1
|
Chandler L, Harford AJ, Hose GC, Humphrey CL, Chariton A, Greenfield P, Davis J. Saline mine water influences eukaryote life in shallow groundwater of a tropical sandy stream. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174101. [PMID: 38906296 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic communities in groundwater may be particularly sensitive to disturbance because they are adapted to stable environmental conditions and often have narrow spatial distributions. Traditional methods for characterising these communities, focussing on groundwater-inhabiting macro- and meiofauna (stygofauna), are challenging because of limited taxonomic knowledge and expertise (particularly in less-explored regions), and the time and expense of morphological identification. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the vulnerability of eukaryote communities in shallow groundwater to mine water discharge containing elevated concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and sulfate (SO4). The study was undertaken in a shallow sand bed aquifer within a wet-dry tropical setting. The aquifer, featuring a saline mine water gradient primarily composed of elevated Mg and SO4, was sampled from piezometers in the creek channel upstream and downstream of the mine water influence during the dry season when only subsurface water flow was present. Groundwater communities were characterised using both morphological assessments of stygofauna from net samples and environmental DNA (eDNA) targeting the 18S rDNA and COI mtDNA genes. eDNA data revealed significant shifts in community composition in response to mine waters, contrasting with findings from traditional morphological composition data. Changes in communities determined using eDNA data were notably associated with concentrations of SO42-, Mg2+ and Na+, and water levels in the piezometers. This underscores the importance of incorporating molecular approaches in impact assessments, as relying solely on traditional stygofauna sampling methods in similar environments may lead to inaccurate conclusions about the responses of the assemblage to studied impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Chandler
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Faculty of Science and Technology, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Office of the Supervising Scientist, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Andrew J Harford
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Faculty of Science and Technology, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Office of the Supervising Scientist, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Grant C Hose
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Chris L Humphrey
- Office of the Supervising Scientist, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Anthony Chariton
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Greenfield
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Energy Business Unit, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jenny Davis
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Faculty of Science and Technology, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Riza M, Grieger KD, Horgan MD, Burkholder JM, Jones JL. Environmental impacts of selected metal cations for phosphorus capture in natural waters: A synthesis. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143162. [PMID: 39178966 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
Cultural eutrophication from excessive human-related nutrient (phosphorus, P, and nitrogen, N) inputs is a major concern for water quality. Because P historically was regarded as the critical nutrient in controlling noxious algal/plant growth, P became the focus of "capturing" techniques, with emphasis on removal performance rather than environmental impacts. Here, we synthesize a literature review of known environmental effects linked to use of metal-cation-based P-capturing materials under eutrophic conditions in freshwaters. P-capturing materials with functional cations based on aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), lanthanum (La), and magnesium (Mg) were reviewed in terms of their ecotoxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation-standard criteria used to evaluate environmental risks of chemical substances. We found very few published studies on environmental impacts of metal-cation-based P-capturing materials under eutrophic conditions. Available reports indicated that environmental effects vary depending on the selected material, dose, target organism(s), and experimental conditions. The Al-based materials had the potential to negatively impact various biota; several Fe-based materials caused various levels of toxicity in a limited group of aquatic organisms; La-based materials can bioaccumulate and some were linked to various harmful effects on biota; and Mg-based materials also adversely affected various organisms. The limited number of published studies underscores the need for further research to characterize the environmental impacts of these materials. Results can be used to guide future work and can assist resource managers in sustainable management strategies. Among various research needs, future assessments should assess the impacts of chronic exposures on sensitive species under realistic field conditions in eutrophic waters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mumtahina Riza
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7617, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA; Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Khara D Grieger
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7617, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA; Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Madison D Horgan
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 660 S College Avenue, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - JoAnn M Burkholder
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7617, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA; Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA
| | - Jacob L Jones
- Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7907, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wilanowska PA, Rzymski P, Kaczmarek Ł. Long-Term Survivability of Tardigrade Paramacrobiotus experimentalis (Eutardigrada) at Increased Magnesium Perchlorate Levels: Implications for Astrobiological Research. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:335. [PMID: 38541660 PMCID: PMC10971682 DOI: 10.3390/life14030335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Perchlorate salts, including magnesium perchlorate, are highly toxic compounds that occur on Mars at levels far surpassing those on Earth and pose a significant challenge to the survival of life on this planet. Tardigrades are commonly known for their extraordinary resistance to extreme environmental conditions and are considered model organisms for space and astrobiological research. However, their long-term tolerance to perchlorate salts has not been the subject of any previous studies. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess whether the tardigrade species Paramacrobiotus experimentalis can survive and grow in an environment contaminated with high levels of magnesium perchlorates (0.25-1.0%, 1.5-6.0 mM ClO4- ions). The survival rate of tardigrades decreased with an increase in the concentration of the perchlorate solutions and varied from 83.3% (0.10% concentration) to 20.8% (0.25% concentration) over the course of 56 days of exposure. Tardigrades exposed to 0.15-0.25% magnesium perchlorate revealed significantly decreased body length. Our study indicates that tardigrades can survive and grow in relatively high concentrations of magnesium perchlorates, largely exceeding perchlorate levels observed naturally on Earth, indicating their potential use in Martian experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Anna Wilanowska
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Łukasz Kaczmarek
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vijayaram S, Ringø E, Zuorro A, van Doan H, Sun Y. Beneficial roles of nutrients as immunostimulants in aquaculture: A review. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
|
5
|
Nietch CT, Smucker NJ, Gains-Germain L, Peck CP, Guglielmi S, DeCelles S, Lazorchak J, Johnson B, Weaver P. Using Single-Species and Whole Community Stream Mesocosm Exposures for Identifying Major Ion Effects in Doses Mimicking Resource Extraction Wastewaters. WATER 2023; 15:1-26. [PMID: 38269364 PMCID: PMC10807236 DOI: 10.3390/w15020249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Wastewaters and leachates from various inland resource extraction activities contain high ionic concentrations and differ in ionic composition, which complicates the understanding and effective management of their relative risks to stream ecosystems. To this end, we conducted a stream mesocosm dose-response experiment using two dosing recipes prepared from industrial salts. One recipe was designed to generally reflect the major ion composition of deep well brines (DWB) produced from gas wells (primarily Na+, Ca2+, and Cl-) and the other, the major ion composition of mountaintop mining (MTM) leachates from coal extraction operations (using salts dissociating to Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, SO42- and HCO3-)-both sources being extensive in the Central Appalachians of the USA. The recipes were dosed at environmentally relevant nominal concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) spanning 100 to 2000 mg/L for 43 d under continuous flow-through conditions. The colonizing native algal periphyton and benthic invertebrates comprising the mesocosm ecology were assessed with response sensitivity distributions (RSDs) and hazard concentrations (HCs) at the taxa, community (as assemblages), and system (as primary and secondary production) levels. Single-species toxicity tests were run with the same recipes. Dosing the MTM recipe resulted in a significant loss of secondary production and invertebrate taxa assemblages that diverged from the control at all concentrations tested. Comparatively, intermediate doses of the DWB recipe had little consequence or increased secondary production (for emergence only) and had assemblages less different from the control. Only the highest dose of the DWB recipe had a negative impact on certain ecologies. The MTM recipe appeared more toxic, but overall, for both types of resource extraction wastewaters, the mesocosm responses suggested significant changes in stream ecology would not be expected for specific conductivity below 300 µS/cm, a published aquatic life benchmark suggested for the region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T. Nietch
- USEPA Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 26W Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Nathan J. Smucker
- USEPA Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 26W Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | | | | | - Stefania Guglielmi
- Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., 46 East Hollister Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
| | - Susanna DeCelles
- Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., 46 East Hollister Street, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
| | - James Lazorchak
- USEPA Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 26W Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Brent Johnson
- USEPA Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 26W Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Paul Weaver
- USEPA Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, 26W Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mooney TJ, Harford AJ, Hanley J, Walker S, Sandgren M, Jansen A, Humphrey C. Seasonal responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to magnesium in a seasonally flowing stream. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120586. [PMID: 36379293 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Macroinvertebrates can be highly sensitive to elevated salinity in freshwater environments, and are known to respond to saline discharges. Magnesium (Mg) is a mine-related contaminant and is a potential environmental risk to a seasonally-flowing, receiving water stream in Kakadu National Park, located in the wet-dry tropics of Australia. The macroinvertebrate assemblage in the stream in the was characterised at four hydrographic phases, from early wet season flow to early dry season pools at flow cessation. On each of the four occasions representing the respective phases, individuals from the most abundant macroinvertebrate species present were collected and acutely exposed to a range (up to 19) of Mg concentrations under laboratory conditions. Sensitivity of taxa to Mg ranged between 39 mg/L Mg (Caenidae: Tasmanocoenis spp.) and 4400 mg/L Mg (Dytiscidae: Clypeodytes feryi), based on the 50% Lethal Concentration (LC50). Characterisation of the macroinvertebrate assemblage at each hydrographic phase indicated the seasons when Mg-sensitive species were present. Whilst no statistical differences in measures of seasonal sensitivity were found, the macroinvertebrate assemblages present during the early flow period had higher Mg-sensitivity than the assemblages present during other hydrographic phases. This could be attributed to the greater relative proportions of Mg-sensitive taxa (e.g. Ephemeroptera) present at early flow compared to greater relative proportions of more Mg-tolerant taxa (C. feryi and Hydacarina spp.) present during later hydrograph phases, especially periods of lower, or no, flow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Mooney
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Harford
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Julie Hanley
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Samantha Walker
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Mia Sandgren
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Andrew Jansen
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Chris Humphrey
- Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, NT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Harford AJ, Bartolo RE, Humphrey CL, Nicholson JD, Richardson DL, Rissik D, Iles M, Dambacher JM. Resolving ecosystem complexity in ecological risk assessment for mine site rehabilitation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115488. [PMID: 35982549 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) are important tools for supporting evidence-based decision making. However, most ERA frameworks rarely consider complex ecological feedbacks, which limit their capacity to evaluate risks at community and ecosystem levels of organisation. METHOD We used qualitative mathematical modelling to add additional perspectives to previously conducted ERAs for the rehabilitation of the Ranger uranium mine (Northern Territory, Australia) and support an assessment of the cumulative risks from the mine site. Using expert elicitation workshops, separate qualitative models and scenarios were developed for aquatic and terrestrial systems. The models developed in the workshops were used to construct Bayes Nets that predicted whole-of-ecosystem outcomes after components were perturbed. RESULTS The terrestrial model considered the effect of fire and weeds on established native vegetation that will be important for the successful rehabilitation of Ranger. It predicted that a combined intervention that suppresses both weeds and fire intensity gave similar response predictions as for weed control alone, except for lower levels of certainty to tall grasses and fire intensity in models with immature trees or tall grasses. However, this had ambiguous predictions for short grasses and forbs, and tall grasses in models representing mature vegetation. The aquatic model considered the effects of magnesium (Mg), a key solute in current and predicted mine runoff and groundwater egress, which is known to adversely affect many aquatic species. The aquatic models provided support that attached algae and phytoplankton assemblages are the key trophic base for food webs. It predicted that shifts in phytoplankton abundance arising from increase in Mg to receiving waters, may result in cascading effects through the food-chain. CONCLUSION The qualitative modelling approach was flexible and capable of modelling both gradual (i.e. decadal) processes in the mine-site restoration and the comparatively more rapid (seasonal) processes of the aquatic ecosystem. The modelling also provides a useful decision tool for identifying important ecosystem sub-systems for further research efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Harford
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia.
| | - Renee E Bartolo
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | - Chris L Humphrey
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | - Jaylen D Nicholson
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Supervising Scientist Branch, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | | | - David Rissik
- BMT Australia, PO Box 203, Spring Hill, QLD, 4004, Australia
| | - Michelle Iles
- Energy Resources Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory, 0801, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Freshwater salinisation: a research agenda for a saltier world. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:440-453. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
|
9
|
Chandler L, Harford AJ, Hose GC, Humphrey CL, Chariton A, Greenfield P, Davis J. Saline mine-water alters the structure and function of prokaryote communities in shallow groundwater below a tropical stream. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 284:117318. [PMID: 34052601 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria and archaea (prokaryotes) are vital components for maintaining healthy function of groundwater ecosystems. The prokaryotic community composition and associated putative functional processes were examined in a shallow sandy aquifer in a wet-dry tropical environment. The aquifer had a contaminated gradient of saline mine-water, which primarily consisted of elevated magnesium (Mg2+) and sulfate (SO42-), although other major ions and trace metals were also present. Groundwaters were sampled from piezometers, approximately 2 m in depth, located in the creek channel upstream and downstream of the mine-water influence. Sampling occurred during the dry-season when only subsurface water flow was present. Next generation sequencing was used to analyse the prokaryote assemblages using 16S rDNA and metabolic functions were predicted with FAPROTAX. Significant changes in community composition and functional processes were observed with exposure to mine-waters. Communities in the exposed sites had significantly lower relative abundance of methanotrophs such as Methylococcaceae and methanogens (Methanobacteriaceae), but higher abundance in Nitrososphaeraceae, associated with nitrification, indicating potentially important changes in the biogeochemistry of the exposed sites. The changes were most strongly correlated with concentrations of SO42-, Mg2+ and Na+. This knowledge allows an assessment of the risk of mine-water contamination to groundwater ecosystem function and aids mine-water management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Chandler
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Supervising Scientist Branch, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - Andrew J Harford
- Supervising Scientist Branch, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Grant C Hose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chris L Humphrey
- Supervising Scientist Branch, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Anthony Chariton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Greenfield
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Jenny Davis
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| |
Collapse
|