Publications [#374367] of Emily S. Bernhardt

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Papers Published

  1. Perrotta, Brittany G. and Simonin, Marie and Colman, Benjamin P. and Anderson, Steven M. and Baruch, Ethan and Castellon, Benjamin T. and Matson, Cole W. and Bernhardt, Emily S. and King, Ryan S., Chronic Engineered Nanoparticle Additions Alter Insect Emergence and Result in Metal Flux from Aquatic Ecosystems into Riparian Food Webs, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, vol. 57 no. 21 (May, 2023), pp. 8085-8095, AMER CHEMICAL SOC [doi] .
    (last updated on 2023/12/08)

    Abstract:
    Freshwater ecosystems are exposed to engineered nanoparticles(NPs)through discharge from wastewater and agricultural runoff. We conducteda 9-month mesocosm experiment to examine the combined effects of chronicNP additions on insect emergence and insect-mediated contaminant fluxto riparian spiders. Two NPs (copper, gold, plus controls) were crossedby two levels of nutrients in 18 outdoor mesocosms open to naturalinsect and spider colonization. We collected adult insects and tworiparian spider genera, Tetragnatha and Dolomedes, for 1 week on a monthly basis. We estimated a significant decreasein cumulative insect emergence of 19\% and 24\% after exposure to copperand gold NPs, irrespective of nutrient level. NP treatments led toelevated copper and gold tissue concentrations in adult insects, whichresulted in terrestrial fluxes of metals. These metal fluxes wereassociated with increased gold and copper tissue concentrations forboth spider genera. We also observed about 25\% fewer spiders in theNP mesocosms, likely due to reduced insect emergence and/or NP toxicity.These results demonstrate the transfer of NPs from aquatic to terrestrialecosystems via emergence of aquatic insects and predation by riparianspiders, as well as significant reductions in insect and spider abundancein response to NP additions. Chronic copperand gold nanoparticle additions decreasedadult insect emergence, increased transport of metals to riparianspiders and resulted in fewer spiders in nanoparticle treated mesocosms.