ARTHROPODS AS INDICATORS OF THE EFFECTS OF FLUORIDE
POLLUTION ON THE SUCCESSION FOLLOWING SAND MINING

K E Madden and B J Fox
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract from Journal of Applied Ecology 34 (5) 1239-1256 1997

1. This study examines the effect of fluoride pollution on arthropod recolonization of sites after sand mining at Tomago, NSW, Australia. This represented a simplified ecological system with a known history, to study the effects of fluoride pollution on arthropod succession without the complicating factor of previous fire regimes.

2. Fluoride appears to have an indirect effect on arthropods, with fluoride-induced changes in the vegetation structure being reflected in the relative abundance of arthropod groups.

3. Additionally, fluoride pollution appears to have a number of direct effects on arthropod populations. Arthropod diversity, beetles, spiders and possibly flies appear to demonstrate the effects of direct toxicity at the sites of highest foliar fluoride levels (> 8 µ mol g^-1). Ants decreased in abundance above low fluoride levels (> 1.85 µ mol g^-1). Mites and cockroaches, however, were found to increase in abundance in direct relation to fluoride.

4. Arthropod succession is significantly altered when fluoride fallout is imposed on the existing disturbance of sand mining. The repercussions of changes in the abundance of elements of the arthropod community on ecosystem processes are potentially great. The sensitivity to fluoride demonstrated by ants may make them particularly good candidates as bio-indicators of fluoride stress.

Key words: Ants; Australia; Disturbance; Fluoride pollution; Sand mining; Vegetation.

Reprints: K E Madden, University of New South Wales, School of Biological Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

FLUORIDE 31(1)  1998, pp 51	International Society for Fluoride Research
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