07`a POPULATION DYNAMICS OF HERBIVOROUS INSECTS IN A SERIES OF OIL REFINERY EFFLUENT HOLDING-PONDS By RICHARD ARNOLD TUBB Bachelor of Science Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1958 Master of Science Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1960 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August, 1963 Name: Richard Arnold Tubb Date of Degree: August 10, 1963 Institution: Oklahoma State University Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma Title of Study: POPULATION DYNAMICS OF HERBIVOROUS INSECTS IN A SERIES OF OIL REFINERY EFFLUENT HOLDING-PONDS Pages in Study: 44 Candidate for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major Field: Zoology Scope and Method of Study: Oil refinery effluent holding-pond popu- lations of bottom-dwelling midge fly larvae, family Tendipedidae, were sampled monthly from 22 November 1960 until 7 November 1961. Population fluctuations were correlated with effluent toxicity. Life histories were studied for the three species of tendipedids which occurred in the pond-system. Estimates were made of average life spans, survival percentages, and emergence of adults. Effects of filter-feeding larvae upon effluent turbidity were evaluated. Caloric contents of standing crops were determined and the amount of energy lost by adult mergence was calculated. Findings and Conclusions: Larval midge fly populations generally in- creased in successive holding-ponds during summer. Winter pop- ulations were small and concentrated in ponds near the center of the pond-system. Larval populations of Tendipes plumosus predominated during spring. Harnischia tenuicaudata was the most abundant species in summer, and fall and winter populations contained large numbers of Tanypus stellatus. Emergence of adult tendipedids removed about 62,458 kilocalories/year from the pond-system. Filter feeding midge larvae decreased effluent turbidity significantly. ADVISER'S APPROVAL PREFACE The purposes of this study on herbivorous insect populations in a series of holding-ponds are: (1) to determine the annual populations of herbivorous insect larvae, (2) to establish the rate of energy re- moval from holding-ponds by emergence, (3) to find the interaction be- tween the oil refinery effluent and populations of immature insects. Dr. Troy C. Dorris, major professor, guided the study. Drs. George A. Moore, L. H. Bruneau and Glen W. Todd criticized the manuscript. Dr. William A. Drew made technical suggestions and criticized the manuscript. Advice and counsel on statistical procedures was given by Dr. R. D. Morrison and C. E. Marshall. Dr. LaVerne L. Curry identified the tendi- pedid larvae. Chemical technicians at the oil refinery made all chemical determinations of the oil refinery effluents. Billy Joe Copeland, Kenneth W. Minter, William Shelton, C. R. Jenkins, Jerry Copeland, and Don Davis assisted in collecting samples. My wife and Mrs. Karen Benson typed the manuscript. The help and aid of these persons is appre- ciated. This study was made possible by financial aid from the Oklahoma Oil Refiners' Waste Control Council and a terminal year fellowship grant # WM-15, 408(1) from the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control of the Department of Public Health. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 II. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION ........... 3 Refinery Operations ........... 3 Effluent Treatment ........... 3 Characteristics of the Effluent ...........4 III. METHODS . • • • • O O O O O O 0 • • • • O O O O O O 8 Sampling Techniques and Field Methods ........... 8 Laboratory Apparatus and Methods ................................................................... 10 Statistical Procedures ..................................................................................................... 11 Standing Crops of a Species .................................................................... 11 Standing Crops of all Tendipedid Larvae ........................... 12 IV. LIFE HISTORIES ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Tendipes plumosus .............. 13 Harnischia tenuicaudata ..................................................................................................... 15 Tanypus stellatus ......................................................................................................................... 15 V. EFFECTS OF TENDIPES PLUMOSUS UPON EFFLUENT TURBIDITY. 17 VI. IMMATURE INSECT POPULATIONS ..................................................................................................... 21 Standing Crop Estimates and Population Fluctuations. 21 Pupal Populations ......................................................................................................................... 25 Distribution ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Other Insect Populations .............................................................................................. 29 Chaoborus ................................................................................................................................................... 29 Ceratopogonidae ............................................................................................................................... 30 Hydrophilidae ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Odonata .......................................................................................................................................................... 30 VII. ENERGY TRANSFER THROUGH TENDIPEDID POPULATIONS ......................................... 32 - VIII. CALORIFIC ESTIMATES FOR THE POND SYSTEM ............................................................. 39 IX. SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 41 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................................................................. 43 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Page I. Annual Water Temperatures in Four Ponds (F ) 6 II. Phenol Concentrations and pH Values ...7 III. Sampling Stations and Physical Dimensions of the Ponds. 8 IV. Statistical "t" Test Between Larval Cultures of Tendipes and Controls at the 95% Level of Confidence . 17 V. Caloric Standing Crops of Pond 4, ...................... 22 VI. Caloric Standing Crops of Pond 7 ........................ 23 VII. Caloric Standing Crops of Pond 10 ...................... 24 VIII. Calories Transferred Out of the Pond-System by Emergence. 37 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Turbidity averages of five cultures of Tendipes . ....... 18 2. Turbidity averages of four cultures of Tendipes ........... 19 3. Numerical tendipedid standing crops in pond 4 ... ....... 26 4, Numerical tendipedid standing crops in pond 7 ............. 26 5. Numerical tendipedid standing crops in pond 10 ............. 27 6. Number of pupae in pond 4 . • • ................ 28 7. Number of pupae in pond 7 ............................... 28 8. Number of pupae in pond 10 ............................... 29 9. Diagram of fractional portion of the standing crop lost each day during emergence ... • • • • 33 10. Survival percentage based on a logarithmic decrease of winter populations .................................... 35 11. Calories lost/day by emergence from pond 4 .. 36 12. Calories lost/day by emergence from pond 7 ................ 36 13r Calories lost/day by emergence from pond 10 . • • 37 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Since the development of the trophic-dynamic concept (Lindeman, 1942), the need to understand aquatic ecosystems in terms of energy- flow has become apparent. Energy-flow through aquatic ecosystems has received much attention (Odum and Odum, 1955), (Patten, 1959), and (Odum, 1957). No quantitative biological studies have described the flow of energy through an aquatic community heavily enriched with or- ganic compounds. The present study attempted to measure energy-flow through populations of herbivorous larval midge flies (Tendipedidae= Chironomidae) in oil refinery effluent holding-ponds. Oil refinery effluents contain organic compounds possessing a high energy content. Treatment in holding-ponds lowers the energy content by dissipating energy through aquatic organisms. Each trophic level in the ponds requires energy to maintain structure and organization (Patten, 1959). Energy transfer between trophic levels also results in energy losses to entropy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (Odum, 1959). Quantitative information on energy passage through each trophic level is essential in understanding natural treatment processes. Clarke, Edmondson, and Ricker, (1946) defined the parameters to be determined in a complete study of energy-flow through a population. Only the more important parameters were measured for the tendipedid populations. Estimates were made of standing crops, survival percentages 1 2 of the larvae and energy lost by emergence of adults. Life histories were studied for the three tendipedid