A Multiple Life‐History Trait–Based and Time‐Resolved Assessment of Imidacloprid Effects and Recovery in the Widely Distributed Collembolan Folsomia quadrioculata

Summary

Life history traits determine individual fitness and the fate of populations. Imidacloprid, a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, which persists in soil for more than 100 d at biologically relevant levels, may affect non‐target and ecologically important species, such as collembolans. In the present study, we determined the sublethal effects of short‐term imidacloprid exposure and post‐exposure recovery in the collembolan Folsomia quadrioculata, which occurs abundantly across the northern hemisphere. We assessed survival, egg production, and hatching success in adult springtails exposed for 14 d through the diet to imidacloprid followed by a 28 d post‐exposure phase. Survival and hatching success were high throughout the experiment in all the treatments, with no clear concentration dependency. However, egg production declined during the exposure phase and nearly stopped between 8 and 14 d in all the treatments (except the control), but resumed during the post‐exposure phase. Moreover, the resumption of egg production showed a concentration‐dependent delay. Our findings suggest that low imidacloprid exposures can restrict reproduction, with potentially severe consequences for the population, notwithstanding the partial recovery in egg production.