Role of Chironomus plumosus (Diptera, Chironomidae) Population in the Central Zone of the Shallow Lake Trasimeno (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 6, 1-12

Abstract: Adult swarms of non-biting pestiferous midges (Chironomidae: Diptera), primarily Chironomus plumosus , prevail over and around Lake Trasimeno (Italy) during the summer season. The current field survey (2018–2021, 33 sampling occasions) was carried out in the central area of the lake. It revealed a macrobenthic community consisting of Chironomidae (40.72%) and Oligochaeta (59.23%). Chironomus plumosus was the dominant chironomid species (98.84%). A previous survey (2000–2002, 11 sampling occasions) had highlighted a similar community, although C. plumosus had a lower density, comprising a maximum of 295.0 ind. m −2 . This density was five times lower than the maximum densities of 2018–2021. A survey (2018–2021, 58 sampling occasions) conducted in the littoral zone revealed much greater chironomid biodiversity, with C. plumosus abundance of only 24.35% among all chironomids. This species showed an average density (88.1 ind. m −2 ) five times lower than its density (467.9 ind. m −2 ) in the central zone (2018–2021). Therefore, the central area of the lake, constituting about 90% of its total surface area, is the main region for the origin of C. plumosus adults and, consequently, during the summer months, it is the primary source of the annoying swarms that affect residents and tourists of the lake vicinity.

Keywords: chironomid populations; larval density; macroinvertebrates communities; lake’s central zone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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