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Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(8) A NOVEL TRIAD APPROACH TO ASSESSING POLLUTION INDUCED DEGRADATION IN HIGH-GRADIENT STREAMS.
K.M. Neptun1, W.H. Clements1, and W. Stubblefield2. 1Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, 2ENSR Corporation, 4303 West LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521
A variety of factors may mediate the effects of contaminants in natural systems. To account for this, an approach integrating biological and chemical parameters should be used to assess stream quality. The Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) is one such approach that was developed to assess degradation due to toxic sediments in marine and depositional areas. We used the conceptual framework of the SQT to develop a new triad suitable for use in high-gradient streams. The triad approach involves the integration of three components: 1) chemistry to measure contamination, 2) a bioassay to measure toxicity, and 3) in situ parameters to measure changes in the natural benthic community. The modified triad uses periphyton contamination, toxicity to a mayfly ( Baetis tricaudatus ), and the alteration of macroinvertebrate riffle communities to assess degradation due to heavy metals. We applied the new triad to three Rocky Mountain streams (Arkansas River, Clark Fork River and Mineral Creek). Contaminated and reference sites on the Arkansas River showed no difference in metal contamination of periphyton, quantity of periphyton or toxic effect to mayflies. The Clark Fork River sites showed significant differences in periphyton parameters, toxic effects and benthic macroinvertebrate communities. The triad results in within Mineral Creek are conflicting. The benefit of the triad approach is its use analyzing evidence to determine the cause of degradation.
Presented at 2:45 PM on Monday, May 29, 2000 in Bioassessment I
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