Richard Honour

Richard Honour

May 31, 2015

Group 6 Copy 80
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Critical to Forest Health

The Yellow-Spotted Millipede, a Cyanide Millipede, an Arthropod, Haraphe haydeniana, is a species of polydesmidan (flat-backed) millipede found in moist forests from Southeast Alaska to California. The dark coloration with contrasting yellow-tipped keels warn of its ability to exude toxic hydrogen cyanide as a defense. It is the most important detritivore (feeds on dead matter) in the forest and is critical in nutrient recycling and the generation of healthy soil. H. haydeniana is an important part of the Cascade forest ecosystem, breaking down leaf litter and freeing up nutrients for other organisms.

The Snout Mite, Neomolgus littoralis, is another common forest arthropod that is native to Western North America. Like other snout mites this species is a predator and will feed on flies, fly larvae and small annelids by sucking out their bodily fluids. Forest health depends on these arthropods and so many other animal and microbial species that are involved in nutrient recycling and the decomposition of organic matter.

The Yellow-Spotted Millipede and the Snout Mite are just two of many species that are killed by exposure to any amount of sewage sludge that is land-disposed in our forests. Their recovery is very slow, as shown by this real-time experience, taking about 11 months from the time of sludge disposal.

No person or agency has ever evaluated the adverse effects of toxic sewage sludge disposal in our forest ecosystem on these arthropods or on any other forest invertebrate species, and what may be the adverse effects of all of this commercial plastic on any forest species?

Yellow-Spotted Millipede, Haraphe haydeniana – Killed by sewage sludge, now in recovery.

Snout Mite, Neomolgus littoralis – Killed by sewage sludge, now in recovery.

Robust Lancetooth Snail, Haplotrema vancouverense – Killed by sewage sludge, still MIA.

Decomposing Produce Label still there after 11 months in the forest.

Persistent Produce Labels after 11 months in the forest.

Persistent Pharmaceutical Product Packaging after 11 months in the forest.

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About This Project

The Precautionary Group

We've discovered a few new mushrooms thriving in this harsh environment of land-disposed sewage sludge in Snoqualmie, Washington. We're testing these mushrooms for new antimicrobial properties. Microbes that survive exposure to toxic sewage sludge engage adaptive mechanisms that transform toxins into secondary metabolites.

Blast off!

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