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 Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7343123· OSTI ID:7343123

Watson, A. P.; Van Hook, R. I.; Jackson, D. R.; Reichle, D. E.

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. 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. Changes in litter decomposition were reflected in the dynamics of the litter arthropod community. Food-chain dilution of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd from litter to litter consumer was occurring, as indicated by the mean concentration factors. Accumulation of Pb by litter consumers was much less than that found for the other three heavy metals. In contrast, predatory arthropods on Crooked Creek Watershed either concentrated or equilibrated with respect to Pb, Zn, and Cd from their prey, as indicated by mean total predator concentration factors. A significant depression of the Ca, Mg, and K content litter occurred relative to the control within 0.8 km of the stack. Two mechanisms were postulated to explain this result: increased leaching of cations through the litter induced by a loss of cation exchange capacity, a decrease in pH, and a decrease in microbial immobilization of macronutrients; and a decreased uptake of macronutrients due to root damage produced by heavy-metal concentrations.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 7343123
• Report Number(s): ORNL/NSF/EATC-30
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOMASS
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
COPPER
DUSTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOOD CHAINS
FOREST LITTER
FORESTS
INVERTEBRATES
LEAD
MAGNESIUM
METALS
MINING
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
POTASSIUM
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SMELTING
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATERSHEDS
ZINC