Evaluating water quality impacts on macroinvertebrates below a copper-silver mine using functional feeding groups as bioindicators
- Parametrix, Inc., Kirkland, WA (United States)
Biological monitoring of metal sensitive taxa for the past nine years from two stream systems downstream of a copper/silver mine in Montana have not disclosed any adverse impacts or degradation in either stream system. The program was designed to determine whether potential non-point sources of pollution from the mining activities were adversely affecting the health of biological communities in local streams. As an alternative method of data analysis, densities of the taxa representing six functional feeding groups of benthic macroinvertebrates (i.e., filterer-collectors, scrapers, predators, collector-gatherers, shredders, and omnivores) were evaluated for statistical differences between target and reference locations using a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVAS) using study locations, seasons, and years as factors. A non-parametric trend analysis was also performed to check for long-term trends in each system. Benthic macroinvertebrates (e.g., mayflies and stoneflies) have been collected over the past nine years during the spring, summer and fall. Samples have been collected at five locations in two stream systems and have been identified to family, genus and/or species level. Following identification, taxa were assigned to the appropriate functional feeding group. In both systems, the dominant feeding group was collector-gathers, followed by predators. The ANOVAs did not reveal consistent significant differences between reference and target locations. Therefore, differences in functional feeding group densities appear to have been random or attributable to long-term habitat changes. Long-term trends were observed in taxa representing different feeding groups, with some increasing and some decreasing over the 9-year life of the monitoring program.
- OSTI ID:
- 230911
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9623%%221
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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