Impact of a lead mining-smelting complex on the forest-floor litter arthropod fauna in the new lead belt region of southeast Missouri

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7332207

Watson, A P

Studies of biological activity within the litter horizons of a watershed contaminated by emissions from a lead-ore processing complex focused on the litter-arthropod food chain as a means of detecting perturbations in a heavy-metal contaminated ecosystem. Both point sources (smelter stack emissions) and fugitive sources (ore-handling processes, yard dusts, and exposed concentrate piles) contributed to the Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd levels in the study area (Crooked Creek Watershed, Iron County, Missouri, 37/sup 0/28' N Lat., 91/sup 0/07' Long). Characterization of arthropod food base and habitat was accomplished by critical examination of litter mass, heavy metal and macronutrient content, cation exchange capacity, and pH. Arthropod trophic level density, biomass, and heavy metal content were determined by analysis of specimens removed from litter by von Tullgren funnel extraction, taxonomically classified, and segregated into the trophic categories of detritivore, fungivore, littergrazer, omnivore, and predator.

• Research Organization: Kentucky Univ., Lexington (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7332207
• Report Number(s): TID-27213
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGY
BIOMASS
CADMIUM
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOREST LITTER
INVERTEBRATES
LEAD
LEAD ORES
METALS
MIDWEST REGION
MINING
MISSOURI
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRIENTS
NUTRITION
ORES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SMELTING
STACKS
TAXONOMY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
ZINC