Mentor/s
Dr. Torrie Hanley
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
Abstract
The use of herbicides and pesticides is ubiquitous in the United States, yet the effects that exposure to these biocides has on non-target organisms, particularly in aquatic systems, remains under-emphasized. The unintended consequences of single and concomitant biocide exposures could include changes in vital rates (survival, growth, reproduction), as well as behavioral, morphological, or physiological characteristics. Daphnia is a key species in most lakes and ponds, consuming phytoplankton and regulating algal densities while also being a valuable prey for planktivorous fish. We tested the independent and combined effects of two common biocides (the pesticide Imidacloprid and the herbicide Glyphosate) on two common species, Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex. We included a range of three Imidacloprid (1.83-8.70 mg/L) and three Glyphosate (7-56 mg/L) concentrations, and exposed Daphnia to each biocide independently, as well as combination treatments of low, medium, and high concentrations, with the goal of including treatments and combined exposures that reflected typical levels in lakes/ponds. We identified differences in survival, growth, and reproduction across our treatment combinations that illustrate the potential impacts of unintended biocide exposure on this key aquatic species.
College and Major available
Biology
Academic Level
Undergraduate student
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-25-2025 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-25-2025 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Prize Categories
Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Best Writing
Exploring the effects of biocide exposure on non-target organisms: How glyphosate and imidacloprid affect Daphnia vital rates
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Abstract
The use of herbicides and pesticides is ubiquitous in the United States, yet the effects that exposure to these biocides has on non-target organisms, particularly in aquatic systems, remains under-emphasized. The unintended consequences of single and concomitant biocide exposures could include changes in vital rates (survival, growth, reproduction), as well as behavioral, morphological, or physiological characteristics. Daphnia is a key species in most lakes and ponds, consuming phytoplankton and regulating algal densities while also being a valuable prey for planktivorous fish. We tested the independent and combined effects of two common biocides (the pesticide Imidacloprid and the herbicide Glyphosate) on two common species, Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex. We included a range of three Imidacloprid (1.83-8.70 mg/L) and three Glyphosate (7-56 mg/L) concentrations, and exposed Daphnia to each biocide independently, as well as combination treatments of low, medium, and high concentrations, with the goal of including treatments and combined exposures that reflected typical levels in lakes/ponds. We identified differences in survival, growth, and reproduction across our treatment combinations that illustrate the potential impacts of unintended biocide exposure on this key aquatic species.
Students' Information
Logan Granger, Biology, 2025