Stripmining as it relates to benthic insect communities and their recovery
To determine effects of stripmining for coal on benthic insect communities four streams, one undisturbed and three disturbed by mining to different extents, have been monitored for four years. In addition eight streams recovering for varying lengths of time and an additional undisturbed stream have been monigored for one year. Eight Surber samples as well as various physical and chemical measurements were taken from each stream at each sampling date. Reductions in the nunber of taxa and individuals as well as species diversity were found in both intensive and recovery study streams with the onset of mining disturbance. In the recovery study streams the number of individuals/m/sup 2/ and diversity were lowest in the active-5 years since disturbance streams and the number of taxa were least in the 6 to 10 years since disturbance streams. Population density, taxa, and diversity increased with recovery of 16 to 20 years. Following a recovery period of approximately 24 years, the number of taxa and individuals were greater than the undisturbed streams. Faunal similarity was greater between the 24-year recovery stream and an undisturbed stream than between any other streams. Results show that insect communities can recover from the effects of mining disturbances given limited disturbance within a watershed and sufficient time.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5823237
- Journal Information:
- Proc. W.Va. Acad. Sci.; (United States), Vol. 51:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
STREAMS
MONITORING
SURFACE MINING
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
COAL MINING
CONTAMINATION
INSECTS
PH VALUE
POPULATION DENSITY
SAMPLING
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SULFATES
TENNESSEE
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATERSHEDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHEMISTRY
INVERTEBRATES
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOUTHEAST REGION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects