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Merovich GT, Frantz MW, Wood PB. Patterns in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in an active region of unconventional shale-gas development in the western Appalachian Plateau of West Virginia, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:368. [PMID: 35426571 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10015-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We sampled headwater streams to characterize impacts of unconventional shale gas development (SGD) on aquatic ecosystems. The study area was relatively un-impacted by confounding activities. Intensity of SGD over the study decreased then increased again but not to levels seen the first year. Shale gas development was associated with increased, but non-impaired, water pH and specific conductance during the latter part of the study. Metrics summarizing macroinvertebrate assemblages were better on average in un-impacted reaches. A genus-level multimetric index of biotic integrity was statistically lower downstream of impacts compared to upstream, but only in the year when SGD activity was most intense. Multivariate analyses indicated that assemblages diverged in similarity downstream compared to upstream of impacts in the first and last years of the study when SGD activity was elevated. Assemblage divergence was related to variation in water quality. Indicator species analysis linked a few key taxa to un-impacted conditions in the first year of the study; tolerant taxa were indicators for impacted conditions later in the study. Our study links SGD to weak negative changes in water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates, which may have negative consequences to food quality for wildlife that rely on aquatic prey within forested systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- George T Merovich
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, Department of Environmental Science, Juniata College, 1904 Moore St, Huntingdon, PA, 16652, USA.
| | - Mack W Frantz
- School of Natural Resources, West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6125, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, District 1 Office, 1110 Railroad St., Farmington, WV, 26571, USA
| | - Petra B Wood
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6125, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
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Huntsman BM, Merriam ER, Rota C, Petty JT. Non‐native species limit stream restoration benefits for brook trout. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brock M. Huntsman
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources West Virginia University Morgantown West Virginia 26506 USA
- California Water Science Center, United States Geological Survey Sacramento California 95819 USA
| | - Eric R. Merriam
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources West Virginia University Morgantown West Virginia 26506 USA
- US Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh PA 15222 USA
| | - Christopher Rota
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources West Virginia University Morgantown West Virginia 26506 USA
| | - J. Todd Petty
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources West Virginia University Morgantown West Virginia 26506 USA
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation Clemson University Clemson SC 29634 USA
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McManus MG, D'Amico E, Smith EM, Polinsky R, Ackerman J, Tyler K. Variation in stream network relationships and geospatial predictions of watershed conductivity. FRESHWATER SCIENCE (PRINT) 2020; 39:1-18. [PMID: 33747635 PMCID: PMC7970528 DOI: 10.1086/710340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Secondary salinization, the increase of anthropogenically-derived salts in freshwaters, threatens freshwater biota and ecosystems, drinking water supplies, and infrastructure. The various anthropogenic sources of salts and their locations in a watershed may result in secondary salinization of river and stream networks through multiple inputs. We developed a watershed predictive assessment to investigate the degree to which topology, land-cover, and land-use covariates affect stream specific conductivity (SC), a measure of salinity. We used spatial stream network models to predict SC throughout an Appalachian stream network in a watershed affected by surface coal mining. During high-discharge conditions, 8 to 44% of stream km in the watershed exceeded the SC benchmark of 300 μS/cm, which is meant to be protective of aquatic life in the Central Appalachian ecoregion. During low-discharge conditions, 96 to 100% of stream km exceeded the benchmark. The 2 different discharge conditions altered the spatial dependency of SC among the stream monitoring sites. During most low discharges, SC was a function of upstream-to-downstream network distances, or flow-connected distances, among the sites. Flow-connected distances are indicative of upstream dependencies affecting stream SC. During high discharge, SC was related to both flow-connected distances and flow-unconnected distances (i.e., distances between sites on different branches of the network). Flow-unconnected distances are indicative of processes on adjacent branches and their catchments affecting stream SC. With sites distributed from headwaters to the watershed outlet, the extent of impacts from secondary salinization could be better spatially predicted and assessed with spatial stream network models than with models assuming spatial independence. Importantly, the assessment also recognized the multi-scale spatial relationships that can occur between the landscape and stream network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G McManus
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Ellen D'Amico
- Pegasus Technical Services c/o United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268 USA
| | - Elizabeth M Smith
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
| | - Robyn Polinsky
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
| | - Jerry Ackerman
- Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 980 College Station Road, Athens, Georgia 30605 USA
| | - Kip Tyler
- Water Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 USA
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Cianciolo TR, McLaughlin DL, Zipper CE, Timpano AJ, Soucek DJ, Schoenholtz SH. Impacts to water quality and biota persist in mining-influenced Appalachian streams. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 717:137216. [PMID: 32062238 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Elevated dissolved major ions (salinization) from surface coal mining are a common impact to central Appalachian headwater streams. Salinization is associated with alterations of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, as many organisms are adapted to the naturally dilute streams of the region. These geochemical and biological alterations have been observed in streams decades after mining, but it remains unclear whether and at what rate water quality and aquatic biota recover after mining. To address this issue, we analyzed temporal trends in specific conductance (SC), ion matrix ratios, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities over an eight-year period in 23 headwater streams, including 18 salinized by surface coal mining. We found strong, negative correlations between SC and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Temporal trend analysis demonstrated limited recovery of water chemistry to natural background conditions. Five of the 18 mining-influenced streams exhibited declining SC; however, annual rates of decline in these streams ranged from 1.9% to 3.7% of mean annual SC, suggesting long time periods will be required to reach established benchmark values (ca. 25 years) or values observed in our five reference study streams (ca. 40 years). Similarly, there was limited evidence for recovery of macroinvertebrate community metrics, even in the few mining-influenced streams with decreasing SC. These findings indicate that salinization and its biological effects persist, likely for decades, in central Appalachian headwater streams. Our work also highlights the value of long-term monitoring data for assessing recovery potential of salinized freshwaters, as well as the need for improved understanding of water quality and biological recovery processes and time frames.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R Cianciolo
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Daniel L McLaughlin
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Carl E Zipper
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, 185 Ag Quad Ln, RM 416, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Anthony J Timpano
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - David J Soucek
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1816 S. Oak St, Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
| | - Stephen H Schoenholtz
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Dr, RM 210, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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Dunn CG, Angermeier PL. Remaining populations of an upland stream fish persist in refugia defined by habitat features at multiple scales. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Corey G. Dunn
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg Virginia
| | - Paul L. Angermeier
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg Virginia
- U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg Virginia
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Demographic characteristics of an avian predator, Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla), in response to its aquatic prey in a Central Appalachian USA watershed impacted by shale gas development. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206077. [PMID: 30485266 PMCID: PMC6261416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We related Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) demographic response and nest survival to benthic macroinvertebrate aquatic prey and to shale gas development parameters using models that accounted for both spatial and non-spatial sources of variability in a Central Appalachian USA watershed. In 2013, aquatic prey density and pollution intolerant genera (i.e., pollution tolerance value <4) decreased statistically with increased waterthrush territory length but not in 2014 when territory densities were lower. In general, most demographic responses to aquatic prey were variable and negatively related to aquatic prey in 2013 but positively related in 2014. Competing aquatic prey covariate models to explain nest survival were not statistically significant but differed annually and in general reversed from negative to positive influence on daily survival rate. Potential hydraulic fracturing runoff decreased nest survival both years and was statistically significant in 2014. The EPA Rapid Bioassessment protocol (EPA) and Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) designed for assessing suitability requirements for waterthrush were positively linked to aquatic prey where higher scores increased aquatic prey metrics, but EPA was more strongly linked than HSI and varied annually. While potential hydraulic fracturing runoff in 2013 may have increased Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness, in 2014 shale gas territory disturbance decreased EPT richness. In 2014, intolerant genera decreased at the territory and nest level with increased shale gas disturbance suggesting the potential for localized negative effects on waterthrush. Loss of food resources does not seem directly or solely responsible for demographic declines where waterthrush likely were able to meet their foraging needs. However collective evidence suggests there may be a shale gas disturbance threshold at which waterthrush respond negatively to aquatic prey community changes. Density-dependent regulation of their ability to adapt to environmental change through acquisition of additional resources may also alter demographic response.
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Isabwe A, Yang JR, Wang Y, Liu L, Chen H, Yang J. Community assembly processes underlying phytoplankton and bacterioplankton across a hydrologic change in a human-impacted river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 630:658-667. [PMID: 29494974 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Although the influence of microbial community assembly processes on aquatic ecosystem function and biodiversity is well known, the processes that govern planktonic communities in human-impacted rivers remain largely unstudied. Here, we used multivariate statistics and a null model approach to test the hypothesis that environmental conditions and obstructed dispersal opportunities, dictate a deterministic community assembly for phytoplankton and bacterioplankton across contrasting hydrographic conditions in a subtropical mid-sized river (Jiulong River, southeast China). Variation partitioning analysis showed that the explanatory power of local environmental variables was larger than that of the spatial variables for both plankton communities during the dry season. During the wet season, phytoplankton community variation was mainly explained by local environmental variables, whereas the variance in bacterioplankton was explained by both environmental and spatial predictors. The null model based on Raup-Crick coefficients for both planktonic groups suggested little evidences of the stochastic processes involving dispersal and random distribution. Our results showed that hydrological change and landscape structure act together to cause divergence in communities along the river channel, thereby dictating a deterministic assembly and that selection exceeds dispersal limitation during the dry season. Therefore, to protect the ecological integrity of human-impacted rivers, watershed managers should not only consider local environmental conditions but also dispersal routes to account for the effect of regional species pool on local communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Isabwe
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, PR China
| | - Jun R Yang
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, PR China
| | - Yongming Wang
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China
| | - Lemian Liu
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China
| | - Huihuang Chen
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China
| | - Jun Yang
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021 Xiamen, PR China.
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Di Matteo L, Dragoni W, Maccari D, Piacentini SM. Climate change, water supply and environmental problems of headwaters: The paradigmatic case of the Tiber, Savio and Marecchia rivers (Central Italy). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 598:733-748. [PMID: 28458194 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
River headwaters, in spite of their importance for habitats and water supply, are often inadequately studied and managed. This study discusses the effects of the hydrogeological system and climatic variations on the environment of Monte Fumaiolo (Central Italy), which corresponds to the headwaters of the rivers Tiber, Savio and Marecchia. The area is a key system for supplying drinking-water and is also the habitat of amphibians such as the endemic and endangered Bombina pachypus and other amphibian species. Ongoing climate change is affecting the area: during the last 30years, five prolonged droughts have occurred, against only one in the preceding 40years. On all time-scales, there is a decrease in rainfall during the recharge period and an increase of temperature: these trends correspond to a decrease in water yield of about 12% over the last 30years. The hydrologic system of the study area is composed of one basic aquifer and a few perched aquifers feeding springs. Their resilience to drought depends on their geological setting: study of some depletion curves helped us to understand the geological setting of the various types, and two promising sites for the habitat preservation of amphibians were identified. Study results indicate new approaches to the study and management of the environment and its water supply, which could be useful in similar areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio Di Matteo
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via A. Pascoli snc, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Walter Dragoni
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via A. Pascoli snc, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
| | - David Maccari
- Consultant Geologist, Pieve Santo Stefano, Arezzo, Italy.
| | - Simone Maria Piacentini
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Via A. Pascoli snc, 06123 Perugia, Italy.
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