Impacts to water quality and biota persist in mining-influenced Appalachian streams

Cianciolo, Thomas R.; McLaughlin, Daniel L.; Zipper, Carl E.; Timpano, Anthony J.; Soucek, David J.; Schoenholtz, Stephen H.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137216

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Our results were similar to those of other studies [ 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ] that showed lower species richness and abundance of SC owing to the increased osmoregulation stress [ 75 , 76 , 77 ] and heavy metal bioaccumulation due to heavy metal contaminated biofilm, which is the main food source of SC [ 21 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. The loss of certain FFGs and/or taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates is critical in freshwater ecosystems because each of them is responsible for certain roles, such as food sources of higher trophic organisms, nutrient cycling, leaf litter decomposition and/or bioremediation from disturbed habitats [ 81 , 82 , 83 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Impacts of Abandoned Mining Areas: A Case Study with Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages

Bae

Hong

Kim

2021

IJERPH

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Mining activities are among the most long-lasting anthropogenic pressures on streams and rivers. Therefore, detecting different benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in the areas recovered from mining activities is essential to establish conservation and management plans for improving the freshwater biodiversity in streams located near mining areas. We compared the stability of benthic macroinvertebrate communities between streams affected by mining activities (Hwangjicheon: NHJ and Cheolamcheon: NCA) and the least disturbed stream (Songjeonricheon: NSJ) using network analysis, self-organizing map, and indicator species analysis. Species richness was lowest at sites where stream sediments were reddened or whitened due to mining impacts in NHJ and NCA. Among functional feeding groups, the ratio of scrapers was lower (i.e., NHJ) or not observed (i.e., NCA) in the affected sites by mining. The networks (species interactions) were less connected in NHJ and NCA than in NSJ, indicating that community stability decreased in the area affected by mining activity. We identified five groups based on the similarity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities according to the gradients of mining impacts using a self-organizing map. the samples from the reference stream (clusters 1 and 5), sites located near the mining water inflow area (cluster 4), sites where stream sediments acid-sulfated (cluster 2), and sites that had recovered from mining impacts (cluster 3). Among the 40 taxa selected as indicators defined from the five clusters in self-organizing map, only few (Physa acuta, Tipula KUa, and Nemoura KUb) indicator species were selected in each cluster representing the mining-impacted sites. Our results highlighted that the benthic macroinvertebrate community complexity was lower in streams affected by mining activity. Furthermore, the range of disturbed areas in the streams, where conservation and management plans should be prioritized, can be quantified by examining alterations in the benthic macroinvertebrate community.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Impacts of Abandoned Mining Areas: A Case Study with Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages

Bae

Hong

Kim

2021

IJERPH

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“…All were first‐order streams with watersheds <5.0 km 2 located within the Central Appalachians ecoregion, a mountainous area of the eastern United States with underlying geology comprised primarily of sandstones and shales with interbedded seams of coal (US Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA], 2022). Three were reference streams with no coal mining, mostly forested with little to no watershed development, and annual mean specific conductance (SC) values less than 120 µS cm –1 (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020). The other six streams were directly downstream of surface coal‐mining operations with an alkaline discharge, SCs ranging from <500 to >1200 µS cm –1 (Supporting Information, Table S2; Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020), and altered macroinvertebrate communities relative to the reference streams (Supporting Information, Table S2).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three were reference streams with no coal mining, mostly forested with little to no watershed development, and annual mean specific conductance (SC) values less than 120 µS cm –1 (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020). The other six streams were directly downstream of surface coal‐mining operations with an alkaline discharge, SCs ranging from <500 to >1200 µS cm –1 (Supporting Information, Table S2; Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020), and altered macroinvertebrate communities relative to the reference streams (Supporting Information, Table S2). Mining operations had stopped in 1993 for one mining‐influenced watershed, mining operations had ceased between 2007 and approximately 2015 for four such watersheds (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020), and one mining‐influenced watershed (Site RFF; Figure 1) was being mined during the time of our study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The other six streams were directly downstream of surface coal‐mining operations with an alkaline discharge, SCs ranging from <500 to >1200 µS cm –1 (Supporting Information, Table S2; Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020), and altered macroinvertebrate communities relative to the reference streams (Supporting Information, Table S2). Mining operations had stopped in 1993 for one mining‐influenced watershed, mining operations had ceased between 2007 and approximately 2015 for four such watersheds (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020), and one mining‐influenced watershed (Site RFF; Figure 1) was being mined during the time of our study. The total percentage of mined area in watersheds of mining‐influenced streams ranged from 3.9% to 60% as of 2015 (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Elevated concentrations of dissolved ions are common in streams receiving alkaline discharges from surface mines in Appalachia, a major mining region of the eastern United States (Griffith et al, 2012; Johnson et al, 2019; Pond et al, 2008, 2014). Surface mining fractures geologic materials, exposing previously buried rocks to the ambient environment and enabling rapid weathering and discharge of geologically derived ions to streams (Clark, Daniels, et al, 2018; Daniels et al, 2016); such discharges can persist for decades following cessation of active mining (Cianciolo, McLaughlin, Zipper, Timpano, Soucek, & Schoenholtz, 2020; Pond et al, 2014). Elevated levels of major ions are common in Appalachian mine discharges (Clark et al, 2016; Griffith et al, 2012) and in receiving streams, where they have been linked to extirpations of aquatic taxa (Cormier et al, 2013; Pond et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trace Elements and Consequent Ecological Risks in Mining‐Influenced Streams of Appalachia

Clark,

Soucek,

Schoenholtz

et al. 2023

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Appalachian coal surface mines fracture geologic materials, causing release of both major ions and trace elements to water via accelerated weathering. When elevated above natural background, trace elements in streams may produce adverse effects to biota via direct exposure from water and sediment and via dietary exposure in food sources. Other studies have found elevated water concentrations of multiple trace elements in Appalachia's mining‐influenced streams. Excepting Se, trace‐element concentrations in abiotic and biotic media of Appalachian mining‐influenced streams are less well‐known. We analyzed environmental media of headwater streams receiving alkaline waters from Appalachian coal mines for eight trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn) and assessed potential consequent ecological risks. Streamwater, particulate media (sediment, biofilm, leaf detritus) and benthic macroinvertebrates (primary consumers, secondary consumers, crayfish) were sampled from six mining‐influenced and three reference streams during low‐flow conditions in two seasons. Dissolved Cu, Ni, and Sr were higher in mining‐influenced streams than in reference streams; whereas Ni, Sr, and Zn in fine sediments and Ni in macroinvertebrates were also elevated relative to reference‐stream levels in samples from mining‐influenced streams. Seasonal ratios of mining‐influenced stream concentrations to maximum concentrations in reference streams also demonstrated mining‐influenced increases for several elements in multiple media. In most media, concentrations of several elements including Ni were correlated positively. All water‐column dissolved concentrations were below protective levels, but fine‐sediment concentrations of Ni approached or exceeded threshold‐effect concentrations in several streams. Further study is warranted for several elements (Cd, Ni, and Zn in biofilms, and V in macroinvertebrates), which approached or exceeded previously established dietary‐risk levels.

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Contaminants in Appalachian Water Resources Generated by Non-acid-forming Coal-Mining Materials

Clark

Zipper

Soucek

et al. 2020

Appalachia's Coal-Mined Landscapes

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Impacts to water quality and biota persist in mining-influenced Appalachian streams

Cited by 13 publications

References 46 publications

Evaluation of the Impacts of Abandoned Mining Areas: A Case Study with Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages

Evaluation of the Impacts of Abandoned Mining Areas: A Case Study with Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages

Trace Elements and Consequent Ecological Risks in Mining‐Influenced Streams of Appalachia

Contaminants in Appalachian Water Resources Generated by Non-acid-forming Coal-Mining Materials

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