Arthropod assemblages in municipal solid waste landfills: decomposers or hidden hazards?

IF 3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Pub Date : 2025-05-05 DOI:10.1093/inteam/vjaf058

Nozipho Kheswa, Arun Gokul, Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe, Nontembeko Dube

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Landfills represent a cost-effective method for waste disposal but pose significant environmental and public health risks, including the spread of arthropod-borne diseases, if not properly managed. This study investigated arthropod assemblages in two municipal solid waste landfills in Maluti-a-Phofung, Free State, South Africa, and compared them with adjacent control sites. Arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps deployed in active and dormant landfill sites, as well as in adjacent pristine grassland biotopes, during both wet and dry seasons. The study identified 11 arthropod groups in the landfills, including collembolans (48%), Diptera (25%), Hymenoptera (8%), Coleoptera (8%), and spiders (6%). Results showed that landfills support significantly higher arthropod abundance and diversity compared to control sites. In the wet season, landfills recorded a total of 9,354 individuals, compared to 3,684 in control sites, while in the dry season, 1,193 individuals were recorded in landfills versus 788 in control areas. Detritivores and predatory arthropods were notably more abundant in landfills. Dipteran families such as Muscidae and Calliphoridae were particularly prevalent in landfills during the wet season, playing key roles as decomposers while also serving as potential disease vectors. The findings highlight that landfill conditions, including waste accumulation and seasonal variations, promote diverse arthropod communities crucial for waste degradation. However, the high abundance of arthropods, especially dipterans, may indicate inadequate landfill management. To mitigate potential health risks, improved waste containment, moisture control, and remediation practices are recommended. This study is the first documented investigation of arthropod assemblages in South African landfill sites, and future research should further explore the role of detritivores in waste degradation and pollution remediation in landfills.

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城市垃圾填埋场的节肢动物群落：分解者还是隐患？

垃圾填埋场是一种具有成本效益的废物处理方法，但如果管理不当，将构成重大的环境和公共健康风险，包括传播节肢动物传播的疾病。本研究调查了南非自由州malutia - phofung两个城市固体垃圾填埋场的节肢动物群落，并将其与邻近对照点进行了比较。在湿季和旱季，在活跃和休眠的垃圾填埋场以及邻近的原始草原生物群落中使用陷阱对节肢动物进行取样。研究确定了11个节肢动物类群，包括鞘翅目（48%）、双翅目（25%）、膜翅目（8%）、鞘翅目（8%）和蜘蛛（6%）。结果表明，与对照区相比，垃圾填埋场支持的节肢动物数量和多样性显著增加。在雨季，垃圾填埋场共记录了9,354只，而对照区为3,684只；在旱季，垃圾填埋场记录了1,193只，而对照区为788只。垃圾填埋场中腐食动物和掠食性节肢动物数量显著增加。湿季期间，双翅目昆虫如蝇科和蠓科在垃圾填埋场尤为普遍，它们作为分解者发挥着关键作用，同时也是潜在的疾病媒介。研究结果强调，垃圾填埋场的条件，包括废物的积累和季节变化，促进了对废物降解至关重要的节肢动物群落的多样性。然而，节肢动物，特别是双翅目动物的高丰度可能表明填埋场管理不足。为了减轻潜在的健康风险，建议改进废物密封、湿度控制和补救措施。本研究是对南非垃圾填埋场节肢动物群落的首次文献调查，未来的研究应进一步探讨营养动物在垃圾降解和污染修复中的作用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESTOXICOLOGY&nbs-TOXICOLOGY

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

6.50%

发文量

156

期刊介绍： Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM) publishes the science underpinning environmental decision making and problem solving. Papers submitted to IEAM must link science and technical innovations to vexing regional or global environmental issues in one or more of the following core areas: Science-informed regulation, policy, and decision making Health and ecological risk and impact assessment Restoration and management of damaged ecosystems Sustaining ecosystems Managing large-scale environmental change Papers published in these broad fields of study are connected by an array of interdisciplinary engineering, management, and scientific themes, which collectively reflect the interconnectedness of the scientific, social, and environmental challenges facing our modern global society: Methods for environmental quality assessment; forecasting across a number of ecosystem uses and challenges (systems-based, cost-benefit, ecosystem services, etc.); measuring or predicting ecosystem change and adaptation Approaches that connect policy and management tools; harmonize national and international environmental regulation; merge human well-being with ecological management; develop and sustain the function of ecosystems; conceptualize, model and apply concepts of spatial and regional sustainability Assessment and management frameworks that incorporate conservation, life cycle, restoration, and sustainability; considerations for climate-induced adaptation, change and consequences, and vulnerability Environmental management applications using risk-based approaches; considerations for protecting and fostering biodiversity, as well as enhancement or protection of ecosystem services and resiliency.