Skip to main content

Pollution Biology — The North American Experience

  • Chapter
Aquatic Oligochaete Biology

Abstract

Earliest references to tubificids in pollution biology in North America were related to the simple abundance of the group in grossly polluted situations. With the improvement in taxonomy in the decade of the sixties, it was possible to recognize species assemblages, especially in the St. Lawrence Great Lakes. The distribution of these associations has now been worked out in considerable detail, and consulting companies and government agencies now work with identified species. Very few traditional laboratory tolerance tests have been done, but a start has been made on the investigation of the activity of worms in recycling sediment contaminants such as metals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Block, E.M. and C.J. Goodnight, 1976, The effect of X-irradiation on the coelomic cells of the tubificid Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. Trans. Amer. Microsc. Soc., 95:23–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R.O., 1965, The biology of the Tubificidae with special reference to pollution. Proc. 3rd Seminar on Water Quality Criteria, Cincinnati,1962:57–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, 1972, The role of sludge worms in eutrophication. E.P.A. Ecological Research Series R3-72-004. 68 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, 1974, Factors mediating interspecific aggregation of tubificid oligochaetes. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, 31:460–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R.O., A.L. Hamilton and H.B. Herrington, 1968, Components of the bottom fauna of the St. Lawrence Great Lakes. Univ. Toronto Gt. Lakes Inst. P.R., 33:1–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R.O. and M.J. Austin, 1979, Assimilation by aquatic oligochaetes. Int. Revue ges. Hydrobiol., 63:

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, J.F. and J.K. Hiltunen, 1965, Changes in the bottom fauna of Western Lake Erie from 1930 to 1961. Limnol. Oceanogr., 10:551–569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chua, K.E. and R.O. Brinkhurst, 1973, Evidence of interspecific interactions in the respiration of tubificid oligochaetes. J.Fish Res. Bd. Canada,30:617–622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, D.G., 1975, A preliminary report on the benthic macroinvertebrates of Lake Superior. Fisheries and Marine Service Tech. Rept., 572, 44 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, D.G. and M.G. Johnson, 1974, Benthic macroinvertebrates of the St. Lawrence Great Lakes. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada,31: 763–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.B., 1974a, Tubificids alter profiles of redox potential and pH in profundal lake sediment. Limnol. Oceanogr.,19: 342–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.B., 1974b, Stratigraphic effects of tubificids in profundal lake sediments. Ibid., 19:466–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.B., D.L. Thurlow and F.E. Brewster, 1975, Effects of burrowing tubificid worms on the exchange of phosphorus between lake sediment and overlying water. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol., 19:382–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaufin, A.R. and C.M. Tarzwell, 1952, Aquatic invertebrates as indicators of pollution. Public Health Reports, 67:57–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodnight, C.J., 1959, “Oligochaeta” In Ward and Whipple, Freshwater Biology. T.E. Edmondson (ed.) Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodnight, C.J. and L.S. Whitley, 1961, Oligochaetes as indicators of pollution. Proc. 15th Ind. Waste Conf. Purdue Univ. Ext. Ser. 106:139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loveridge, C.C. and D.G. Cook, 1976, A preliminary report on the benthic macroinvertebrates of Georgian Bay and North Channel. Fisheries and Marine Service Tech. Rept., 610, 46 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maciorowski, A.F., E.F. Benfield, and A.C. Hendricks, 1977, Species composition, distribution and abundance of oligochates in the Kanawka River, West Virginia. Hydrobiologia, 54: 81–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nalepa, T.F. and N.A. Thomas, 1976, Distribution of macrobenthic species in Lake Ontario in relation to sources of pollution and sediment parameters. J. Great Lakes Res., 2:150–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naqvi, S.M.Z., 1970, Toxicity of twenty-three insecticides to a tubificid worm Branchiura sowerbyi from the Mississippi Delta. J. Econ. Entom., 66:70–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roff, J.C. and R.E. Kwiatkowski, 1977, Zooplankton and Zoobenthos communities of selected northern Ontario lakes of different audities. Can. J_. Zool., 55:899–911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, D.R., 1979, The aquatic oligochaeta of the St. Lawrence Great Lakes In R.O. Brinkhurst and D.G. Cook (eds.) “Aquatic Oligochaete Biology,” Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stimpson, K.S., J.R. Brice, M.T. Barbour and P. Howe, 1975, Distribution and abundance of inshore oligochates in Lake Michigan. Trans. Amer. Micros. Soc., 94:384–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Surber, E.W., 1960, Biological problems in water pollution. Trans. 2nd. Seminar on Biological Problems in Water Pollution, Cincinnati, 1959. p. 263–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, W.D., G.H. Harding, J. Caldwell and A. McMinn, 1973, Ecology of the St. John River Basin. VI. Oligochaetes as water pollution indicators. Unpublished Report, St. John River Basin Board (Dept. of Environment, Fisheries Service, R.D.B. Halifax).

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitley, L.S., 1968, The resistance of tubificid worms to three common pollutants. Hydrobiologia, 32:193–205.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitley, L.S. and R.A. Sikora, 1970, The effect of three common pollutants on the respiration rate of tubificid worms. J. Wat. Poll. Cont. Fed., 1970:57–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitten, B.K., 1969, The role of tubificid worms in the transfer of radioactive phosphorus in an aquatic ecosystem In: Symposium on Radioecology, Nelson and Evans (Ed.). Proc. 2nd Nat. Symp. Ann Arbor 1967, 270–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitten, B.K. and C.J. Goodnight, 1966, Toxicity of some common insecticides to tubificids. J. Wat. Poll. Cont. Fed., 1966: 277–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitten, B.K. and C.J. Goodnight, 1967, The accumulation of SR-89 and CA-45 by an aquatic oligochaete. Physiol. Zool., 40:371–385.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, L.W. and K.E. Chua, 1973, Glucose flux at the sediment-water interface of Toronto Harbour, Ontario, with reference to pollution stress. Can. J. Microbiol., 19:413–420.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, S., 1955, Limnological survey of western Lake Erie. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv. Spec. Sci. Rept. Fisheries, 139: 341 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1980 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Brinkhurst, R.O. (1980). Pollution Biology — The North American Experience. In: Brinkhurst, R.O., Cook, D.G. (eds) Aquatic Oligochaete Biology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3048-6_24

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3048-6_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-3050-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-3048-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics