The Recovery of a Stream Macroinvertebrate Community from Long-term Contamination by Mine Drainage PDF Download

Author: Eric Wayne Bastin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 84

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Author: Stefan H. Cairns
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aquatic organisms
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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"The objective of this study was to describe and quantify the impact of the Midnite Mine on the benthic macroinvertebrate community of Blue Creek. Macroinvertebrate samples were collected upstream and downstream of the entry of the mine drainage throughout 1987. The sampling scheme was designed to identify the linear impact of the mine drainage by analyzing the invertebrate community in terms of density, diversity, similarity, presence- absence, and number of taxa. Seasonal and annual trends were determined by comparison of sample dates and by comparison of the previous investigations in the same system. The mine drainage reduced the macroinvertebrate density by 85 percent on a seasonal average immediately downstream of the mine drainage entry. The degree of impact was consistently high for all five sample dates and ranged from 76 percent to 94 percent. Recovery of macroinvertebrate density downstream was dependent on seasonal water discharge rates. Oyachen Creek, the downstream tributary, was dry for three of the sample dates negating the dilution effect reported in the previous study by Plotnikoff et al. (1988). Without this dilution, the downstream Blue Creek macroinvertebrate communities never recovered more than 39 percent from the initial density impact. There was a significant (0.05 level) difference in mean density for each downstream station when compared to upstream stations. The number of taxa was also reduced downstream of the mine drainage entry, but this was attributed to the overall density impact since diversity, similarity, and presence-absence showed only slight differences. There was a significant (0.05 level) difference in mean diversity in only one downstream station when compared to upstream stations. Comparison of the 1986 impact with1987 showed a similar level of initial impact. The amount of recovery differed and was attributed to the lower water discharge and subsequent extended drying of the downstream tributary in 1987. The Midnite Mine drainage with its increased conductivity, total hardness, sulfate, total solids, nitrate, and heavy metals have significantly reduced the macroinvertebrate densities of Blue Creek. Recovery from the drainage impact appears dependent on the overall water discharge level"--Document.

Author: Kimberly Dawn Royal
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 118

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Author: Jennifer L. Last
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Acid mine drainage
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Author: Lesley C. Batty
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139486160
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages :

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Written for researchers and practitioners in environmental pollution, management and ecology, this interdisciplinary account explores the ecological issues associated with industrial pollution to provide a complete picture of this important environmental problem from cause to effect to solution. Bringing together diverse viewpoints from academia and environmental agencies and regulators, the contributors cover such topics as biological resources of mining areas, biomonitoring of freshwater and marine ecosystems and risk assessment of contaminated land in order to explore important questions such as: What are the effects of pollutants on functional ecology and ecosystems? Do current monitoring techniques accurately signal the extent of industrial pollution? Does existing policy provide a coherent and practicable approach? Case studies from throughout the world illustrate major themes and provide valuable insights into the positive and negative effects of industrial pollution, the provision of appropriate monitoring schemes and the design of remediation and restoration strategies.

Author: Amanda Wittmann
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Junction Creek, Sudbury, have recovered remarkably since the 1970s, following government initiatives to lower atmospheric pollution, the implementation of mine wastewater treatment, and Greater Sudbury's Regreening Program. To understand contemporary temporal and spatial patterns of biological condition in this stream system, I employed a number of benthic community metrics and the Reference Condition Approach. There was little evidence of temporal trends in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities across the 2003-2015 study period, however there was strong evidence of community composition, water and sediment quality differences among study sites. This urban industrial stream is affected by multiple stressors (straightening, culverts, urban and mining pollutants, overflow from sewer outfalls, etc.), which accumulate as the water flows downstream. Lime-treated metal mining effluent forms the headwaters, which receive cold groundwater from the upper reaches and is further diluted by the Maley tributary before reaching the heavily urbanized city. In these upper reaches, community metrics that are indicative of sensitive organisms and higher diversity are elevated and metal levels are lowest within the study area. Biological and chemical conditions decrease slightly heading downstream, but are much better following the millions of dollars spent in 2001 on diverting acid mine drainage underground to be treated kilometers away before being discharged into the creek below the study area. Treated surface runoff from a historic mine site, and a portion of each the Clarabelle Mill property and slag storage area from one of the world's largest metal mining and smelting complexes in the world feed Nolin Creek, which then enters the stream through concrete box culverts that run beneath the city's downtown core before re-surfacing and flowing South of the city. Despite the recent appearance of fish within Nolin Creek, it is still a major source of contaminants to Junction Creek, with elevated water and sediment metal levels and low benthic macroinvertebrate community diversity and abundance. This research showed that use of select benthic macroinvertebrate community metrics served as a better tool to assess biological conditions within the stream than comparison to near-pristine reference sites, but that local reference sites would serve as a best practise since they take account for naturally high regional metal levels, and the effects from decades of atmospheric pollution have had on Sudbury soil, lakes and streams. Additionally, test site benthic macroinvertebrate metric scores were surprisingly similar to those of pristine reference sites, but abundance was much higher at all reference sites. The apparent similarities between test and reference biotic conditions may be due to high nutrients and ions found in urban environments, inappropriate matching of reference and test sites or numerous cumulative effects. It was therefore recommended that ecosystem processes and functioning be studied in order to obtain a more accurate view of the current biological condition of Junction Creek. Finally, aqueous metal levels have decreased substantially and benthic macroinvertebrate community abundance and richness have increased substantially in the last 50 years, but appear to be at a relatively stable point currently, although the variation in both metrics is generally higher than those of reference sites. Biological and chemical conditions will likely not improve until the major current stressors (residual contamination of sediments and soils, and addition of mining effluent) are removed and habitat is improved.

Author:
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0123706262
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 2589

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Inland aquatic habitats occur world-wide at all scales from marshes, swamps and temporary puddles, to ponds, lakes and inland seas; from streams and creeks to rolling rivers. Vital for biological diversity, ecosystem function and as resources for human life, commerce and leisure, inland waters are a vital component of life on Earth. The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters describes and explains all the basic features of the subject, from water chemistry and physics, to the biology of aquatic creatures and the complex function and balance of aquatic ecosystems of varying size and complexity. Used and abused as an essential resource, it is vital that we understand and manage them as much as we appreciate and enjoy them. This extraordinary reference brings together the very best research to provide the basic and advanced information necessary for scientists to understand these ecosystems – and for water resource managers and consultants to manage and protect them for future generations. Encyclopedic reference to Limnology - a key core subject in ecology taught as a specialist course in universitiesOver 240 topic related articles cover the field Gene Likens is a renowned limnologist and conservationist, Emeritus Director of the Institute of Ecosystems Research, elected member of the American Philosophical Society and recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science Subject Section Editors and authors include the very best research workers in the field

Author: Water Resources Scientific Information Center
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Acid mine drainage
Languages : en
Pages : 580

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Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 9780309045346
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 580

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Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.

Author: Robert W. Plotnikoff
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aquatic organisms
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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"The benthic macroinvertebrate community of Blue Creek was examined in terms of density, diversity, and similarity at: (1) two stations (stations 1 and 2), located upstream from a drainage tributary carrying effluent from the Midnite uranium mine (pre- impact zone); (2) two stations (stations 3 and 4) located immediately downstream from the mine drainage tributary (impact zone); and (3) two stations (stations 5 and 6) located further downstream, below the confluence of Oyachen Creek (recovery zone). Benthic macroinvertebrate samples collected in the impact zone showed significant differences in density and diversity from samples taken in the pre-impact zone. Benthic macroinvertebrate mean density declined from 6,317 organisms/m2 in the pre-impact zone to 2,581 organisms/m2 in the impact zone. Densities were significantly different between pre-impact zone and impact zone stations (Mann-Whitney U test, p>̲ .05). Benthic macroinvertebrate diversity declined from 3.30 in the pre-impact zone to 2.80 in the impact zone which also showed significant differences (p>̲ .05). The community structure in the impact and recovery zone stations was less diverse than in upstream pre-impact zone stations. Impact zone stations were represented by fewer functional groups. Benthic macroinvertebrates collected in the impact zone of Blue Creek also showed functional differences from samples taken further upstream (pre-impact zone). Benthic invertebrates at stations 3, 4 and 5 consisted primarily of organisms representing the shredder and collector functional groups. Populations of scraper and gatherer functional groups were predominant in upstream pre- impact zone sample stations 1 and 2. Greater representation of individuals known to use autochthonous food sources (food production from within the stream, e.g. periphyton) were found at stations 1 and 2. Invertebrate populations in the impact zone were characterized by organisms which primarily consumed organic material originating from allochthonous food sources (food input from terrestrial sources, e.g., leaf litter)"--Document.