Biological consequences of agricultural and urban land-use along the Maumee River, a major tributary to the Laurentian Great Lakes watershed

Abstract

Many riverine systems are impacted by a combination of agricultural and urban land use. In this study, we assessed the impacts of high intensity agriculture and urban land use in the Maumee River, the largest Great Lakes tributary, using sunfish (Lepomis spp.). The land use gradient from agricultural headwaters to densely urban areas was hypothesized to be paralleled by a shift in the chemical signature and biological effects. We caged hatchery-reared sunfish at field sites and collected concurrently resident sunfish. We analyzed fish for alterations in morphological indices, hematological characteristics, and anatomical development. Water, sediment, and fish tissues were analyzed for pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Chemicals were detected in all samples, and no clear agricultural/urban distinction in water chemistry was apparent. We detected forty-three chemicals (19% of analyzed) in at least half of the water samples, and 101 chemicals (44%) in at least one water sample. The pesticides desethylatrazine (100% of samples) and heptachlor epoxide (89%), and pharmaceuticals iopamidol (100%) and sulfamethoxazole (89%) were frequently detected. Resident sunfish were more sensitive than caged sunfish, and both experienced elevated stress responses at urban sites. Declining biological indices suggest contaminant-related impairments which may have altered resource allocation and could have contributed to decreased sexual maturity. Agricultural, and especially urban, contaminants entering aquatic ecosystems as non-point sources affect sunfish biology through acute and chronic exposure. Natural resource managers are advised to broadly assess stressors prior to investing into stream restoration efforts.