Trophic-level dependent concentrations of forever chemicals in insects of pristine areas are linked to morphological changes
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
- 2Bavarian Environment Agency, Augsburg, Germany
- 3Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- 4Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 5Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
Abstract
Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals (PBTs) are notoriously harmful, but their impact on insects in remote areas remains insufficiently explored. We investigate effects of PBTs on insects at remote high elevations in the European Alps, using herbivorous bumblebees, omnivorous ants, and necrophagous beetles – species of three trophic levels. We detect 30 PBTs in the insects’ bodies, including mercury, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The concentrations increase from herbivores to omnivores to necrophages. For mercury, the concentrations are even 120-fold higher in carrion beetles than in bumblebees. Individual PBTs correlate positively with fluctuating asymmetry values (FA) in all species, representing morphological change and suggesting reduced fitness. Inbreeding values, as alternative cause of FA, are low and unlinked to FA. Nevertheless, correlations become non-significant for certain combinations of species and substances when including measurement uncertainty using Monte Carlo simulations. The impact of specific PBTs on FA must therefore be considered carefully, and measurement precision is still a limiting factor for field studies. Our data highlight the exposition and accumulation of PBTs along trophic levels in insects of pristine areas and evidence detrimental effects. We conclude that PBTs are likely a driving factor of today’s insect decline.
Related
- Clonogenic survival and relative biological effectiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma under pristine and spread-out Bragg peak irradiation with protons and carbon ions.
- Microbiota-based PBPK model: new approach methodology for assessing the kinetics of drugs and chemicals
- EEA health-relevant data streams: air pollution, climate, noise, chemicals and industrial emissions
- Recent Advances in the Preparation of Deuterium-Labeled Chemicals via Heterogeneous Catalysis
- Implications of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals for Human Health and Effective Methods for Prevention and Reduction
BibTeX
@article{hierlmeierhackl2026trophiclevel,
title = {{Trophic-level dependent concentrations of forever chemicals in insects of pristine areas are linked to morphological changes}},
author = {Veronika Rosa Hierlmeier-Hackl and Patrick Krapf and Sabrina Gurten and Carolin Margit Strutzmann and Valentin Titus Schlenz and Timotheus Kopf and Wolfgang Moche and Korbinian Peter Freier and Florian Michael Steiner and Birgit Christiane Schlick-Steiner},
journal = {Communications Biology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s42003-026-10586-1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10586-1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Trophic-level dependent concentrations of forever chemicals in insects of pristine areas are linked to morphological changes
AU - Veronika Rosa Hierlmeier-Hackl
AU - Patrick Krapf
AU - Sabrina Gurten
AU - Carolin Margit Strutzmann
AU - Valentin Titus Schlenz
AU - Timotheus Kopf
AU - Wolfgang Moche
AU - Korbinian Peter Freier
AU - Florian Michael Steiner
AU - Birgit Christiane Schlick-Steiner
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/09
JO - Communications Biology
DO - 10.1038/s42003-026-10586-1
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-10586-1
AB - Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals (PBTs) are notoriously harmful, but their impact on insects in remote areas remains insufficiently explored. We investigate effects of PBTs on insects at remote high elevations in the European Alps, using herbivorous bumblebees, omnivorous ants, and necrophagous beetles – species of three trophic levels. We detect 30 PBTs in the insects’ bodies, including mercury, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The concentrations increase from herbivores to omnivores to necrophages. For mercury, the concentrations are even 120-fold higher in carrion beetles than in bumblebees. Individual PBTs correlate positively with fluctuating asymmetry values (FA) in all species, representing morphological change and suggesting reduced fitness. Inbreeding values, as alternative cause of FA, are low and unlinked to FA. Nevertheless, correlations become non-significant for certain combinations of species and substances when including measurement uncertainty using Monte Carlo simulations. The impact of specific PBTs on FA must therefore be considered carefully, and measurement precision is still a limiting factor for field studies. Our data highlight the exposition and accumulation of PBTs along trophic levels in insects of pristine areas and evidence detrimental effects. We conclude that PBTs are likely a driving factor of today’s insect decline.
SN - 2399-3642
ER -