Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation

Chironomids have a number of characteristics that make them a useful group for investigating the impact of environmental and chemical stressors on their life cycle stages. It is crucial to first understand sensitivities to environmental factors and provide a basis for interpreting the results of tox...

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Main Authors: Evridiki Klagkou, Andre Gergs, Christian U. Baden, Konstadia Lika
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Insects
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/848
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author Evridiki Klagkou
Andre Gergs
Christian U. Baden
Konstadia Lika
author_facet Evridiki Klagkou
Andre Gergs
Christian U. Baden
Konstadia Lika
author_sort Evridiki Klagkou
collection DOAJ
description Chironomids have a number of characteristics that make them a useful group for investigating the impact of environmental and chemical stressors on their life cycle stages. It is crucial to first understand sensitivities to environmental factors and provide a basis for interpreting the results of toxicity tests. We focused on <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–one of the most studied species in aquatic toxicity tests—to understand the changes during the larval stage under conditions of food abundance and limitation. We developed a model based on Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory, a framework to capture the entire life cycle of an individual under varying food and temperature conditions. Available information from this study and the literature pointed out that the first three larval instars are immature and the fourth larval instar is mature, during which the organism saves, in two phases, energy for essential processes occurring during the subsequent non-feeding stages. The model can successfully predict the observed prolonged fourth instar duration under food limitation, the times of life history events (e.g., pupation and emergence), and egg production. This model has the potential to be integrated with toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic models to study the effects of toxicants on a variety of biological traits.
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spelling doaj-art-75247a640a2c4c6683fa4599aedd1ec12025-08-20T02:28:14ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-10-01151184810.3390/insects15110848Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food LimitationEvridiki Klagkou0Andre Gergs1Christian U. Baden2Konstadia Lika3Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 70013 Heraklion, GreeceBayer AG, Crop Science Division, Alfred-Nobel Straße 50, 40789 Monheim, GermanyBayer AG, Crop Science Division, Alfred-Nobel Straße 50, 40789 Monheim, GermanyDepartment of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, 70013 Heraklion, GreeceChironomids have a number of characteristics that make them a useful group for investigating the impact of environmental and chemical stressors on their life cycle stages. It is crucial to first understand sensitivities to environmental factors and provide a basis for interpreting the results of toxicity tests. We focused on <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–one of the most studied species in aquatic toxicity tests—to understand the changes during the larval stage under conditions of food abundance and limitation. We developed a model based on Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory, a framework to capture the entire life cycle of an individual under varying food and temperature conditions. Available information from this study and the literature pointed out that the first three larval instars are immature and the fourth larval instar is mature, during which the organism saves, in two phases, energy for essential processes occurring during the subsequent non-feeding stages. The model can successfully predict the observed prolonged fourth instar duration under food limitation, the times of life history events (e.g., pupation and emergence), and egg production. This model has the potential to be integrated with toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic models to study the effects of toxicants on a variety of biological traits.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/848dynamic energy budget theoryholometabolous insectsaquatic insects<i>Chironomus riparius</i>biphasic larval growth
spellingShingle Evridiki Klagkou
Andre Gergs
Christian U. Baden
Konstadia Lika
Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
Insects
dynamic energy budget theory
holometabolous insects
aquatic insects
<i>Chironomus riparius</i>
biphasic larval growth
title Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
title_full Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
title_fullStr Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
title_full_unstemmed Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
title_short Modeling the Bioenergetics and Life History Traits of <i>Chironomus riparius</i>–Consequences of Food Limitation
title_sort modeling the bioenergetics and life history traits of i chironomus riparius i consequences of food limitation
topic dynamic energy budget theory
holometabolous insects
aquatic insects
<i>Chironomus riparius</i>
biphasic larval growth
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/848
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