Structural responses of benthic macroinvertebrate communities from different stream orders to zinc

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620130305· OSTI ID:5033198

Kiffney, P M; Clements, W H ^[1]

---

1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Fishery and Wildlife Biology

It is well established that benthic invertebrate community structure and function shift in a predictable fashion along longitudinal stream gradients as a result of variation in environmental conditions. The authors research is concerned with experimentally testing whether this shift in community structure influences the response of benthic macroinvertebrates to heavy metals. Using artificial streams, they compared effects of Zn on natural assemblages of benthic macroinvertebrates communities collected from Little Beaver Creek (LBC; a third-order stream) and the Big South Fork of the Cache la Poudre, Colorado, catchment. Organisms collected from LBC and SFP were exposed to 0 or 130 [mu]g/L Zn in indoor experimental streams for 7 d. In general, similar taxa were found at both sites, but densities were generally higher at SFP than at LBC. They observed significant effects at the community and population level as a result of Zn, stream order, and the interaction between Zn and stream order. Specifically, mayflies from both sides were sensitive to Zn, but the magnitude of the response varied between sites. The results indicate that benthic macroinvertebrate communities from different stream order may vary in sensitivity to Zn.

• OSTI ID: 5033198
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 13:3; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BENTHOS
SENSITIVITY
COLORADO
WATER POLLUTION
STREAMS
ZINC
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
TOXICITY
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology