Effect of Heavy Metal Pollution on Invertebrates

Samir Ghannem, Sonia Dhaouadi and Samir Touaylia

A chapter in Heavy Metals - Recent Advances from IntechOpen

Abstract: Metal pollutants are widespread in air, soil and water causing a decline in invertebrates worldwide. The increase of environmental pollution by heavy metals has a negative impact to organisms and influence their diversity, distribution, physiology and behavior. Contrary to other pollutants, metals are non-degradable and can potentially bio-accumulate and be biomagnified in the trophic chain. Because soil invertebrates tend to be strongly affected by environmental disturbances, high concentrations of these metals can become hazardous to invertebrates. Noxious effects can affect all biological levels, and toxins affect all ecological interactions. In this brief chapter, we have tried to develop a comprehensive understanding of the influence of metal contamination on ecosystem disturbance. We give examples of studies on the effects of pollutants on invertebrates.

Keywords: impact; heavy metals; invertebrate decline; environmental pollution; bioindicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ito:pchaps:292510

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.109905

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