontreated habitat did not differ significantly from that as predicted by MacArthur's broken-stick model, suggesting that tardigrade species occupy contiguous, non-overlapping niches within a lichen-bearing tree bark ecosystem. It is suggested that measurements depicting microfauna-lichen-tree bark relationships might serve as useful criteria in evaluating pesticide stress effects on total forest ecosystems.

Publication Date

January 1972

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

78

Issue

3-4

First Page

41

Last Page

42

Copyright

©1972 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Barrett, Gary W. and Kimmel, Ronald G. (1972) "Effects of DDT on the Density and Diversity of Tardigrades," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 78(3-4), 41-42.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol78/iss3/3