Heather L. Young, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO, Carolyn Dowling, Arkansas State University, State University, AR, and Tanja McKay, Arkansas State University, State University, AR.
Poultry litter is a commonly used fertilizer in agricultural fields. However, it is believed to contribute to metal contamination in the environment from metal-containing feed additives given to poultry. Buildup of these metals may bioaccumulate and affect arthropods which are at the bottom of the food chain and common bioindicators of an ecosystem's health. Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) and wolf spiders (Aranaea: Lycosidae) collected in control and applied fields were analyzed for the metals commonly found in poultry litter (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Li, Mg, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sn, Ti and Zn) to determine the extent of metal bioaccumulation in these arthropods. For crickets, there was an increase in Cd, Li, Mg, and Zn concentrations after poultry litter application, and a decrease in concentration for Mn, Mg, Al, Ca, Na. For wolf spiders, there was an increase in Mg and Zn, a decrease in Na, and no change in Cd. Other metals were not detected in the spiders.
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