Estuarine Acidification: Impacts on Aquatic Biota of Draining Acid Sulphate Soils

Sammut, Jesmond; Melville, M. D.; Callinan, R. B.; Fraser, G. C.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-8470.1995.tb00687.x

Cited by 98 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The study findings strongly support the suggestion (Chairuddin et al 1990, cited by Klepper et al 1992, Sammut et al 1995) that acidification of estuarine systems by runoff from ASS has deleterious effects on aquatic biota. Fish species vary in their ability to tolerate chronic acidification (Freda & McDonald 1988), and short-term depressions in pH may cause mortalities in exposed, non-acclimated fishes (Mount et al 1990).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Fish kills in river systems receiving runoff from acid sulfate soil (ASS) areas have been reported from Malaysia (Dunn 1965) and northern and eastern Australia (Brown et al 1983, Noller & Cusbert 1985, Sammut et al 1995. ASS forms when pyrite (FeS 2 ), exposed in sulfidic subsoils by falling water tables during dry periods, reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form sulfuric acid.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dermatitis, branchitis and mortality in empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils

Callinan¹,

Sammut²,

Fraser³

2005

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Severe dermatitis and branchitis are described in a wild population of empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa, an Australian eleotrid, exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils (ASS) in a drained estuarine embayment in eastern Australia. After at least 2 d exposure to pH < 4, and up to 7 d exposure to pH < 6, approximately 50% of the fish sampled had moderate to severe diffuse epidermal hyperplasia, usually at scale margins, and scattered areas of moderate to severe, focal to locally extensive, subacute, necrotising dermatitis. Saprolegnia spp. had invaded epidermis in some inflamed areas. In gills, there was moderate to severe hyperplasia and necrosis of secondary lamellar epithelium, with fusion of adjacent secondary lamellae. Inorganic monomeric aluminium and calcium concentrations in water at the site during the event were 27.7 and 16.6 mg l -1 , respectively. Large numbers of empire gudgeons at the study site had died after at least 8 d exposure to pH < 4, and up to 13 d exposure to pH < 6. These findings provide clear evidence that acidification of estuarine systems by runoff from ASS has deleterious effects on aquatic biota. Furthermore, study findings suggest a mechanism whereby lesions of epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) may be initiated in estuarine fishes by a combination of sublethal exposure to ASS runoff and Aphanomyces invadans infection, a suggestion consistent with the geographic and temporal distribution of EUS outbreaks in Australian estuaries.KEY WORDS: Dermatitis · Mortality · Branchitis · Fish · Acid sulfate soils · Saprolegniasis · Epizootic ulcerative syndrome · EUS Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 63: [247][248][249][250][251][252][253] 2005 posure (Daye & Garside 1980, Freda & McDonald 1988, Playle et al. 1989, Mount et al. 1990, Witters et al. 1990, Norrgren et al. 1991, Poleo et al. 1991, Galle & Montoroi 1993. Gill lesions, typically including lamellar epithelial hyperplasia and fusion of secondary lamellae, are common in fish exposed naturally or experimentally to acidified water (Daye & Garside 1976, Linnenbach et al. 1987, Dietrich & Schlatter 1989, Norrgren et al. 1991. Mild skin lesions, including increased secretion of mucus, cutaneous goblet cell hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia, as well as more severe skin lesions, including epidermal necrosis and sloughing, have also been described in fish exposed experimentally to acidified water (Daye & Garside 1976, Tandjung et al. 1982, Segner et al. 1988, Ingersoll et al. 1990b, Iger & Wendelaar Bonga 1994. We have found no reports of skin lesions in naturally exposed fish.In this paper we describe severe dermatitis with opportunist mycotic involvement, branchitis and mortality in a wild population of empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa, an Australian eleotrid, exposed naturally to acidified runoff from ASS. MATERIALS AND METHODSAs part of a study examining possible relationships between ASS runoff and deleterious effects on aquatic biota, water quality ...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dermatitis, branchitis and mortality in empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils

Callinan¹,

Sammut²,

Fraser³

2005

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…Concerning aquatic environments, runoff from acid sulfate soils has been reported to acidify even water within a tidal reach (Sammut et al, 1996;Cook et al, 2000;Wilson et al, 1999), and this is associated with the mortality of fish in estuaries (Sammut et al, 1995). The estuarine water contains a high alkalinity, hence its resistance against acidification is strong compared to stream water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Under reducing condition, the pyritic sediments remain stable, but when they are exposed to the air either by excavation, uplifting, lowering of sea level or drainage, the pyrite is oxidized. Oxidized and unoxidized py-and Wilander, 1995;Astrom and Bjorklund, 1995;Wilson et al, 1999;Cook et al, 2000), and mortality of fish (Sammut et al, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemical characteristics of runoff from acid sulfate soils in the northern area of Okinawa Island, Japan

2003

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The oxidation of pyrite in acid sulfate soils (ASS) produces high concentration of strong acid (H 2 SO 4 ) in the soil. The acid reacts with soil minerals and dissolves aluminum and other acid-soluble metals. During rainfall, they are flushed and discharged into terrestrial and aquatic environments. The authors examined the chemical characteristics of the runoffs from ASS in Arashiyama and in Ooshitai, which are located in the northern part of Okinawa Island and evaluated their potential effects on surrounding environments.The results show that the runoffs were very acidic with pH range of 2.87 to 4.29, and minimum values were close to the pH values of the soils. The dominant species were SO 4 2-, Al 3+ , and Fe 2+ and they were well correlated with pH. The acidity of the runoffs caused dissolution of metals in the following order: Mn > Zn > Cu = Cd. The quality of runoffs was found to be poor and was mainly governed by the interaction of rain and soil. A comparison between the stream waters collected during rain event and on fine day showed a marked changes in stream water chemistry during rainfall as follows: alkalinity was reduced by 3.7 times, sulfate concentration was increased by 3 times whereas pH was decreased by 0.18 units. These changes are attributed to the contamination by runoff from ASS. Moreover brown flocky sediments were observed to have covered entire streambed at the discharging point. The chemical composition of the sediments shows that as those of runoffs, they were dominated by Fe, Al, and SO 4 . These results indicate that the sediments were mainly formed as the results of mixing runoffs and stream water.

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“…Willett and Walker 1982;Lin and Melville 1992;White et al , 1997Sammut et al 1994Sammut et al , 1995Sammut et al , 1996Ahern et al 1998Ahern et al , 2000. Few published studies have involved coastal ASS from southern Australia, with a Mediterranean climate (e.g.…”

Section: Review Of Previous Micromorphological Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micromorphological evidence for mineral weathering pathways in a coastal acid sulfate soil sequence with Mediterranean-type climate, South Australia

et al. 2009

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Abstract. Soil micromorphology, using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was used to describe detailed soil morphological and compositional changes and determine mineral weathering pathways in acid sulfate soils (ASS) from the following 2 contrasting coastal environments in Barker Inlet, South Australia: (i) a tidal mangrove forest with sulfidic material at St Kilda, and (ii) a former supratidal samphire area at Gillman that was drained in 1954 causing sulfuric material to form from sulfidic material. Pyrite framboids and cubes were identified in sulfidic material from both sites and are associated with sapric and hemic materials. Gypsum crystals, interpreted as a product of sulfide oxidation, were observed to have formed in lenticular voids within organic matter in the tidal mangrove soils at St Kilda. Sulfide oxidation was extensive in the drained soil at Gillman, evidenced by the formation of iron oxyhydroxide pseudomorphs (goethite crystallites and framboids) after pyrite and jarosite, and of gypsum crystals. Gypsum crystals occur where a local source of calcium such as shells or calcareous sand is present. Sporadic oxidation episodes are indicated by the formation of iron oxide and jarosite coatings around coarse biogenic voids. These observations indicate that mineral transformation pathways are strongly influenced by soil physico-chemical characteristics (i.e. oxidation rate, Eh, pH, soil solution chemistry, mineralogy, and spatial distribution of sulfides). This information has been used to illustrate the interrelationships of pyrite, carbonate, gypsum, jarosite, and organic matter and help predict soil evolution under changing hydro-geochemical, redoximorphic, and thermal conditions in soils from coastal environments.

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Estuarine Acidification: Impacts on Aquatic Biota of Draining Acid Sulphate Soils

Cited by 98 publications

References 22 publications

Dermatitis, branchitis and mortality in empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils

Dermatitis, branchitis and mortality in empire gudgeon Hypseleotris compressa exposed naturally to runoff from acid sulfate soils

Geochemical characteristics of runoff from acid sulfate soils in the northern area of Okinawa Island, Japan

Micromorphological evidence for mineral weathering pathways in a coastal acid sulfate soil sequence with Mediterranean-type climate, South Australia

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