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Osborne C, Gilbert-Parkes S, Spiers G, Lamit LJ, Lilleskov EA, Basiliko N, Watmough S. Global Patterns of Metal and Other Element Enrichment in Bog and Fen Peatlands. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 86:125-139. [PMID: 38340164 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01051-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Peatlands are found on all continents, covering 3% of the global land area. However, the spatial extent and causes of metal enrichment in peatlands is understudied and no attempt has been made to evaluate global patterns of metal enrichment in bog and fen peatlands, despite that certain metals and rare earth elements (REE) arise from anthropogenic sources. We analyzed 368 peat cores sampled in 16 countries across five continents and measured metal and other element concentrations at three depths down to 70 cm as well as estimated cumulative atmospheric S deposition (1850-2009) for each site. Sites were assigned to one of three distinct broadly recognized peatland categories (bog, poor fen, and intermediate-to-moderately rich fen) that varied primarily along a pH gradient. Metal concentrations differed among peatland types, with intermediate-to-moderately rich fens demonstrating the highest concentrations of most metals. Median enrichment factors (EFs; a metric comparing natural and anthropogenic metal deposition) for individual metals were similar among bogs and fens (all groups), with metals likely to be influenced by anthropogenic sources (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Sb) demonstrating median enrichment factors (EFs) > 1.5. Additionally, mean EFs were substantially higher than median values, and the positive correlation (< 0.40) with estimated cumulative atmospheric S deposition, confirmed some level of anthropogenic influence of all pollutant metals except for Hg that was unrelated to S deposition. Contrary to expectations, high EFs were not restricted to pollutant metals, with Mn, K and Rb all exhibiting elevated median EFs that were in the same range as pollutant metals likely due to peatland biogeochemical processes leading to enrichment of these nutrients in surface soil horizons. The global patterns of metal enrichment in bogs and fens identified in this study underscore the importance of these peatlands as environmental archives of metal deposition, but also illustrates that biogeochemical processes can enrich metals in surface peat and EFs alone do not necessarily indicate atmospheric contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chetwynd Osborne
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Spencer Gilbert-Parkes
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | | | | | - Erik A Lilleskov
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Houghton, MI, USA
| | - Nathan Basiliko
- Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada
| | - Shaun Watmough
- School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada.
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Newman JE, Levasseur PA, Beckett P, Watmough SA. The impact of severe pollution from smelter emissions on carbon and metal accumulation in peatlands in Ontario, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 320:121102. [PMID: 36669721 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121102] [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: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Peatlands are unique habitats that function as a carbon (C) sink and an archive of atmospheric metal deposition. Sphagnum mosses are key components of peatlands but can be adversely impacted by air pollution potentially affecting rates of C and metal accumulation in peat. In this study we evaluate how the loss of Sphagnum in peatlands close to a copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) smelter in Sudbury, Ontario affected C accumulation and metal profiles. The depth of accumulated peat formed during the 100+ year period of smelter activities also increased with distance from the smelter. Concurrently, peat bulk density decreased with distance from the smelter, which resulted in relatively similar average rates of apparent C accumulation (32-46 g/m2/yr). These rates are within the range of published values despite the historically high pollution loadings. Surface peat close to the smelters was greatly enriched in Cu and Ni, and Cu profiles in dated peat cores generally coincide with known pollution histories much better than Ni that increased well before the beginning of smelter activities likely a result of post-deposition mobility in peat cores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi E Newman
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada.
| | - Patrick A Levasseur
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Peter Beckett
- School of Natural Sciences and the Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Shaun A Watmough
- School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
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Sasaki K, Shirakura F, Mallory FF. Woody Plant Communities after 40 Years of Pollution Control and Restoration in Smelter-Denuded Landscapes. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2022. [DOI: 10.1656/045.029.0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoshi Sasaki
- Department of Biology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733
| | | | - Frank F. Mallory
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Greater Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
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Hu J, Zhu C, Long Y, Yang Q, Zhou S, Wu P, Jiang J, Zhou W, Hu X. Interaction analysis of hydrochemical factors and dissolved heavy metals in the karst Caohai Wetland based on PHREEQC, cooccurrence network and redundancy analyses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 770:145361. [PMID: 33736386 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, to clarify the interaction between dissolved heavy metals and the coexisting chemical factors in karst wetland waters, surface water samples were collected from the Caohai Wetland during a water year, and the hydrochemistry and heavy metal pollution characteristics of the samples were analyzed. The main influencing factors of heavy metals in different water periods were identified through a cooccurrence network analysis. To further analyze the influence mechanism of these main influencing factors, the forms of heavy metals in the water were simulated with PHREEQC software, and the effects of these main influencing factors on the forms were analyzed by redundancy analysis. The results show that Ca2+ was the main cation in the wetland water, while the main anion was HCO3-. The hydrochemical facies of the Caohai Wetland in the wet and dry seasons were Ca-Mg-SO4-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3, respectively. Cd was the main pollutant in the Caohai Wetland, with Cd levels seriously exceeding the standards. The characteristics of the karst water in the Caohai Wetland are apparent. The cooccurrence network analysis shows that pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), SO42- and HCO3- are the main factors regulating heavy metals. The results of morphological simulation and analysis were used to explore the mechanism of action of these factors. These data provide geochemical information useful for water quality assessment and management plans on heavy metal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Hu
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China; College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Chengbin Zhu
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Yunchuan Long
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China; College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, 510006, PR China
| | - Qin Yang
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Shaoqi Zhou
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China; College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, PR China; College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, 510006, PR China.
| | - Pan Wu
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Juan Jiang
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China
| | - Xuejun Hu
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang 550001, PR China
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Hall LJ, Emilson EJS, Edwards B, Watmough SA. Patterns and trends in lake concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in a landscape recovering from environmental degradation and widespread acidification. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:142679. [PMID: 33077226 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) have increased in lakes throughout North America and Europe over the last three decades. Recovery from acid deposition and climate change have both been postulated as the primary mechanisms for the increase in DOC. To provide a clearer insight into the mechanisms responsible for increasing DOC we evaluated changes in lake and peat porewater chemistry collected in an area of approximately 33,000 km2 surrounding Sudbury, Ontario, a region undergoing dramatic recovery from acidic deposition. DOC concentrations varied considerably among the 44 lakes and over time (samples annually from 1981 to 2018), but the Sens Slope value showed a strong increase in lake DOC concentration over time, at 0.05 mg/ L y-1 (p < 0.001) that was related to increasing pH [0.03 units y-1, p < 0.001] and decreasing lake SO4 concentration [-0.24 mg/ L y-1; p < 0.001], but showed no relationship with temperature or precipitation. Similar strong relationships between DOC and pH (positive) and SO4 (negative) were observed in 18 peatlands sampled in the region. In a spatial analysis of 82 lakes sampled in 2018, concentrations of DOC in lakes were highest in flatter catchments with a greater wetland area, suggesting that wetlands are a major source of DOC in lakes. Optical properties of DOC obtained from extracts of wetland and upland soils at 6 catchments could be distinguished, primarily due to upland litter extracts having distinct optical properties from mineral soils or wetland soils. Optical properties of DOC in lakes however were inconsistent with those measured in soil extracts indicating that they are not useful for distinguishing DOC sources in these lakes. A predictive model was developed to explain DOC trends within Sudbury lakes using a stepwise linear regression combined with hierarchical partitioning to confirm the most influential processes on DOC. Almost 50% of the variability in DOC change in the 44 lakes was explained by the magnitude in lake pH change, catchment size and catchment sparse tree cover showing that recovery from acidic deposition is overwhelmingly responsible for increasing DOC in Sudbury lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Hall
- School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - E J S Emilson
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen St. E., Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 2E5, Canada
| | - B Edwards
- Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - S A Watmough
- School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2, Canada.
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Hu J, Long Y, Zhou W, Zhu C, Yang Q, Zhou S, Wu P. Influence of different land use types on hydrochemistry and heavy metals in surface water in the lakeshore zone of the Caohai wetland, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115454. [PMID: 32911334 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, with the expansion of the Weining county in the northeast of Caohai wetland, the construction of a new port in the north, and the large-scale development of cultivated land in the east, land use patterns in lakeshore areas have changed. These changes have affected the state of lake shores water bodies in complex ways, resulting in varying degrees of local water pollution. To explore the distribution and transformation characteristics of water chemistry and heavy metals in different areas of a water body under the influence of different land uses, especially the interactions between water chemical factors and heavy metals in different areas of a water body, this study used Circos diagrams, originally used in biological genetic analysis, to visualize these interactions. This is the first time that the Circos diagram has been applied to the analysis of environmental interactions. The results showed that there are significant differences in the distribution of water chemical factors and heavy metals in different areas of the Caohai wetland. In particular, Cd is affected by anthropogenic sources. The Cd content is higher in the NCL and UL areas, which are at greater risk from pollution. The factors controlling heavy metal levels in water bodies were different in the different regions. The NCL region was mainly affected by construction excavation ore, UL was mainly affected by man-made industrial inputs, CL was mainly affected by pesticide and fertilizer inputs, and ML and FL were mainly affected by Eh and DO. The PCA results showed that the sources of heavy metals in different types of water bodies in the lakeshore zone were both natural and anthropogenic. Therefore, controlling pollutants, reducing environmental pollution inputs to the lakeshore zone, and strengthening supervision and management near wetlands may be of great significance for handling heavy metal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Hu
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang, 550001, PR China; College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
| | - Yunchuan Long
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
| | - Chengbin Zhu
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
| | - Qing Yang
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
| | - Shaoqi Zhou
- Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Shanxi Road 1, Guiyang, 550001, PR China; College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550001, PR China; College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, 510006, PR China.
| | - Pan Wu
- College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550001, PR China
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7
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Dong Y, Zhao Y, Lin H, Liu C. Effect of physical and chemical properties of vanadium slag from stone coal on the form of vanadium. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:33004-33013. [PMID: 31512123 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06381-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Vanadium mining and smelting activities were increasing extensively and causing serious vanadium pollution in soil around the mining area. Different existing forms of vanadium had different biological effects and the exchangeable state had been recognized as a severe threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. At present, the research on vanadium morphology had not received much attention. In this study, the area that we researched had been severely polluted with vanadium due to mining and smelting activities. The changes in the morphology of vanadium in soil were studied by adjusting the organic matter content, clay mineral content, pH value, and Eh value. The results showed that at pH 8 and for 1% of humic acid added, the exchangeable fraction of vanadium in the slag was 10% and 9%, respectively, which was 5% and 6% lower than the control group. The addition of kaolin and the redox change had little effect on the exchangeable fraction of vanadium, with a change of only about 2%. To control the soil pollution caused by slag and to repair its ecological characteristics, kaolin and humic acid were used for the repair test. The results showed that after 1% humic acid mixed with 8% kaolin was added in soil, the germination rate of ryegrass reached 95% and grew flourishingly which is significantly better than other treatment groups. Our research can provide a reference for future vanadium pollution control, especially in the morphology of vanadium research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingbo Dong
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory on Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yiming Zhao
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory on Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hai Lin
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory on Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Chenjing Liu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory on Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
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8
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He Y, Men B, Yang X, Li Y, Xu H, Wang D. Relationship between heavy metals and dissolved organic matter released from sediment by bioturbation/bioirrigation. J Environ Sci (China) 2019; 75:216-223. [PMID: 30473287 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2018.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Organic matter (OM) is an important component of sediment. Bioturbation/bioirrigation can remobilize OM and heavy metals that were previously buried in the sediment. The remobilization of buried organic matter, thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) from sediment was studied in a laboratory experiment with three organisms: tubificid, chironomid larvae and loach. Results showed that bioturbation/bioirrigation promoted the release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and dissolved Tl, Cd, Cu and Zn, but only dissolved Zn concentrations decreased with exposure time in overlying water. The presence of organisms altered the compositions of DOM released from sediment, considerably increasing the percentage of fulvic acid-like materials (FA) and humic acid-like materials (HA). In addition, bioturbation/bioirrigation accelerated the growth and reproduction of bacteria to enhance the proportion of soluble microbial byproduct-like materials (SMP). The DOM was divided into five regions in the three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3D-EEM), and each part had different correlation with the dissolved heavy metal concentrations. Dissolved Cu had the best correlation with each of the DOM compositions, indicating that Cu in the sediment was in the organic-bound form. Furthermore, the organism type and heavy metal characteristics both played a role in influencing the remobilization of heavy metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Bin Men
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Xiaofang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yaxuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Hui Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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9
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Klemish JL, Bogart SJ, Luek A, Lannoo MJ, Pyle GG. Nickel toxicity in wood frog tadpoles: Bioaccumulation and sublethal effects on body condition, food consumption, activity, and chemosensory function. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:2458-2466. [PMID: 29920776 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Nickel (Ni) concentrations in aquatic ecosystems can be amplified by anthropogenic activities including resource extraction. Compared with fish and invertebrates, knowledge of Ni toxicity in amphibians is limited, especially for northern species. We examined the effect of Ni on wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles, the species with the widest and most northern distribution of any anuran in North America. Wood frog tadpoles were exposed to a Ni concentration gradient (0.02-5.5 mg/L of Ni at 164 mg/L as CaCO3 water hardness) for 8 d and examined for lethality, Ni bioaccumulation, and several sublethal endpoints including body condition, food consumption, activity, and chemosensory function. Nickel induced a sublethal effect on body condition (8-d 10 and 20% effect concentrations [EC10 and EC20] of 1.07 ± 0.38 and 2.44 ± 0.51 mg/L of Ni ± standard error [SE], respectively) but not on food consumption, activity, or chemosensory function. Nickel accumulation in tadpole tissues was positively related to an increase in aqueous Ni concentration but was not lethal. Both the acute and chronic US Environmental Protection Agency water quality guideline concentrations for Ni (0.71 and 0.08 mg/L at 164 mg/L as CaCO3 water hardness, respectively) were protective against lethal and sublethal effects in wood frog tadpoles. In the present study, wood frog tadpoles were protected by current water quality guidelines for Ni and are likely not as useful as other taxa for environmental effects monitoring for this particular metal. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2458-2466. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andreas Luek
- University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael J Lannoo
- Indiana University School of Medicine-Terre Haute, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA
| | - Greg G Pyle
- University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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10
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Thienpont JR, Korosi JB, Hargan KE, Williams T, Eickmeyer DC, Kimpe LE, Palmer MJ, Smol JP, Blais JM. Multi-trophic level response to extreme metal contamination from gold mining in a subarctic lake. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1125. [PMID: 27534958 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Giant Mine, located in the city of Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada), is a dramatic example of subarctic legacy contamination from mining activities, with remediation costs projected to exceed $1 billion. Operational between 1948 and 2004, gold extraction at Giant Mine released large quantities of arsenic and metals from the roasting of arsenopyrite ore. We examined the long-term ecological effects of roaster emissions on Pocket Lake, a small lake at the edge of the Giant Mine lease boundary, using a spectrum of palaeoenvironmental approaches. A dated sedimentary profile tracked striking increases (approx. 1700%) in arsenic concentrations coeval with the initiation of Giant Mine operations. Large increases in mercury, antimony and lead also occurred. Synchronous changes in biological indicator assemblages from multiple aquatic trophic levels, in both benthic and pelagic habitats, indicate dramatic ecological responses to extreme metal(loid) contamination. At the peak of contamination, all Cladocera, a keystone group of primary consumers, as well as all planktonic diatoms, were functionally lost from the sediment record. No biological recovery has been inferred, despite the fact that the bulk of metal(loid) emissions occurred more than 50 years ago, and the cessation of all ore-roasting activities in Yellowknife in 1999.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua R Thienpont
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Jennifer B Korosi
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Kathryn E Hargan
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Trisha Williams
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - David C Eickmeyer
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Linda E Kimpe
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Michael J Palmer
- NWT Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program, Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada X1A 3S8
| | - John P Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Jules M Blais
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
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11
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Kielstra BW, Arnott SE, Gunn JM. Subcatchment deltas and upland features influence multiscale aquatic ecosystem recovery in damaged landscapes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:2249-2261. [PMID: 28782919 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1609] [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: 01/14/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Assessing biological recovery in damaged aquatic environments requires the consideration of multiple spatial and temporal scales. Past research has focused on assessing lake recovery from atmospheric or catchment disturbance at regional or catchment levels. Studies have also rarely considered the influences of adjacent terrestrial characteristics on within-lake habitats, such as subcatchment delta confluences. We used Hyalella azteca, a ubiquitous freshwater amphipod, as a sensitive indicator to assess the importance of local subcatchment scale factors in the context of multiscale lake recovery within the metal mining region of Sudbury, Canada following a period of major reductions in atmospheric pollution. At the regional scale, data from repeated surveys of 40 lakes showed higher probabilities of H. azteca occurrence with higher lake water conductivity, alkalinity, and pH and lower metal concentrations. The importance of metals decreased through time and the importance of higher conductivity, alkalinity, and pH increased. At the subcatchment scale, a subset of six lakes sampled across a colonization gradient revealed higher H. azteca abundances at subcatchment delta sites than non-delta sites in early colonization stages, and that abundance at delta sites was correlated with both within-lake habitat and terrestrial subcatchment characteristics. For example, wetland cover reduced the strength of positive associations between H. azteca abundance and macrophyte density. A single lake from this subset also revealed higher abundances at delta sites associated with higher concentrations of terrestrial organic matter and larger subcatchments. Our results demonstrate that factors affecting recovery can change with the scale of study, and that managing terrestrial-aquatic linkages is important for facilitating recovery processes within damaged lake ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian W Kielstra
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3J9, Canada
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Shelley E Arnott
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3J9, Canada
| | - John M Gunn
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
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12
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Watmough SA. Historical and contemporary metal budgets for a boreal shield lake. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 598:49-57. [PMID: 28437770 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Metal concentrations in sediment cores are widely used to reconstruct metal deposition histories, but rarely have metal budgets based on measured inputs (atmospheric deposition and inflows) and lake outflows been compared with metal fluxes estimated from lake sediment cores. In this study, budgets for six metals (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni and Pb) were estimated by measuring inputs in bulk deposition, inputs in the major inflow and export in the lake outflow for one hydrologic year (2002-2003) at Plastic Lake, Ontario, Canada. Inputs in bulk deposition were between 0.03mgm-2y-1 (Co) and 0.69mgm-2y-1 (Cu), which represented between 2.5 and 80.7% of total metal inputs to the lake. The estimated budgets for Co, Cd and Ni, which exhibit similar geochemical behavior in the major inflow, were comparable to budgets estimated from the upper section of a sediment core taken in 2002, taking into account previously published correction factors for sediment focusing. For example, mass budgets for Co, Cd and Ni were 1.24, 0.28 and 1.89mgm-2y-1, compared with sediment budgets estimated to be 0.90, 0.19 and 4.72mgm-2y-1, respectively. In contrast, measured budgets for As, Cu and Pb, which also behave similarly in inflows (and different to Co, Cd and Ni), were between 3 (As) and 40 times lower than estimates from the upper sediment core. A possible explanation for the discrepancy is that sediment focusing transfers sediment from shallow to deep areas, which for metals like Pb, which have strong affinities for organic matter and where atmospheric deposition has decreased 15 fold since 1978 (4.31mgm-2y-1 in 1978 to 0.28mgm-2y-1 in 2013), leads to the transfer and accumulation of pollution metals to deeper parts of the lake long after a decrease in atmospheric deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun A Watmough
- Trent School of the Environment, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada.
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Szkokan‐Emilson EJ, Kielstra BW, Arnott SE, Watmough SA, Gunn JM, Tanentzap AJ. Dry conditions disrupt terrestrial-aquatic linkages in northern catchments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:117-126. [PMID: 27197025 PMCID: PMC6849552 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems depend on terrestrial organic matter (tOM) to regulate many functions, such as food web production and water quality, but an increasing frequency and intensity of drought across northern ecosystems is threatening to disrupt this important connection. Dry conditions reduce tOM export and can also oxidize wetland soils and release stored contaminants into stream flow after rainfall. Here, we test whether these disruptions to terrestrial-aquatic linkages occur during mild summer drought and whether this affects biota across 43 littoral zone sites in 11 lakes. We use copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) as representative contaminants, and measure abundances of Hyalella azteca, a widespread indicator of ecosystem condition and food web production. We found that tOM concentrations were reduced but correlations with organic soils (wetlands and riparian forests) persisted during mild drought and were sufficient to suppress labile Cu concentrations. Wetlands, however, also became a source of labile Ni to littoral zones, which was linked to reduced abundances of the amphipod H. azteca, on average by up to 70 times across the range of observed Ni concentrations. This reveals a duality in the functional linkage of organic soils to aquatic ecosystems whereby they can help buffer the effects of hydrologic disconnection between catchments and lakes but at the cost of biogeochemical changes that release stored contaminants. As evidence of the toxicity of trace contaminant concentrations and their global dispersion grows, sustaining links among forests, organic soils and aquatic ecosystems in a changing climate will become increasingly important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J. Szkokan‐Emilson
- Ecosystems and Global Change GroupDepartment of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
| | | | | | - Shaun A. Watmough
- School of the EnvironmentTrent UniversityPeterboroughONK9L OG2Canada
| | - John M. Gunn
- Vale Living with Lakes CentreLaurentian UniversitySudburyONP3E 2C6Canada
| | - Andrew J. Tanentzap
- Ecosystems and Global Change GroupDepartment of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3EAUK
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Souter L, Watmough SA. The impact of drought and air pollution on metal profiles in peat cores. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 541:1031-1040. [PMID: 26473705 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.137] [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: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Peat cores have long been used to reconstruct atmospheric metal deposition; however, debate remains regarding how well historical depositional patterns are preserved in peat. This study examined peat cores sampled from 14 peatlands in the Sudbury region of Ontario, Canada, which has a well-documented history of acid and metal deposition. Copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) concentrations within individual peat cores were strongly correlated and were elevated in the upper 10 cm, especially in the sites closest to the main Copper Cliff smelter. In contrast, nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) concentrations were often elevated at depths greater than 10 cm, indicating much greater post-depositional movement of these metals compared with Cu and Pb. Post-depositional movement of metals is supported by the observation that Ni and Co concentrations in peat pore water increased by approximately 530 and 960% for Ni and Co, respectively between spring and summer due to drought-induced acidification, but there was much less change in Cu concentration. Sphagnum cover and (210)Pb activity measured at 10 cm at the 14 sites significantly increased with distance from Copper Cliff, and the surface peat von Post score decreased with distance from Copper Cliff, indicating the rate of peat formation increases with distance from Sudbury presumably as a result of improved Sphagnum survival. This study shows that the ability of peat to preserve deposition histories of some metals is strongly affected by drought-induced post-depositional movement and that loss of Sphagnum due to air pollution impairs the rate of peat formation, further affecting metal profiles in peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Souter
- Environmental and Life Sciences Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Shaun A Watmough
- Environmental Resource Studies Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada.
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Sasaki K, Lesbarrères D, Watson G, Litzgus J. Mining-caused changes to habitat structure affect amphibian and reptile population ecology more than metal pollution. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:2240-2254. [PMID: 26910952 DOI: 10.1890/14-1418.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Emissions from smelting not only contaminate water and soil with metals, but also induce extensive forest dieback and changes in resource availability and microclimate. The relative effects of such co-occurring stressors are often unknown, but this information is imperative in developing targeted restoration strategies. We assessed the role and relative effects of structural alterations of terrestrial habitat and metal pollution caused by century-long smelting operations on amphibian and reptile communities by collecting environmental and time- and area-standardized multivariate abundance data along three spatially replicated impact gradients. Overall, species richness, diversity, and abundance declined progressively with increasing levels of metals (As, Cu, and Ni) and soil temperature (T(s)) and decreasing canopy cover, amount of coarse woody debris (CWD), and relative humidity (RH). The composite habitat variable (which included canopy cover, CWD, T(s), and RH) was more strongly associated with most response metrics than the composite metal variable (As, Cu, and Ni), and canopy cover alone explained 19-74% of the variance. Moreover, species that use terrestrial habitat for specific behaviors (e.g., hibernation, dispersal), especially forest-dependent species, were more severely affected than largely aquatic species. These results suggest that structural alterations of terrestrial habitat and concomitant changes in the resource availability and microclimate have stronger effects than metal pollution per se. Furthermore, much of the variation in response metrics was explained by the joint action of several environmental variables, implying synergistic effects (e.g., exacerbation of metal toxicity by elevated temperatures in sites with reduced canopy cover). We thus argue that the restoration of terrestrial habitat conditions is a key to successful recovery of herpetofauna communities in smelting-altered landscapes.
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Barrett SE, Watmough SA. Factors controlling peat chemistry and vegetation composition in Sudbury peatlands after 30 years of pollution emission reductions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2015; 206:122-132. [PMID: 26160672 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this research was to assess factors controlling peat and plant chemistry, and vegetation composition in 18 peatlands surrounding Sudbury after more than 30 years of large (>95%) pollution emission reductions. Sites closer to the main Copper Cliff smelter had more humified peat and the surface horizons were greatly enriched in copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni). Copper and Ni concentrations in peat were significantly correlated with that in the plant tissue of Chamaedaphne calyculata. The pH of peat was the strongest determining factor for species richness, diversity, and community composition, although percent vascular plant cover was strongly negatively correlated with surface Cu and Ni concentrations in peat. Sphagnum frequency was also negatively related to peat Cu and Ni concentrations indicating sites close to Copper Cliff smelter remain adversely impacted by industrial activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie E Barrett
- Environmental Resource Science, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada.
| | - Shaun A Watmough
- Environmental Resource Science, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada.
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