The effects of selected pesticides on ten isolates of terrestrial algae.

173 Pages·2016·4.7 MB·English

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Electronic Theses and Dissertations
5-1975
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Martha Scheer Salk 1945-
University of Louisville
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Salk, Martha Scheer 1945-, "The effects of selected pesticides on ten isolates of terrestrial algae." (1975).
Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1253.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1253
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THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED PESTICIDES ON TEN ISOLATES
1/
OF TERRESTRIAL ALGAE
By
Martha Scheer Salk
B.A., Albion Colleg'~, 1967
~I.S., University of 100.;a, 1969
A Disse:::-tation
Submitted to the Faculty of the
Graduate School of the University of Louisville
in Partial Fllifillme.nt of the RI~quirements
for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department of Biology
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
May, 1975
THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED PESTICIDES ON TEN ISOLATES
OF TERRESTRIAL ALGAE
By
Martha Scheer Salk
B.A., Albion College, 1967
M.S., Dniversity of ~owa, 1969
A Dissertation Approved on
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ABSTRACT
Ten alga! isolates were obtained from soil into axenic culture and
placed into defined media containing from 0 to 50 ppm of DDT, 2, {f-D,
2,4,5-T, rotenone, or malathion (in two purities, 95 and 99%). For nine
of the isolates, growth was measured photometrically every two weeks for
a period of two months. Because of the twisted growth forrr, of the tenth
isolate, a visual estimation was used to measure its growth over the
same period of time.
The results of the experiments in the light were as follows:
1) 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T were generally neutral in their growth
effects. However, both sti.mulated g:-owth of two isolates, and 2,4,5-T
inhibited the growth of two other is~lates while 2,4-D inhibited only
one.
2) Rotenone and DDT had mixed effects; rotenone inhibited five,
stimulated three, and did not effect two isolates, while DDT inhibited
four, stimulated one, and have no effect on five isolates.
3) Malathion was neutral toward one isolate and reduced the
growth of all others.
4) In several cases, the isolates appeared to use the pesticides
to supplement their groVith. Two of the isolates were better able to
withs:and the effects of the pesticides and tended to b9 stimulated
mora often than t~e ethErs.
None of the algae were able to use any of the pesticides as a
sole ("",tben source grov,n in .lefined media in the dark for two
~vhell
iii
months. Several isolates did no~ survive under those conditions, and none
of the isolates survived in a 10 ppm DDT solution.
The effect that pesticide use ma.y halTe on natural populations of
soil algae is discussed.
iv
ACKNm-lLEDGHENTS
Many people have graciously and generously given of their time
and knowledge to the author during the course of this study. Dr. Varley
E. Wiedeman gave valuable assistance throughout, from the initial
conception of the study, through its implementation, and during the
preparation of this manuscript. I am particularly indebted to Hr. Leroy
David Isaacs "tolho patiently taught me the laboratory techniques which were
crucial to this work and who gave me advice and assistance whenever I
needed it. In addition, Dr. Hugh Spencer and Mr. Carroll Gunter assisted
with the statistical m:alysis; Dr. Arnold Karpoff with the photography;
Dr. Arland Hotchkiss with the taxonomic identifications; and Dr. Burt
Monroe with a critical review of the manuscript. Dr. R. E. Deems and
the American Cyanamid Company kindly supplied the 99% purity malathion
sample. And finally, I wish to thank my husband, Gary, who gave me t.he
encouragement to continue whenever I felt like quitting and who endured
many dinners of soup and crackers while this paper was being researched
and written.
M. S. S.
The University of Louisville
Loui.sville,
Ke~tucky
August, 1974
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABSTRACT iii
v
ACKNO~~EDGEMENTS
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF FIGURES ix
INTRODUCTION 1
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 3
Soil Algae 3
Pesticide Persistence 5
MATERIALS ~~D METHODS 10
RESULTS 16
Description of Algal Isolates 16
Gr6wth of Isolates in Control Media 23
Statistical Analysis 33
2,4-D 38
2,4,5-T 51
DDT 63
Rotenone 80
:Halnthion 91
Dark Experiment 109
Effects on Each Alga of All Pesticides 112
DISCUSSION 118
SUMHAIzY AND CONCLUSIONS 130
vi
TABLE OF CONT};t:TS (Cont'd)
Page
APPENDIX 1: DECOMPOSITION TUlE FOR 2, 4-D UNDER
LAB CONDITIONS 133
APPENDIX II: DECOMPOSITION TINES FOR 2,4-D UNDER
FIELD CONDITIONS 134
APPENDIX III: ORGANISMS \.JHICH CAN USE 2,4-D FOR A
SOLE CARBON SOURCE 135
APPENDIX IV: MICROORGANISMS DWOLVED IN AT LEAST ONE
STEP OF DDT BREAKDOWN 136
APPE~mIX V: DDT METABOLITES 138
LITERATURE CITED 140
VITA 162
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Page
TABLE I. CLASSIFICATION AND SQUP.CE OF ALGAL ISOLATES
USED IN THIS STUDY 17
TABLE II. VISUAL ESTIMATIONS OF THE CRm.rfH OF Hcrmidium
flaccidium (10) IN CONTROL HEDIA 30
TABLE III. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLE FOR ~1EEK Tl.JO 34
TABLE IV. ANALYSIS OF VARI~~CE TABLE FOR WEEK FOUR 35
TABLE V. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLE FOR WEEK SIX 36
TABLE VI. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLE FOR \lEEK EIGHT 37
TABLE VII. VISUAL ESTIHATIONS OF THE GROwlH OF Hormidium
so
flaccidium (10) IN 2,4-D
TABLE VIII. VISUAL ESTI¥..ATIONS OF TIlE GRo\~TH OF llormidium
flaccidium (10) IN 2,4 5-T 61
t
TABLE IX. ALGAE UNAFFECTED BY DDT AT LOW CONCENTRATIONS 67
TABLE X. VISUAL ESTIHATIONS OF THE GRo\~TH OF ISOLATES
1 - 9 IN 50 PPM DDT 78
TABLE XI. VISUAL ESTIMATIONS OF THE GROWTH OF Hormidium
flaccidium (10) IN DDT 79
TABLE XII. VISUAL ESTLvtATIONS OF l'HE GROHTH OF Hormidium
flaccidium (10) TN ROTENONE 90
TARLE XIII. VISUAL ESTlMATIO~'S OF THE GROWTH OF Hormidi um
flaccidium (10) IN ytALATHION 95 AND 99 107
TABLE XIV. GROWTH OF ALGAE IN VARIOUS PESTICIDES IN THE
DARK 110
viiI
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
FIGURE 1. - Photomicrographs of the ten algal isolates
10. used in this scudy 19-22
FIGURE 11. - Effect of control media on growth of isolates
13. used in this study 24-29
FIGURE 14. - Effect of 2,4-D en the growth of algal
16. isolates
FIGlJRE 17. - Effect of 2,4,5-T on the growth of algal
19. isolates 55-60
FIGURE 20. - Effect of DDT on the growth of algal isolates
22. 72-77
FIGURE 23. - Effect of rotenone on the growth of algal
25. isolates
FIGURE 26. - Effect of malathion-95 on the of
g~owth
28. algal isolates 95-100
FIGL'RE 29. - Effect of malathion-99 on the growth of
31. algal isolates 101-106
FIGURE 32. - Effect of all pesticides on the growth of
33. algal isolates 113-116
ix