Effects of organic pollutants on the locomotor activity of Rossiulus kessleri (Diplopoda, Julida)

Abstract

Rossiulus kessleri (Lochmander, 1927) is one of the commonest Diplopoda species in the moderate climate zone of Eurasia. This millipede is often subject to numerous industrial pollu-tants, but their effects on this species have not been studied so far. For laborat o ry studies, we made a 150 cm-long and 10 cm-wide experimental chamber, with marks every 10 cm. In the middle of the chamber, we placed 60 individuals that had an opportunity to move toward the source of odor or away from it. The behavior of the millipedes was recorded on video, and the direction in which each individual moved was observed for 5 minutes. In the experiments, we used 30 organic compounds: butyl acetate, diethyl oxalpropionate, butyl acrylate, diethyl ma-lonate, ortho-xylene, thymol, α-methylbenzylamine, carvacrol, hexane, pentane, biphenyl, cyclohexane, 2-methylfuran, 5-methylfurfural, furfuryl alcohol, 2-methyl butanoic acid, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, isovaleric acid, tert-butylacetic acid, propionic acid, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-butanone, 2-pentanone, methyl acetoacetate, ethyl pyruvate, isobutyraldehyde, 2-ethoxyethanol, potassium sulfite, calcium sorbate, and sodium diacetate. These compounds are used in various industrial spheres, construction, agriculture, and food industry. With industrial waste, they are released into the environment and can potentially affect populations of R. kessleri . Of the 30 compounds, 23 had no significant effect on the locomotor activity of R. kessleri . The strongest repellent activity was exerted by isobutyraldehyde (the attractant coefficient measured 0.43 ± 0.40) and biphenyl (0.49 ± 0.11). A weak repellent effect on R. kessleri was displayed by th y mol (the attractant coefficient equaled 0.66 ± 0.26), pentane (0.73 ± 0.43), tert-butylacetic acid (0.82 ± 0.72), and cyclohexane (0.88 ± 0.34). A weak attractant effect on R. kessleri was produced by 2-methylbutanoic acid (the attractant coefficient measuring 1.32 ± 0.48). Therefore, seven of the 30 compounds that are broadly used in industries and agriculture exerted either repellent (six co m pounds) or attra c tant (one compound) effect on the millipede