Paleolimnological assessment of the effects of lake acidification on Chironomidae (Diptera) assemblages in the Adirondack region of New York
The stratigraphies of larval chironomid and Chaoborus (Diptera: Chironomidae and Chaoboridae) remains were determined for cores from five Adirondack lakes. Big Moose Lake, Deep Lake, Brook trout Lake and Upper Wallface Pond are currently acidic, while Windfall Pond is near neutral. Altered chironomid assemblages were evident in the four acidic lakes, and acid deposition was the most likely cause for the inferred changes. Declining pH was indicated beginning after 1950 in Big Moose L., after 1930 in Deep L. and Upper Wallface P., and after 1920 in Brook trout L. No recent pH change was inferred for Windfall P. Shifts in the chironomid assemblages were concordant with indications of declining pH inferred from analyses of cladocera, chrysophyte and diatom remains. The best indicators among the chironomid taxa were Heterotrissocladius changi, Micropsectra and Zavreliina, which tended to decline, and Salutschia cf. briani, Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) and Tanytarsus, which tended to increase in abundance in response to increased acidity. Long-term presence of Chaoborus americanus in Deep L. and Upper Wallface P. indicated that fishes were probably never abundant in these lakes. Increases in the accumulation rates of C. americanus remains in Deep L. and Upper Wallface P. reflected the poor success and eventual halt of fish stocking in these lakes.
- Research Organization:
- State Univ. of New York, Syracuse, NY (USA). Coll. of Environmental Science and Forestry
- OSTI ID:
- 5291548
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
ANIMALS
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
ARTHROPODS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
DIPTERA
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION II
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
LAKES
LARVAE
MOUNTAINS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
RAIN
SENSITIVITY
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER POLLUTION