Reliability of toxicological determination for predicting ecological integrity in freshwater systems
- Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
Over an 8-year period, on-site biomonitoring studies were conducted on four freshwater systems that varied in order, gradient, substrate composition and community structure. One objective was to evaluate the reliability of toxicological findings for predicting ecological integrity. Impact from one or more point-source discharges varied among the different systems from slight to severe in effluent receiving areas and decreased incrementally with distance downstream. Studies were performed at 8 or more stations selected for comparable conditions, including upstream reference and downstream recovery areas. On-site toxicological evaluations were performed with 7-day tests using Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnow embryo-larval tests. Test water was changed daily with fresh collections. Ecological conditions were analyzed using the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol III, Brillouin and Shannon-Weaver indices, cluster analysis and traditional methods (e.q., species richness, diversity, functional groups). In streams with heavy to extreme impact near the effluent outfall, fathead minnow toxicity data correlated significantly with ecological parameters, giving good predictability of ecological integrity. However, in other systems, toxicological endpoints were marginal to unreliable in predicting slight to moderate ecological impact or initial stages of recovery. Attrition of macroinvertebrate species by 20 to 30% resulted without observing consistent trends in toxicity. Neither biodiversity nor abundance of aquatic life could be predicted with confidence when the pattern of ecological impact was not decisive.
- OSTI ID:
- 40114
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273-; TRN: IM9520%%309
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Denver, CO (United States), 30 Oct - 3 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15th annual meeting: Abstract book. Ecological risk: Science, policy, law, and perception; PB: 286 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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