Population Dynamics and Seasonal Patterns of Chironomus plumosus (Diptera, Chironomidae) in the Shallow Lake Trasimeno, Central Italy

Matteo Pallottini, Sarah Pagliarini, Marianna Catasti, Gianandrea La Porta, Roberta Selvaggi, Elda Gaino, Leonardo Spacone, Alessandro Maria Di Giulio, Arshad Ali and Enzo Goretti ()
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Matteo Pallottini: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Sarah Pagliarini: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Marianna Catasti: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Gianandrea La Porta: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Roberta Selvaggi: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Elda Gaino: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Leonardo Spacone: Laika Lab srl, via Indipendenza 116/B, Castiglione del Lago, 06061 Perugia, Italy
Alessandro Maria Di Giulio: Servizio Disinfestazione, USLUmbria1, 06127 Perugia, Italy
Arshad Ali: MREC-Apopka and Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Enzo Goretti: Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Field sampling of littoral macrobenthos of the shallow Lake Trasimeno was conducted along 17 years (2005–2021) on 129 different occasions. This long-term field study deepens the knowledge concerning the life cycle of Chironomus plumosus (Diptera), the main responsible for summer chironomid swarms that adversely affect human littoral activities, providing useful information for its management. About 108,000 macrobenthic specimens were collected, belonging to Oligochaeta (Naididae) (62%), Diptera (Chironomidae) (37%), and only 1.5% to other invertebrate taxa. Eighteen chironomid taxa were found. The trend of chironomid density was not affected by C. plumosus , which showed a maximum increase in September. This peak is justified by the presence of large swarms of C. plumosus in late August in which the populations of the central area of Lake Trasimeno consistently participate. The larval density of this species did not increase over the 17 years. A detailed analysis of the sampled larvae and adult biomass catches from 2017 to 2020 reveals that four annual swarmings occurred: in April, July, August, and September–October. The water temperature remains higher than 20 °C during the night hours from the end of May to mid-September, strengthening the hypothesis of the three midge swarming cycles in the summer period until early autumn.

Keywords: chironomids; larval instar; midge swarms; macrobenthos communities; lake’s littoral zone; temperature (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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