Recovery of macroinvertebrate communities from metal pollution in the South Fork and mainstem of the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

Hoiland, Wade K.; Rabe, Fred W.; Biggam, Russell C.

doi:10.2175/wer.66.1.11

Cited by 32 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Our results also are consistent with studies reporting rapid improvements in water quality and ecological condition over time or distance from stressor inputs (e.g., Poff & Matthews, 1986;Hoiland et al, 1994;Wellborn & Robinson, 1996;Adams & Greeley, 2000). For example, Sloane & Norris (2003) found that observed to expected ratios of macroinvertebrate occurrence increased with distance downstream of pollution from metal mines.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Interactive effects of multiple stressors and restoration priorities in a mined Appalachian watershed

Merovich

Petty

2006

Hydrobiologia

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We surveyed benthic macroinvertebrate communities, water chemistry, and thermal regime in the Cheat River, WV, USA in an attempt to quantify the interactive effects of multiple stressors on ecological condition and identify priorities for restoration in this mined Appalachian watershed. We used a novel approach, which combined use of the West Virginia Stream Condition Index (WVSCI) to quantify ecological losses and community similarity analysis to assign specific levels of ecological loss to AMD, thermal effluent, and their interaction. Finally, we developed an ecological currency to quantify the relative benefits of a restoration program that focused either on AMD remediation or heat reduction and to identify spatially explicit restoration priorities. Variation in ecological condition was strongly correlated to variation in water quality when AMD and heat stress occurred in isolation. Acute inputs of AMD or heat caused predictable reductions in condition followed by rapid recovery downstream. However, benthic communities failed to recover from combined inputs of heat and AMD even when these stressors occurred at relatively low levels. Over the course of an entire year, AMD alone was over two times more responsible than heat alone for ecological loss. Consequently, AMD is the dominant factor limiting ecological condition and should be the primary target for restoration. Nevertheless, an AMD · heat interaction also was responsible for extensive ecological loss in lower reaches of the river. Consequently, full restoration of the lower Cheat River mainstem will require an approach that integrates AMD remediation with effective management of thermal effluent. Our results provide some of the first field evidence of the interactive effects of multiple stressors on biological communities in a mined watershed. This approach may be valuable for quantifying impacts from multiple interacting stressors and for prioritizing restoration efforts in other mined watersheds.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Interactive effects of multiple stressors and restoration priorities in a mined Appalachian watershed

Merovich

Petty

2006

Hydrobiologia

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“…Partial recovery of heavy metal polluted streams (Laurie and Jone, 1938;O'Grady, 1981) may follow cessation of mining activities provided that near-river spoil heaps are undisturbed. Further recovery is only achieved with active rehabilitation measures (Chadwick et al, 1986;Hoiland et al, 1994;Nelson and Roline, 1996;Watanabe et al, 2000) which may include tailings dams, settlement ponds or chemical treatment (Nuttall and Younger, 2000).…”

Section: Catchment Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term changes in macroinvertebrate communities of a heavy metal polluted stream: the river Nent (Cumbria, UK) after 28 years

Armitage

Bowes

Vincent

2007

River Research & Apps

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The macroinvertebrate fauna of the river Nent, a heavy metal polluted upland stream in northern England, first surveyed in 1976, was re-examined in 2004 to assess long-term changes in relation to activities in the catchment which have included, a river restoration project, works associated with the development of a mine heritage site and the removal of a chicken farm and more effective organic pollution control measures. The degree of change between years in total abundance, numbers of taxa and community composition varied considerably between sites. Two tributary sites showed marked changes between years due to a reduction in acidity in one and changed substratum in the other but in the main river no significant difference in total taxa and total abundance was observed between years, although seasonal differences were significant. Multivariate community analyses grouped 1976 samples with those taken in 2004 but revealed a clear separation between upper and lower Nent sites. This observed difference may be related to increased algal cover in the lower sites in conjunction with geomorphological features of the lower Nent. Environmental assessment methodology River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS) identified 'sensitive' faunal groups and indicated that the extensive impact of zinc pollution in the main river has remained practically the same between 1976 and 2004. This persistence of community structure despite the heavily disturbed nature of the river is attributed to relative constancy in instream habitat conditions. The recent activities in the catchment have had little effect on the overall controllers of faunal communities in this system, zinc concentrations and geomorphological characteristics of the stream. However, further disturbances involving movement of spoil heaps and channel alterations in the upper catchment may increase both sediment and heavy metal loadings to the river.

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“…Due to water-quality improvements in many of these streams with active or passive treatment systems in place, repopulation of stream biota, including macroinvertebrates and fishes, has occurred (Lacroix 1992;Hoiland et al 1994;Arnold and Gray 1998;Morris 2003). Traditional techniques for assessing stream restoration have been limited to water quality analysis, channel morphology and hydrologic assessment, qualitative or quantitative macroinvertebrate surveys, and fishery surveys.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of macroinvertebrate communities to remediation-simulating conditions in Pennsylvania streams influenced by acid mine drainage

Ross

Long

Dropkin

2008

Environ Monit Assess

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We compared naturally alkaline streams with limestone lithology to freestone streams with and without acid mine drainage (AMD) to predict benthic macroinvertebrate community recovery from AMD in limestone-treated watersheds. Surrogate-recovered (limestone) and, in many cases, freestone systems had significantly higher macroinvertebrate densities; diversity; taxa richness; Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa; EPT/chironomid ratios; scraper/collector-gatherer ratios; herbivores; collector-filterers; and scrapers. AMD-influenced systems had significantly greater numbers of Diptera and collector-gatherers. An entire trophic level (herbivores) was "restored" in surrogate-recovered streams, which also showed greater trophic specialization. Indicator analysis identified seven taxa (within Crustacea, Diptera, Nematoda, Trichoptera, and Ephemeroptera) as significant indicators of limestone systems and six taxa (within Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Tricoptera, Coleoptera, and Mollusca) as significant freestone indicators, all useful as biological indicators of recovery from AMD.

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Recovery of macroinvertebrate communities from metal pollution in the South Fork and mainstem of the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

Cited by 32 publications

References 14 publications

Interactive effects of multiple stressors and restoration priorities in a mined Appalachian watershed

Interactive effects of multiple stressors and restoration priorities in a mined Appalachian watershed

Long‐term changes in macroinvertebrate communities of a heavy metal polluted stream: the river Nent (Cumbria, UK) after 28 years

Response of macroinvertebrate communities to remediation-simulating conditions in Pennsylvania streams influenced by acid mine drainage

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