Aquatics task force on environmental assessment of the Atikokn Power Plant: effects on aquatic organisms

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6054057· OSTI ID:6054057

Hendrey, G. R.

Possible impacts of an 800-MW coal-fired power plant to be built near Atikokan, Ontario were evaluated. It is feared that the emissions of SO/sub 2/ will lead to the deposition of sulfuric acid and result in the acidification of freshwaters in nearby parks and wilderness areas. The most obvious biological effects of acidification are damages to populations of fish. Less conspicuous but no less severe damages also occur to other organisms. It appears that all trophic levels are affected: species numbers are reduced, biomasses are altered, and primary production and decomposition are impaired. Field experiments and laboratory experiments indicate that microbial activity is reduced and that the recycling of materials is greatly impeded at low pH. This may interfere with nutrient supplies to plants and decrease the microbial biomass available to higher trophic levels. Phytoplankton densities decrease in acidified lakes and there is a reduction in some species of macrophytes. On the other hand, Sphagnum and benthic filamentous algae greatly increase in acidified conditions. The total primary productivity of lakes and streams may actually increase because of such dense growths on the bottom. Zooplankton and benthic invertebrate communities become less complex as acidity increases. This may in part be due to reduced food supplies, but direct inhibition by H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ has also been demonstrated. This removal of fish food organisms may exacerbate damage to fisheries, especially in the pH range of 5 to 6. When a lake loses all fish because of low pH, a few species of invertebrates may become very abundant. The salamanders Ambystoma jeffersonium and A. maculatum, sensitive to acidity below pH 7.0 and 5.0 respectively, are being eliminated from small ponds or temporary pools in the region around Ithaca, NY because of the impact of acid precipitation. Species of frogs in some lakes are also being eliminated because of acidification. (ERB)

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-0016
• OSTI ID: 6054057
• Report Number(s): BNL-50932
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200200 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
AIR POLLUTION
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BACTERIA
BENTHOS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CANADA
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
DEPOSITION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FISHES
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FRESH WATER
FROGS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOLATED VALUES
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MICROORGANISMS
NATURE RESERVES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ONTARIO
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PLANKTON
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POPULATION DYNAMICS
POWER PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
RAIN
RECREATIONAL AREAS
RESOURCES
SALAMANDERS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
STACK DISPOSAL
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID
SURFACE WATERS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VERTEBRATES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
WATER POLLUTION