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Maas CM, Kaushal SS, Rippy MA, Mayer PM, Grant SB, Shatkay RR, Malin JT, Bhide SV, Vikesland P, Krauss L, Reimer JE, Yaculak AM. Freshwater salinization syndrome limits management efforts to improve water quality. FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 2023; 11:1-20. [PMID: 37841559 PMCID: PMC10568995 DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1106581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater Salinization Syndrome (FSS) refers to groups of biological, physical, and chemical impacts which commonly occur together in response to salinization. FSS can be assessed by the mobilization of chemical mixtures, termed "chemical cocktails", in watersheds. Currently, we do not know if salinization and mobilization of chemical cocktails along streams can be mitigated or reversed using restoration and conservation strategies. We investigated 1) the formation of chemical cocktails temporally and spatially along streams experiencing different levels of restoration and riparian forest conservation and 2) the potential for attenuation of chemical cocktails and salt ions along flowpaths through conservation and restoration areas. We monitored high-frequency temporal and longitudinal changes in streamwater chemistry in response to different pollution events (i.e., road salt, stormwater runoff, wastewater effluent, and baseflow conditions) and several types of watershed management or conservation efforts in six urban watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that chemical cocktails which formed along flowpaths (i.e., permanent reaches of a stream) varied due to pollution events. In response to winter road salt applications, the chemical cocktails were enriched in salts and metals (e.g., Na+, Mn, and Cu). During most baseflow and stormflow conditions, chemical cocktails were less enriched in salt ions and trace metals. Downstream attenuation of salt ions occurred during baseflow and stormflow conditions along flowpaths through regional parks, stream-floodplain restorations, and a national park. Conversely, chemical mixtures of salt ions and metals, which formed in response to multiple road salt applications or prolonged road salt exposure, did not show patterns of rapid attenuation downstream. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate variables that influence changes in chemical cocktails along flowpaths. Attenuation and dilution of salt ions and chemical cocktails along stream flowpaths was significantly related to riparian forest buffer width, types of salt pollution, and distance downstream. Although salt ions and chemical cocktails can be attenuated and diluted in response to conservation and restoration efforts at lower concentration ranges, there can be limitations in attenuation during road salt events, particularly if storm drains bypass riparian buffers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M. Maas
- Department of Geology and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Sujay S. Kaushal
- Department of Geology and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Megan A. Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Paul M. Mayer
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Stanley B. Grant
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Ruth R. Shatkay
- Department of Geology and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Joseph T. Malin
- Department of Geology and Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Shantanu V. Bhide
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
| | - Peter Vikesland
- The Charles E. Via Jr Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Lauren Krauss
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA, United States
| | - Jenna E. Reimer
- Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Alexis M. Yaculak
- Water Sciences and Policy Graduate Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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Stowe ES, Petersen KN, Rao S, Walther EJ, Freeman MC, Wenger SJ. Stream restoration produces transitory, not permanent, changes to fish assemblages at compensatory mitigation sites. Restor Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Edward S. Stowe
- Odum School of Ecology and River Basin Center University of Georgia Athens GA U.S.A
| | | | - Shishir Rao
- Odum School of Ecology and River Basin Center University of Georgia Athens GA U.S.A
| | - Eric J. Walther
- Odum School of Ecology and River Basin Center University of Georgia Athens GA U.S.A
| | - Mary C. Freeman
- Eastern Ecological Science Center U.S. Geological Survey Athens GA U.S.A
| | - Seth J. Wenger
- Odum School of Ecology and River Basin Center University of Georgia Athens GA U.S.A
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3
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Hilderbrand RH, Bambakidis T, Crump BC. The Roles of Microbes in Stream Restorations. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:853-861. [PMID: 36695828 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02179-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The goods and services provided by riverine systems are critical to humanity, and our reliance increases with our growing population and demands. As our activities expand, these systems continue to degrade throughout the world even as we try to restore them, and many efforts have not met expectations. One way to increase restoration effectiveness could be to explicitly design restorations to promote microbial communities, which are responsible for much of the organic matter breakdown, nutrient removal or transformation, pollutant removal, and biomass production in river ecosystems. In this paper, we discuss several design concepts that purposefully create conditions for these various microbial goods and services, and allow microbes to act as ecological restoration engineers. Focusing on microbial diversity and function could improve restoration effectiveness and overall ecosystem resilience to the stressors that caused the need for the restoration. Advances in next-generation sequencing now allow the use of microbial 'omics techniques (e.g., metagenomics, metatranscriptomics) to assess stream ecological conditions in similar fashion to fish and benthic macroinvertebrates. Using representative microbial communities from stream sediments, biofilms, and the water column may greatly advance assessment capabilities. Microbes can assess restorations and ecosystem function where animals may not currently be present, and thus may serve as diagnostics for the suitability of animal reintroductions. Emerging applications such as ecological metatranscriptomics may further advance our understanding of the roles of specific restoration designs towards ecological services as well as assess restoration effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Hilderbrand
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, USA.
| | - Ted Bambakidis
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Byron C Crump
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Aunins AA, Mueller SJ, Fike JA, Cornman RS. Assessing arthropod diversity metrics derived from stream environmental DNA: spatiotemporal variation and paired comparisons with manual sampling. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15163. [PMID: 37020852 PMCID: PMC10069422 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
Benthic invertebrate (BI) surveys have been widely used to characterize freshwater environmental quality but can be challenging to implement at desired spatial scales and frequency. Environmental DNA (eDNA) allows an alternative BI survey approach, one that can potentially be implemented more rapidly and cheaply than traditional methods.
Methods
We evaluated eDNA analogs of BI metrics in the Potomac River watershed of the eastern United States. We first compared arthropod diversity detected with primers targeting mitochondrial 16S (mt16S) and cytochrome c oxidase 1 (cox1 or COI) loci to that detected by manual surveys conducted in parallel. We then evaluated spatial and temporal variation in arthropod diversity metrics with repeated sampling in three focal parks. We also investigated technical factors such as filter type used to capture eDNA and PCR inhibition treatment.
Results
Our results indicate that genus-level assessment of eDNA compositions is achievable at both loci with modest technical noise, although database gaps remain substantial at mt16S for regional taxa. While the specific taxa identified by eDNA did not strongly overlap with paired manual surveys, some metrics derived from eDNA compositions were rank-correlated with previously derived biological indices of environmental quality. Repeated sampling revealed statistical differences between high- and low-quality sites based on taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and tolerance scores weighted by taxon proportions in transformed counts. We conclude that eDNA compositions are efficient and informative of stream condition. Further development and validation of scoring schemes analogous to commonly used biological indices should allow increased application of the approach to management needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron A. Aunins
- Eastern Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States
| | - Sara J. Mueller
- Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Program, The Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Fike
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Robert S. Cornman
- Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
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White SL, Johnson TC, Rash JM, Lubinski BA, Kazyak DC. Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: a case study in brook trout. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L. White
- Akima Systems Engineers, under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
| | - Thomas C. Johnson
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 645 Fish Hatchery Road Marion North Carolina 28752 USA
| | - Jacob M. Rash
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 645 Fish Hatchery Road Marion North Carolina 28752 USA
| | - Barbara A. Lubinski
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
| | - David C. Kazyak
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Leetown Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
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Liu Q, Zhang P, Cheng B, Li Y, Li J, Zhou H, Sun G, Qing J, Zhu Z, Lu Y, Zhao P. Incorporating the life stages of fish into habitat assessment frameworks: A case study in the Baihetan Reservoir. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 299:113663. [PMID: 34482112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although it is widely accepted that the construction of dams may alter fish habitats, few studies have followed the life cycles of fish and combined the environmental conditions with the ecological behaviors and habit preferences of fish during reproductive processes to assess its effects of dam construction. In this study, we call for more sophisticated and holistic assessment framework, including effectiveness of technologies intended to mitigate environmental impacts in different life stages. An assessment framework that considers the swimming ability, perception ability of water flow and environmental preference of different fish species during migration, spawning and hatching was proposed. We used the Baihetan Reservoir as an example environment to assess the impoundment effect on the habitat of a tributary upstream of the reservoir. We observed shifts in the habitats of target fish in different life stages which is dominated by reservoir operation of the Baihetan Dam. Combined with the response of fish activities to impoundment, the selection of suitable positions for artificial breeding and release projects and the outlet of the fish transportation system were recommended measures to improve the migration possibilities. Our reassessment results also demonstrated the theoretical possibility and feasibility of joint improvements in spawning and hatching periods using instream structures. Our framework provides a complete set of "assessment-solution" processes for developers and managers to address the aquatic ecological degradation caused by resource development, and its use is strongly recommended for assessments or assessments of damming effects in other regions and on other fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Bixin Cheng
- Shanghai Investigation, Design and Research Institute Corporation Limited, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China.
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Huhai Zhou
- Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Fisheries Science, Wuhan, 430223, China
| | - Gan Sun
- China Three Gorges Construction (Group) Co., Ltd., Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jie Qing
- Shanghai Investigation, Design and Research Institute Corporation Limited, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Zaixiang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Yun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Pengxiao Zhao
- Hydro-China Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Hangzhou, 310014, China
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Kroll SA, Oakland HC, Minerovic Frohn A. Macroinvertebrate and diatom indicators of baseline conditions for setting targets in agricultural BMP restoration. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie A. Kroll
- Patrick Center for Environmental Research Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19103 USA
| | - Hayley C. Oakland
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science Montana State University Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
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8
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Feio MJ, Hughes RM, Callisto M, Nichols SJ, Odume ON, Quintella BR, Kuemmerlen M, Aguiar FC, Almeida SF, Alonso-EguíaLis P, Arimoro FO, Dyer FJ, Harding JS, Jang S, Kaufmann PR, Lee S, Li J, Macedo DR, Mendes A, Mercado-Silva N, Monk W, Nakamura K, Ndiritu GG, Ogden R, Peat M, Reynoldson TB, Rios-Touma B, Segurado P, Yates AG. The Biological Assessment and Rehabilitation of the World's Rivers: An Overview. WATER 2021; 13:371. [PMID: 33868721 PMCID: PMC8048141 DOI: 10.3390/w13030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The biological assessment of rivers i.e., their assessment through use of aquatic assemblages, integrates the effects of multiple-stressors on these systems over time and is essential to evaluate ecosystem condition and establish recovery measures. It has been undertaken in many countries since the 1990s, but not globally. And where national or multi-national monitoring networks have gathered large amounts of data, the poor water body classifications have not necessarily resulted in the rehabilitation of rivers. Thus, here we aimed to identify major gaps in the biological assessment and rehabilitation of rivers worldwide by focusing on the best examples in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North, Central, and South America. Our study showed that it is not possible so far to draw a world map of the ecological quality of rivers. Biological assessment of rivers and streams is only implemented officially nation-wide and regularly in the European Union, Japan, Republic of Korea, South Africa, and the USA. In Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, and Singapore it has been implemented officially at the state/province level (in some cases using common protocols) or in major catchments or even only once at the national level to define reference conditions (Australia). In other cases, biological monitoring is driven by a specific problem, impact assessments, water licenses, or the need to rehabilitate a river or a river section (as in Brazil, South Korea, China, Canada, Japan, Australia). In some countries monitoring programs have only been explored by research teams mostly at the catchment or local level (e.g., Brazil, Mexico, Chile, China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam) or implemented by citizen science groups (e.g., Southern Africa, Gambia, East Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada). The existing large-extent assessments show a striking loss of biodiversity in the last 2-3 decades in Japanese and New Zealand rivers (e.g., 42% and 70% of fish species threatened or endangered, respectively). A poor condition (below Good condition) exists in 25% of South Korean rivers, half of the European water bodies, and 44% of USA rivers, while in Australia 30% of the reaches sampled were significantly impaired in 2006. Regarding river rehabilitation, the greatest implementation has occurred in North America, Australia, Northern Europe, Japan, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea. Most rehabilitation measures have been related to improving water quality and river connectivity for fish or the improvement of riparian vegetation. The limited extent of most rehabilitation measures (i.e., not considering the entire catchment) often constrains the improvement of biological condition. Yet, many rehabilitation projects also lack pre-and/or post-monitoring of ecological condition, which prevents assessing the success and shortcomings of the recovery measures. Economic constraints are the most cited limitation for implementing monitoring programs and rehabilitation actions, followed by technical limitations, limited knowledge of the fauna and flora and their life-history traits (especially in Africa, South America and Mexico), and poor awareness by decision-makers. On the other hand, citizen involvement is recognized as key to the success and sustainability of rehabilitation projects. Thus, establishing rehabilitation needs, defining clear goals, tracking progress towards achieving them, and involving local populations and stakeholders are key recommendations for rehabilitation projects (Table 1). Large-extent and long-term monitoring programs are also essential to provide a realistic overview of the condition of rivers worldwide. Soon, the use of DNA biological samples and eDNA to investigate aquatic diversity could contribute to reducing costs and thus increase monitoring efforts and a more complete assessment of biodiversity. Finally, we propose developing transcontinental teams to elaborate and improve technical guidelines for implementing biological monitoring programs and river rehabilitation and establishing common financial and technical frameworks for managing international catchments. We also recommend providing such expert teams through the United Nations Environment Program to aid the extension of biomonitoring, bioassessment, and river rehabilitation knowledge globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Feio
- Department of Life Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Robert M. Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
- Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Marcos Callisto
- Laboratory of Ecology of Benthos, Department of Genetic, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Susan J. Nichols
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, 2601 Canberra, Australia
| | - Oghenekaro N. Odume
- Unilever Centre for Environmental Water Quality, Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
| | - Bernardo R. Quintella
- MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Évora, 7000-812 Évora, Portugal
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mathias Kuemmerlen
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity Centre for the Environment, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Francisca C. Aguiar
- Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Salomé F.P. Almeida
- Department of Biology and GeoBioTec—GeoBioSciences, GeoTechnologies and GeoEngineering Research Centre, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Perla Alonso-EguíaLis
- Mexican Institute of Water Technology, Bioindicators Laboratory, Jiutepec Morelos 62550, Mexico
| | - Francis O. Arimoro
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology (Applied Hydrobiology Unit), Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65 Minna, Nigeria
| | - Fiona J. Dyer
- Centre for Applied Water Science, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, 2601 Canberra, Australia
| | - Jon S. Harding
- School of Biologcal Sciences, University of Canterbury, 8140 Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sukhwan Jang
- Department of Civil Engineering, Daejin University, Hoguk-ro, Pocheon-si 1007, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Philip R. Kaufmann
- Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- Pacific Ecological Systems Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Samhee Lee
- Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), 283 Goyangdaero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si 10223, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Jianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education of China, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Diego R. Macedo
- Department of Geography, Geomorphology and Water Resources Laboratory, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Mendes
- MED—Instituto Mediterrâneo para a Agricultura, Ambiente e Desenvolvimento, LabOr—Laboratório de Ornitologia, Universidade de Évora, Polo da Mitra, 7002-774 Évora, Portugal
| | - Norman Mercado-Silva
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservacíon, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, 62209 Morelos, Mexico
| | - Wendy Monk
- Environment and Climate Change Canada and, Canadian Rivers Institute, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Keigo Nakamura
- Water Environment Research Group, Public Works Research Institute, 1-6 Minamihara, Tsukuba 305-8516, Japan
| | - George G. Ndiritu
- School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Karatina University, P.O. Box 1957, 10101 Karatina, Kenya
| | - Ralph Ogden
- Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, 2601 Canberra, Australia
| | - Michael Peat
- Wetlands, Policy and Northern Water Use Branch, Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, 2601 Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Blanca Rios-Touma
- Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencias Aplicadas, Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad de Las Américas, Vía Nayón S/N, 170503 Quito, Ecuador
| | - Pedro Segurado
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Adam G. Yates
- Department of Geography, Western University and Canadian Rivers Institute, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
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Garcia F, de Carvalho AR, Riem-Galliano L, Tudesque L, Albignac M, Ter Halle A, Cucherousset J. Stable Isotope Insights into Microplastic Contamination within Freshwater Food Webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:1024-1035. [PMID: 33410676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution and ingestion are ubiquitous phenomena in freshwater ecosystems. However, our understanding of the role of trophic niche in microplastic ingestion is still limited. Here, we quantified the level of microplastic (700 μm to 5 mm) contamination for macroinvertebrates and fish within the Garonne river. We then used stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) to quantify trophic niches. We first demonstrated that the abundance of ingested microplastics differed between macroinvertebrates and fish and was not significantly related to microplastic pollution. We then found that microplastic characteristics (shape, color, size, and polymer composition) differ between the abiotic (surface waters and sediments) and biotic (ingested by macroinvertebrates and fish) compartments. The abundance of ingested microplastics increased with the size of organisms in both fish and macroinvertebrates and tended to increase with trophic position in macroinvertebrates only. Finally, the origin of the resources consumed by fish significantly affected the abundance of microplastics ingested. Altogether, these results suggest the absence of microplastic bioaccumulation in freshwater food webs and the dominance of direct consumption, most likely accidentally. The use of stable isotope analyses is therefore crucial to improve our understanding of microplastic ingestion by wild organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavien Garcia
- UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
- UMR 5623 IMRCP (Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Aline Reis de Carvalho
- UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
- UMR 5623 IMRCP (Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Louna Riem-Galliano
- UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Loïc Tudesque
- UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Magali Albignac
- UMR 5623 IMRCP (Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Alexandra Ter Halle
- UMR 5623 IMRCP (Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Julien Cucherousset
- UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique), CNRS, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, IRD, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
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10
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Alvareda E, Lucas C, Paradiso M, Piperno A, Gamazo P, Erasun V, Russo P, Saracho A, Banega R, Sapriza G, de Mello FT. Water quality evaluation of two urban streams in Northwest Uruguay: are national regulations for urban stream quality sufficient? ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:661. [PMID: 32978681 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08614-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Poor water quality in urban streams places at risk the health of urban residents and the integrity of urban environments, ultimately leading to the "urban stream syndrome." In response to growing concerns regarding urban streams in Uruguay, we evaluated the spatiotemporal variation in water quality parameters in two urban streams, the Ceibal and La Curtiembre streams, over 12-18 months. A proposal for an Urban Water Quality Index (UWQI) was developed based on national water quality standards for two stream classes to assess variability in overall stream condition over time. Both streams displayed extremely high levels of fecal coliform concentrations in mid-downstream sites and relatively high levels of total dissolved phosphorus and ammonia well above the national standards of 0.025 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, respectively. Nitrate was consistently below the national maximum of 44.3 mg/L, calling to question the adequacy of this standard for designated uses. Over 40% of samples had oxygen levels below the national standard of 5 mg/L, and a dead zone (average 1.5 mg/L) was detected in the downstream reach of the La Curtiembre stream. Despite differences in land use and urban context, monthly observations of nutrients and coliforms indicated high levels of contamination in mid-downstream reaches, which could present a health risk for the populations in Paysandú and Salto. This study highlights the degradation of urban streams in two major cities in Uruguay and the need for a comparative diagnosis of stream condition as a basis for decision-making regarding urban development and water resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Alvareda
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay.
| | - Christine Lucas
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
- Polo de Ecología Fluvial, Universidad de la República, University Center of Paysandu, Paysandu, Uruguay
| | - Mercedes Paradiso
- Unidad de Gestión Ambiental, Paysandu Municipal Government, Sarandí esq. Zorrilla de San Martín., 60000, Paysandú, Uruguay
| | - Adriana Piperno
- Facultad de Arquitectura Diseño y Urbanismo, Universidad de la República, Br. Artigas, 1031, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Gamazo
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Vanessa Erasun
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Paola Russo
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Andres Saracho
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Rafael Banega
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Gonzalo Sapriza
- Departamento del Agua, Universidad de la República, University Center of Salto, 1350, Salto, Rivera, Uruguay
| | - Franco Teixeira de Mello
- Departmento de Ecología y Gestión Ambiental, Universidad de la República, CURE Tacuarembó, 20100, Maldonado, Uruguay
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11
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Hilderbrand RH, Keller SR, Laperriere SM, Santoro AE, Cessna J, Trott R. Microbial communities can predict the ecological condition of headwater streams. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236932. [PMID: 32745120 PMCID: PMC7398514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Humanity’s reliance on clean water and the ecosystem services provided makes identifying efficient and effective ways to assess the ecological condition of streams ever more important. We used high throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA region to explore relationships between stream microbial communities, environmental attributes, and assessments of stream ecological condition. Bacteria and archaea in microbial community samples collected from the water column and from stream sediments during spring and summer were used to replicate standard assessments of ecological condition performed with benthic macroinvertebrate collections via the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (BIBI). Microbe-based condition assessments were generated at different levels of taxonomic resolution from phylum to OTU (Operational Taxonomic Units) in order to understand appropriate levels of taxonomic aggregation. Stream sediment microbial communities from both spring and summer were much better than the water column at replicating BIBI condition assessment results. Accuracies were as high as 100% on training data used to build the models and up to 80% on validation data used to assess predictions. Assessments using all OTUs usually had the highest accuracy on training data, but were lower on validation data due to overfitting. In contrast, assessments at the order-level had similar performance accuracy for validation data, and a reduced subset of orders also performed well, suggesting the method could be generalized to other watersheds. Subsets of the important orders responded similarly to environmental gradients compared to the entire community, where strong shifts in community structure occurred for known aquatic stressors such as pH, dissolved organic carbon, and nitrate nitrogen. The results suggest the stream microbes may be useful for assessing the ecological condition of streams and especially useful for stream restorations where many eukaryotic taxa have been eliminated due to prior degradation and are unable to recolonize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H. Hilderbrand
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Stephen R. Keller
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, United States of America
| | - Sarah M. Laperriere
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, United States of America
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Alyson E. Santoro
- Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, United States of America
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America
| | - Jason Cessna
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, United States of America
| | - Regina Trott
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, United States of America
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12
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Polivka CM. Habitat affinity and density‐dependent movement as indicators of fish habitat restoration efficacy. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M. Polivka
- Pacific Northwest Research Station USDA Forest Service Wenatchee Washington98801USA
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13
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Polivka CM, Mihaljevic JR, Dwyer G. Use of a mechanistic growth model in evaluating post-restoration habitat quality for juvenile salmonids. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234072. [PMID: 32579548 PMCID: PMC7313756 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual growth data are useful in assessing relative habitat quality, but this approach is less common when evaluating the efficacy of habitat restoration. Furthermore, available models describing growth are infrequently combined with computational approaches capable of handling large data sets. We apply a mechanistic model to evaluate whether selection of restored habitat can affect individual growth. We used mark-recapture to collect size and growth data on sub-yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead in restored and unrestored habitat in five sampling years (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016). Modeling strategies differed for the two species: For Chinook, we compared growth patterns of individuals recaptured in restored habitat over 15-60 d with those not recaptured regardless of initial habitat at marking. For steelhead, we had enough recaptured fish in each habitat type to use the model to directly compare habitats. The model generated spatially explicit growth parameters describing size of fish over the growing season in restored vs. unrestored habitat. Model parameters showed benefits of restoration for both species, but that varied by year and time of season, consistent with known patterns of habitat partitioning among them. The model was also supported by direct measurement of growth rates in steelhead and by known patterns of spatio-temporal partitioning of habitat between these two species. Model parameters described not only the rate of growth, but the timing of size increases, and is spatially explicit, accounting for habitat differences, making it widely applicable across taxa. The model usually supported data on density differences among habitat types in Chinook, but only in a couple of cases in steelhead. Modeling growth can thus prevent overconfidence in distributional data, which are commonly used as the metric of restoration success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M. Polivka
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Wenatchee, WA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Joseph R. Mihaljevic
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Greg Dwyer
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Dos Reis Oliveira PC, van der Geest HG, Kraak MHS, Westveer JJ, Verdonschot RCM, Verdonschot PFM. Over forty years of lowland stream restoration: Lessons learned? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 264:110417. [PMID: 32217312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110417] [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: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Stream restoration efforts have increased, but the success rate is still rather low. The underlying reasons for these unsuccessful restoration efforts remain inconclusive and need urgent clarification. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate over 40 years of stream restoration to fuel future perspectives. To this purpose we evaluated the influence of policy goals on stream restoration efforts, biophysical restoration objectives, restoration measures applied including the scale of application and monitoring efforts. Information was obtained from five stream restoration surveys that were held among the regional water authorities in the Netherlands over the last 40 years and from an analysis of the international scientific publications on stream restoration spanning the same time period. Our study showed that there was a considerable increase in stream restoration efforts, especially motivated by environmental legislation. However, proper monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures was often lacking. Furthermore, a mismatch between restoration goals and restoration measures was observed. Measures are still mainly focused on hydromorphological techniques, while biological goals remain underexposed and therefore need to be better targeted. Moreover, restoration practices occur mainly on small scales, despite the widely recognized relevance of tackling multiple stressors acting over large scales for stream ecosystem recovery. In order to increase the success rate of restoration projects, it is recommended to improve the design of the accompanying monitoring programmes, allowing to evaluate, over longer time periods, if the measures taken led to the desired results. Secondly, we advise to diagnose the dominant stressors and plan restoration measures at the appropriate scale of these stressors, generally the catchment scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula C Dos Reis Oliveira
- FAME - Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Harm G van der Geest
- FAME - Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel H S Kraak
- FAME - Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith J Westveer
- FAME - Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ralf C M Verdonschot
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Piet F M Verdonschot
- FAME - Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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15
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Liao H, Yen JY, Guan Y, Ke D, Liu C. Differential responses of stream water and bed sediment microbial communities to watershed degradation. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 134:105198. [PMID: 31704564 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The importance of microbial communities in the function of lotic ecosystems is unequivocal. However, traditional watershed studies on biodiversity have mostly focused on benthic macroinvertebrates, macroalgae and fish assemblages. Here, we investigated the diversity and interaction patterns of microbial communities in water and bed sediment of streams impacted by intensive watershed activities versus streams with relatively pristine conditions via next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons using Illumina HiSeq platform. Both water and sediment microbial communities at forested sites had higher mean alpha-diversity than developed sites. Although microbial alpha-diversity indices were generally higher in bed sediment than water, they were comparable at forested sites. In addition, losses of taxa important in nitrogen cycle were evident particularly in bed sediment of developed sites. Interactions among microorganisms visualized by microbial network were more complex at forested sites versus developed sites, with more keystone taxa predominantly from sediment. Together, these findings suggest stream water and bed sediment microbial communities may be affected by watershed disturbances in distinctive ways, and losses of important functional microbial players and keystone taxa in bed sediment may result in decline of ecosystem functions and services. Therefore, cautions should be taken when implementing remediation strategies such as sediment dredging, and reseeding contaminated sites with key microbial players may catalyze the recovery of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hehuan Liao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Jiun Yang Yen
- Carnegie's Department of Plant Biology, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yingjie Guan
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Dongfang Ke
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Chongxuan Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China.
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17
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Stanford B, Jones H, Zavaleta E. Meta-analysis of the effects of upstream land cover on stream recovery. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:351-360. [PMID: 30004134 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Unpredictable or variable ecosystem recovery from disturbance presents a challenge to conservation, particularly as the scale of human disturbance continues to increase. Theory suggests land-cover and disturbance characteristics affect recovery, but individual studies of disturbance and recovery frequently struggle to uncover generalizable patterns because of high levels of site-specific variation. To understand how land-cover, disturbance type, and disturbance duration influence ecosystem recovery, we used studies documenting recovery of 50 streams to perform a global meta-analysis of stream recovery from disturbances that affect water quality (e.g., oil spill, fire, wastewater). We extracted upstream natural and urban land-cover percentages for each site and performed model selection and averaging to identify influences on recovery completeness. Most streams improved following the end of a disturbance (median 240% of disturbed condition) but did not recover fully to baseline predisturbance condition within the studied period (median study period 2 years; median recovery 60% of baseline). Scale of disturbance in time and space did not predict recovery, but sites with higher percentages of upstream natural land cover had less complete recovery relative to sites with more urban or agricultural cover, possibly due to higher baseline conditions in these streams. Our findings suggest impacts to systems with low anthropogenic stress may be more irreversible than impacts to already modified systems. We call for more long-term evaluations of ecosystem response to disturbance and the inclusion of regional references and predisturbance reference conditions for comparison. A more thorough understanding of the role of the surrounding landscape in shaping stream response to disturbance can help managers calibrate expectations for recovery and prioritize protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Stanford
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, U.S.A
| | - Holly Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, & Energy, Northern Illinois University, Montgomery 448, DeKalb, IL 60115, U.S.A
| | - Erika Zavaleta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, U.S.A
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18
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Gold AC, Thompson SP, Piehler MF. Nitrogen cycling processes within stormwater control measures: A review and call for research. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 149:578-587. [PMID: 30513447 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Stormwater control measures (SCMs) have the potential to mitigate negative effects of watershed development on hydrology and water quality. Stormwater regulations and scientific literature have assumed that SCMs are important sites for denitrification, the permanent removal of nitrogen, but this assumption has been informed mainly by short-term loading studies and measurements of potential rates of nitrogen cycling. Recent research concluded that SCM nitrogen removal can be dominated by plant and soil assimilation rather than by denitrification, and rates of nitrogen fixation can exceed rates of denitrification in SCM sediments, resulting in a net addition of nitrogen. Nitrogen cycling measurements from other human-impacted aquatic habitats have presented similar results, additionally suggesting that dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and algal uptake could be important processes for recycling nitrogen in SCMs. Future research should directly measure a suite of nitrogen cycling processes in SCMs and reveal controlling mechanisms of individual rate processes. There is ample opportunity for research on SCM nitrogen cycling, including investigations of seasonal variation, differences between climatic regions, and trade-offs between nitrogen removal and phosphorus removal. Understanding nitrogen dynamics within SCMs will inform more efficient SCM design and management that promotes denitrification to help mitigate negative effects of urban stormwater on downstream ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Gold
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC, 28557, United States; UNC Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, 3202 Murray/Venable Hall, CB#3275, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States.
| | - Suzanne P Thompson
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC, 28557, United States
| | - Michael F Piehler
- UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC, 28557, United States; UNC Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, 3202 Murray/Venable Hall, CB#3275, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, United States; UNC Institute for the Environment, 100 Europa Dr., Suite 490, Chapel Hill, NC, 27517, United States
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19
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Macedo DR, Hughes RM, Kaufmann PR, Callisto M. Development and validation of an environmental fragility index (EFI) for the neotropical savannah biome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 635:1267-1279. [PMID: 29710580 PMCID: PMC6126927 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Augmented production and transport of fine sediments resulting from increased human activities are major threats to freshwater ecosystems, including reservoirs and their ecosystem services. To support large scale assessment of the likelihood of soil erosion and reservoir sedimentation, we developed and validated an environmental fragility index (EFI) for the Brazilian neotropical savannah. The EFI was derived from measured geoclimatic controls on sediment production (rainfall, variation of elevation and slope, geology) and anthropogenic pressures (natural cover, road density, distance from roads and urban centers) in 111 catchments upstream of four large hydroelectric reservoirs. We evaluated the effectiveness of the EFI by regressing it against a relative bed stability index (LRBS) that assesses the degree to which stream sites draining into the reservoirs are affected by excess fine sediments. We developed the EFI on 111 of these sites and validated our model on the remaining 37 independent sites. We also compared the effectiveness of the EFI in predicting LRBS with that of a multiple linear regression model (via best-subset procedure) using 7 independent variables. The EFI was significantly correlated with the LRBS, with regression R2 values of 0.32 and 0.40, respectively, in development and validation sites. Although the EFI and multiple regression explained similar amounts of variability (R2 = 0.32 vs 0.36), the EFI had a higher F-ratio (51.6 vs 8.5) and better AICc value (333 vs 338). Because the sites were randomly selected and well-distributed across geoclimatic controlling factors, we were able to calculate spatially-explicit EFI values for all hydrologic units within the study area (~38,500 km2). This model-based inference showed that over 65% of those units had high or extreme fragility. This methodology has great potential for application in the management, recovery, and preservation of hydroelectric reservoirs and streams in tropical river basins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego R Macedo
- Departamento de Geografia, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia de Bentos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, CP 486, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| | - Robert M Hughes
- Amnis Opes Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Philip R Kaufmann
- Western Ecology Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Marcos Callisto
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Bentos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, CP 486, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Smith BJ, Storey RG. Egg characteristics and oviposition behaviour of the aquatic insect orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera in New Zealand: a review. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2018.1443473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Smith
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Richard G. Storey
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
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21
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Short-Term Impacts of Remeandering Restoration Efforts on Fish Community Structure in a Fourth-Order Stream. WATER 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/w9070546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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22
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Lee F, Simon KS, Perry GLW. Increasing agricultural land use is associated with the spread of an invasive fish (Gambusia affinis). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 586:1113-1123. [PMID: 28214124 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Land-use change and invasive species pose major threats to ecosystems globally. These stressors can act together, with disturbance due to changes in land-use facilitating invasion. We examined the potential for agricultural land use to facilitate the establishment and population growth (abundance) of a globally invasive fish (Gambusia affinis). To achieve this we examined Gambusia presence, abundance, and life history traits in 31 streams spanning an agricultural land use gradient in the North Island of New Zealand. We used regression models to quantify the relationship between agricultural land use and in-stream physiochemical and habitat variables, and zero-inflated models to explore the relationship among physiochemical, habitat and catchment-scale variables and Gambusia's distribution and abundance. The percentage of the catchment in agricultural land use was associated with changes to physiochemical and habitat conditions. Increasing agricultural land use was associated with increasing macrophyte cover and water temperature and decreasing velocity in streams. Catchment-scale variables (land use and site position in the network) and water temperature were the most important determinants of whether Gambusia occurred at a site. Local in-stream habitat (macrophyte cover and water velocity) and nutrient conditions were the most influential predictors of Gambusia abundance given Gambusia were present. Gambusia life-history traits, sex ratio and body length varied among sites but were not predicted by physiochemical gradients. The distribution of Gambusia in streams in New Zealand is partially controlled by catchment-scale conditions via a combination of dispersal limitation and environmental filtering, both of which are affected by agricultural land use. Agricultural land use alters local in-stream conditions, resulting in systems that are similar to those in Gambusia's natural range; these altered systems have the potential to support an increased abundance of Gambusia. This study provides preliminary quantitative evidence that agricultural land use is related to the spread of a globally invasive freshwater fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finnbar Lee
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Kevin S Simon
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - George L W Perry
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Predicting impacts of urbanized stream processes on biota: high flows and river chub (Nocomis micropogon) nesting activity. Urban Ecosyst 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-017-0641-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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24
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Extent of Stream Burial and Relationships to Watershed Area, Topography, and Impervious Surface Area. WATER 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/w8110538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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25
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Integrating Limiting-Factors Analysis with Process-Based Restoration to Improve Recovery of Endangered Salmonids in the Pacific Northwest, USA. WATER 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/w8050174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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26
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He F, Jiang W, Tang T, Cai Q. Assessing impact of acid mine drainage on benthic macroinvertebrates: can functional diversity metrics be used as indicators? JOURNAL OF FRESHWATER ECOLOGY 2015; 30:513-524. [DOI: 10.1080/02705060.2014.998730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
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Agricultural Rivers at Risk: Dredging Results in a Loss of Macroinvertebrates. Preliminary Observations from the Narew Catchment, Poland. WATER 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/w7084511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Maas-Hebner KG, Harte MJ, Molina N, Hughes RM, Schreck C, Yeakley JA. Combining and aggregating environmental data for status and trend assessments: challenges and approaches. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2015; 187:278. [PMID: 25893765 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-015-4504-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly, natural resource management agencies and nongovernmental organizations are sharing monitoring data across geographic and jurisdictional boundaries. Doing so improves their abilities to assess local-, regional-, and landscape-level environmental conditions, particularly status and trends, and to improve their ability to make short- and long-term management decisions. Status monitoring assesses the current condition of a population or environmental condition across an area. Monitoring for trends aims at monitoring changes in populations or environmental condition through time. We wrote this paper to inform agency and nongovernmental organization managers, analysts, and consultants regarding the kinds of environmental data that can be combined with suitable techniques and statistically aggregated for new assessments. By doing so, they can increase the (1) use of available data and (2) the validity and reliability of the assessments. Increased awareness of the difficulties inherent in combining and aggregating data for local- and regional-level analyses can increase the likelihood that future monitoring efforts will be modified and/or planned to accommodate data from multiple sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen G Maas-Hebner
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA,
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Hansen BD, Reich P, Cavagnaro TR, Lake PS. Challenges in applying scientific evidence to width recommendations for riparian management in agricultural Australia. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Hilderbrand RH, Utz RM. Ecological Thresholds and Resilience in Streams. RIVERS – PHYSICAL, FLUVIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17719-9_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Smucker NJ, Detenbeck NE. Meta-Analysis of Lost Ecosystem Attributes in Urban Streams and the Effectiveness of Out-of-Channel Management Practices. Restor Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J. Smucker
- United States Environmental Protection Agency; Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division; 27 Tarzwell Drive Narragansett RI 02882 U.S.A
| | - Naomi E. Detenbeck
- United States Environmental Protection Agency; Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division; 27 Tarzwell Drive Narragansett RI 02882 U.S.A
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Kemp S. The potential and limitations of linking biological monitoring data and restoration needs of urbanized waterways: a case study. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2014; 186:3859-3873. [PMID: 24526613 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-3663-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The implementation of effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of urbanization on waterways represents a major global challenge. Monitoring data plays an important role in the formulation of these strategies. Using monitoring and historical data compiled from around an urban area (Baltimore, USA), this paper is an assessment of the potential and limitations of the use of fish assemblage monitoring data in watershed restoration. A discriminant analysis between assemblages from urban and reference sites was used to determine faunal components which have been reduced or eliminated from Baltimore area waterways. This analysis produced a strong discrimination between fish assemblages from urban and reference sites. Species primarily associated with reference sites varied taxonomically and ecologically, were generally classified as pollution intolerant, and were native. Species associated with urbanized sites were also native, varied taxonomically and ecologically, and were mixed in pollution tolerance. One factor linking most species associated with reference sites was spawning mode (lithophilic). Spawning habitat limitations may be the mechanism through which these species have been reduced in the urbanized faunas. While this presents a strong general hypothesis, information regarding the specific habitat requirements and responses to urbanization of these species is limited. This represents a limitation to producing effective restoration strategies based on exact goals and targets. Without these, determining the type and number of restoration activities required to restore ecological communities remains problematic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanley Kemp
- Division of Science, Information Arts and Technology, University of Baltimore, 1420 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA,
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Langhans SD, Hermoso V, Linke S, Bunn SE, Possingham HP. Cost-effective river rehabilitation planning: optimizing for morphological benefits at large spatial scales. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2014; 132:296-303. [PMID: 24325822 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Revised: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
River rehabilitation aims to protect biodiversity or restore key ecosystem services but the success rate is often low. This is seldom because of insufficient funding for rehabilitation works but because trade-offs between costs and ecological benefits of management actions are rarely incorporated in the planning, and because monitoring is often inadequate for managers to learn by doing. In this study, we demonstrate a new approach to plan cost-effective river rehabilitation at large scales. The framework is based on the use of cost functions (relationship between costs of rehabilitation and the expected ecological benefit) to optimize the spatial allocation of rehabilitation actions needed to achieve given rehabilitation goals (in our case established by the Swiss water act). To demonstrate the approach with a simple example, we link costs of the three types of management actions that are most commonly used in Switzerland (culvert removal, widening of one riverside buffer and widening of both riversides) to the improvement in riparian zone quality. We then use Marxan, a widely applied conservation planning software, to identify priority areas to implement these rehabilitation measures in two neighbouring Swiss cantons (Aargau, AG and Zürich, ZH). The best rehabilitation plans identified for the two cantons met all the targets (i.e. restoring different types of morphological deficits with different actions) rehabilitating 80,786 m (AG) and 106,036 m (ZH) of the river network at a total cost of 106.1 Million CHF (AG) and 129.3 Million CH (ZH). The best rehabilitation plan for the canton of AG consisted of more and better connected sub-catchments that were generally less expensive, compared to its neighbouring canton. The framework developed in this study can be used to inform river managers how and where best to spend their rehabilitation budget for a given set of actions, ensures the cost-effective achievement of desired rehabilitation outcomes, and helps towards estimating total costs of long-term rehabilitation activities. Rehabilitation plans ready to be implemented may be based on additional aspects to the ones considered here, e.g., specific cost functions for rural and urban areas and/or for large and small rivers, which can simply be added to our approach. Optimizing investments in this way will ultimately increase the likelihood of on-ground success of rehabilitation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone D Langhans
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Kessels Rd., Qld 4111, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
| | - Virgilio Hermoso
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Kessels Rd., Qld 4111, Australia.
| | - Simon Linke
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Kessels Rd., Qld 4111, Australia.
| | - Stuart E Bunn
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Kessels Rd., Qld 4111, Australia.
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia; School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
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