6.1.3 Effect of Heavy Metal on Invertebrates
Metal concentrations in invertebrates showed considerable variation between individual species. Scientists observed that earthworms, oribatid mites, and carabid
beetles and low in springtails, centipedes, and spiders have higher metal
Table 6.1 (continued)
S. No.
Heavy
metal
Toxic effect on plant
Reference
content reduced; area of leaf and
number of leaves decreased; inhibition of plant height; decrease in plant
biomass; enzyme activity decreased
which affected CO 2 fixation
10
Zn
Seed germination percentage
decreased; reduction in plant length
and biomass; photosynthesis content
decrease, carotenoid, sugar, starch,
and amino acid content; variation in
structure of chloroplast; accumulation
of Zn in plant leaves; decrease in plant
nutrient content; reduced efficiency of
photosynthetic and energy conversion
Manivasagaperumal et al. (2011),
Doncheva et al. (2001)
Table 6.2 Effect of various heavy metals on fungi
S. No. Metal Fungal sp.
Increase activity
Decrease
activity
Reference
1
C d
Aspergillus flavus
Total RNA, aflatoxin,
O-methylsterigmatocystin
None
Cuero et al.
(2003)
2
C r
Agrocybe praecox
None
Enzyme
production
Hartikainen
et al. (2013)
3
C u
Aspergillus flavus
Total RNA, aflatoxin,
O-methylsterigmatocystin
None
Cuero et al.
(2003)
4
F e
5
Z n
Coniothyrium sp.
None
Enzyme
production
on ABTS
malt
extract agar
plates
Hartikainen
et al. (2012)
Sordaria sp.,
Pyrenophora sp.,
Alternaria sp.,
Chaetomium sp.,
Fusarium sp.,
Epicoccum sp.,
Gliocladium sp.,
Mortierella sp.,
Cylindrocarpon sp.
Enzyme production on
ABTS malt extract agar
plates
None
158
P. Verma et al.
Metal concentrations in invertebrates showed considerable variation between individual species. Scientists observed that earthworms, oribatid mites, and carabid
beetles and low in springtails, centipedes, and spiders have higher metal
Table 6.1 (continued)
S. No.
Heavy
metal
Toxic effect on plant
Reference
content reduced; area of leaf and
number of leaves decreased; inhibition of plant height; decrease in plant
biomass; enzyme activity decreased
which affected CO 2 fixation
10
Zn
Seed germination percentage
decreased; reduction in plant length
and biomass; photosynthesis content
decrease, carotenoid, sugar, starch,
and amino acid content; variation in
structure of chloroplast; accumulation
of Zn in plant leaves; decrease in plant
nutrient content; reduced efficiency of
photosynthetic and energy conversion
Manivasagaperumal et al. (2011),
Doncheva et al. (2001)
Table 6.2 Effect of various heavy metals on fungi
S. No. Metal Fungal sp.
Increase activity
Decrease
activity
Reference
1
C d
Aspergillus flavus
Total RNA, aflatoxin,
O-methylsterigmatocystin
None
Cuero et al.
(2003)
2
C r
Agrocybe praecox
None
Enzyme
production
Hartikainen
et al. (2013)
3
C u
Aspergillus flavus
Total RNA, aflatoxin,
O-methylsterigmatocystin
None
Cuero et al.
(2003)
4
F e
5
Z n
Coniothyrium sp.
None
Enzyme
production
on ABTS
malt
extract agar
plates
Hartikainen
et al. (2012)
Sordaria sp.,
Pyrenophora sp.,
Alternaria sp.,
Chaetomium sp.,
Fusarium sp.,
Epicoccum sp.,
Gliocladium sp.,
Mortierella sp.,
Cylindrocarpon sp.
Enzyme production on
ABTS malt extract agar
plates
None
158
P. Verma et al.