Toxicity of endosulfan to Atalophlebia spp. (Ephemeroptera) in the laboratory, mesocosm, and field.

A series of single-species toxicity tests was conducted in the laboratory and in outdoor stream mesocosms. The mayfly nymphs of Atalophlebia spp. (A. av2 and A. av6) were exposed to the organochlorine pesticide endosulfan for either 12- or 48-h periods, with mortality recorded after 96 h. For both exposure periods, the lethal concentration (LC50 and LC 10) values were not significantly different between laboratory and mesocosm single-species tests, suggesting that the absence of natural environmental conditions and biological interactions in laboratory single-species tests did not influence the toxicity of technical endosulfan to Atalophlebia spp. Interpolation of toxicity test data indicates that peak endosulfan concentrations recorded in the rivers during storm events are likely to cause only minimal impact on Atalophlebia spp. populations. This suggests that changes in the abundance of populations observed in the field, if due to total endosulfan alone, are the result of chronic rather than acute exposure.