Benthic Macroinvertebrate Metrics Research Articles

Water mites and their use as bioindicators of water quality conditions: a Pennsylvania case study

Water mites (Acariformes: Hydrachnidia) are one of the planet's most diverse and abundant groups of aquatic arthropods. With more than 7,500 described species, water mites have been documented in nearly every known freshwater environment. In lotic systems, water mites are commonly found in fast-flowing, riffle-run stream habitats, where one square meter of substrate can contain as many as 5,000 individual mites representing more than 50 species, 30 genera, and all 8 superfamilies. Despite their widespread distribution, relative diversity, and abundance, water mites have been widely neglected in freshwater biomonitoring efforts. However, several studies across the globe have found that water mites can be used as successful bioindicators of water quality conditions. Thus, the following study provides one of the first detailed examinations of lotic water mites and their bioindicator potential in North America. We sampled water mites from sites along 'attaining' (unpolluted) and agriculturally 'impaired' (polluted) riffle-run stream habitats and compared their assemblages to other physicochemical and benthic macroinvertebrate metrics used to quantify water quality in Pennsylvania. In total, we collected 9,139 individual water mites representing 5 superfamilies, 9 families, and 14 genera from both attaining (n = 13) and impaired (n = 13) streams. Similar to other global studies, we found significant differences between the water mite assemblages of attaining and impaired streams, with attaining streams having greater richness and diversity of water mites. Our data shows that several mite taxa are associated with biological and physicochemical conditions of water quality, where some known sensitive taxa are increasingly dominant in attaining streams and less dominant in impaired streams. Conversely, some pollution-tolerant taxa dominance increases in impaired streams while sensitive taxa abundance declines. These findings illustrate that water mites vary in their sensitivity to pollution and are suitable bioindicator species whose inclusion in biomonitoring assessments will increase assessment accuracy.

Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Wadeable Rivers and Streams of Lao PDR as a Useful Tool for Biomonitoring Water Quality: A Multimetric Index Approach

Lao PDR, a landlocked country in the lower Mekong River basin of Southeast Asia, has been considered a global biodiversity hotspot with a high level of biological endemism. In recent years, urban development and industrialization have affected the water quality of freshwater ecosystems in Lao PDR. However, the assessment of water quality in the country is primarily focused on a physicochemical method, while the application of a multimetric index (MMI) approach using benthic macroinvertebrates for biomonitoring in rivers and streams has not been established. MMI, based on benthic macroinvertebrates, is a biomonitoring tool that considers the effects of multiple anthropogenic impacts on benthic macroinvertebrate metrics associated with their biological attributes (e.g., taxa richness, composition, pollution tolerance, habits, and functional feeding) and aggregates individual metrics into a single value for assessing the water quality and health conditions of aquatic ecosystems. Here, we developed an MMI based on macroinvertebrate communities collected during 2016–2018 from 10 localities of streams and wadeable rivers in Lao PDR. Of the 54 potential metrics tested, 35 candidate macroinvertebrate metrics representing richness, composition, trophic structure, habit, and tolerance to pollution were selected, while 19 metrics were excluded. Of the 35-candidate metrics, a total of 11 core metrics (Total taxa, EPT taxa, Ephemeroptera taxa, %Diptera, %Plecoptera, %Tolerant, Beck’s biotic index, %Intolerant, Filterers taxa, %Sprawlers, and %Burrowers) were finally selected for the development of MMI based on their sensitivity, redundancy, and easy-to-apply tool for the biomonitoring program. These metrics can be used to distinguish the reference (seven sites) from stressed conditions (seven sites). In addition, the final MMI scores classified 40 sampling sites into four classes of water quality, including excellent (25%), good (10%), fair (60%), and poor (5%), which the conventional physicochemical method could not clearly distinguish. The Lao MMI developed in this study is an effective tool for evaluating the water conditions of sites affected by human activities, particularly agricultural areas, and, thus, is appropriate for use in future studies for assessing the ecological conditions of rivers and streams in the Mekong region.

One informs the other: Unionid species at risk and benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring data are complementary

Benthic macroinvertebrate communities, which include unionid freshwater mussels, enhance the health of river ecosystems. Human impacts have driven declines within freshwater mussel communities and due to their complex life cycles, mussel recovery efforts are complex. In Canada, conservation of imperiled species has focused on biodiversity hotspots such as the Sydenham River in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin. In practice, species conservation and habitat monitoring are siloed between federal agencies and local conservation authorities, limiting the potential for alignment of conservation policy and practice. Here we bring together federal, local, and our own survey data to explore patterns of co-occurrences between mussel species and other macroinvertebrate taxa to explore the extent to which knowledge of one benthic community informs the other. Mussel communities (species richness, community composition) differed between sites where imperiled mussel species were present and/or absent. Benthic macroinvertebrate metrics (e.g., family richness, percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa) and specific indicator taxa were correlated with mussel species richness and the presence of imperiled mussel species. We show that benthic macroinvertebrate diversity indicators provided insight into imperiled species occurrences that warrant further investigation. These findings underscore support for coordinated watershed monitoring efforts and could be crucial for more successful freshwater mussel conservation.

Refining benthic macroinvertebrate kick sampling protocol for wadeable rivers and streams in Ethiopia.

Streams and rivers cover a larger proportion of the Earth's surface but are highly affected by human pressures. Conversely, bioassessment methods are in their infancy in developing countries such as Ethiopia. In this study, we compared 2- and 3-min macroinvertebrate kick samples at multiple locations for both riffle habitat (RH) and multihabitat (MH) approaches. The performance of each method was evaluated statistically using benthic macroinvertebrate metrics and diversity indices.Results of the Kruskal-Wallis analysis in this study showed no significant differences among methods tested in minimally impacted streams in Ethiopia and generally performed equally irrespective of the methods employed except for total abundances and Ephemeroptera abundances. Furthermore, multivariate analysis of the relative abundances of macroinvertebrate communities using analysis of similarity (ANOSIM), RELATE, non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS), and classification strength-sampling method comparability (CS-SMC) indicated a high similarity in the macroinvertebrate communities recorded among all methods employed in this study area. However, the index of multivariate dispersion (IMD) test showed variations in relative abundances of macroinvertebrate communities among the methods. In summary, if the focus is not on rare taxa and the required information is not dependent on additional evidence provided by the use of lower taxonomic levels of identification (genus and species), the results of the present study support the use of the shorter 2-min RH kick sampling method for the bioassessment of wadeable rivers and streams in Ethiopia.

Assessment of disturbance at three spatial scales in two large tropical reservoirs.

Large reservoirs are an increasingly common feature across tropical landscapes because of their importance for water supply, flood control and hydropower, but their ecological conditions are infrequently evaluated. Our objective was to assess the range of disturbances for two large tropical reservoirs and their influences on benthic macroinvertebrates. We tested three hypotheses: i) a wide variation in the level of environmental disturbance can be observed among sites in the reservoirs; ii) the two reservoirs would exhibit a different degree of disturbance level; and iii) the magnitude of disturbance would influence the structure and composition of benthic assemblages. For each reservoir, we assessed land use (macroscale), physical habitat structure (mesoscale), and water quality (microscale). We sampled 40 sites in the littoral zones of both Três Marias and São Simão Reservoirs (Minas Gerais, Brazil). At the macroscale, we measured cover percentages of land use categories in buffer areas at each site, where each buffer was a circular arc of 250 m. At the mesoscale, we assessed the presence of human disturbances in the riparian and drawdown zones at the local (site) scale. At the microscale, we assessed water quality at each macroinvertebrate sampling station using the Micro Disturbance Index (MDI). To evaluate anthropogenic disturbance of each site, we calculated an integrated disturbance index (IDI) from a buffer disturbance index (BDI) and a local disturbance index (LDI). For each site, we calculated richness and abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates, Chironomidae genera richness, abundance and percent Chironomidae individuals, abundance and percent EPT individuals, richness and percent EPT taxa, abundance and percent resistant individuals, and abundance and percent non-native individuals. We also evaluated the influence of disturbance on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages at the entire-reservoir scale. The BDI, LDI and IDI had significantly greater average scores at São Simão than at Três Marias Reservoir. The significantly greater differences in IDI scores for São Simão Reservoir were reflected in 10 of the 13 Ekman-Birge dredge biotic metrics and in 5 of 13 of the kick-net biotic metrics. We also observed clear ranges of disturbances within both reservoirs at macro (BDI) and mesoscales (LDI) and in water quality, but an insignificant range in MDI results. However, we found no significant relationship between the benthic macroinvertebrate metrics and the BDI, LDI, and IDI among sites within a single reservoir. Hence, we believe that benthic macroinvertebrate distributions in those reservoirs were influenced by other factors or that reservoir macroinvertebrates (dominated by chironomids) were poor indicators of disturbance at the site scale.

Louisiana Waterthrush and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Response to Shale Gas Development

Abstract Because shale gas development is occurring over large landscapes and consequently is affecting many headwater streams, an understanding of its effects on headwater-stream faunal communities is needed. We examined effects of shale gas development (well pads and associated infrastructure) on Louisiana waterthrush Parkesia motacilla and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in 12 West Virginia headwater streams in 2011. Streams were classed as impacted (n = 6) or unimpacted (n = 6) by shale gas development. We quantified waterthrush demography (nest success, clutch size, number of fledglings, territory density), a waterthrush Habitat Suitability Index, a Rapid Bioassessment Protocol habitat index, and benthic macroinvertebrate metrics including a genus-level stream-quality index for each stream. We compared each benthic metric between impacted and unimpacted streams with a Student's t-test that incorporated adjustments for normalizing data. Impacted streams had lower genus-level stream-quality index scores; lower overall and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera richness; fewer intolerant taxa, more tolerant taxa, and greater density of 0–3-mm individuals (P ≤ 0.10). We then used Pearson correlation to relate waterthrush metrics to benthic metrics across the 12 streams. Territory density (no. of territories/km of stream) was greater on streams with higher genus-level stream-quality index scores; greater density of all taxa and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa; and greater biomass. Clutch size was greater on streams with higher genus-level stream-quality index scores. Nest survival analyses (n = 43 nests) completed with Program MARK suggested minimal influence of benthic metrics compared with nest stage and Habitat Suitability Index score. Although our study spanned only one season, our results suggest that shale gas development affected waterthrush and benthic communities in the headwater streams we studied. Thus, these ecological effects of shale gas development warrant closer examination.

Differences Found in the Macroinvertebrate Community Composition in the Presence or Absence of the Invasive Alien Crayfish, Orconectes hylas.

Introductions of alien species into aquatic ecosystems have been well documented, including invasions of crayfish species; however, little is known about the effects of these introductions on macroinvertebrate communities. The woodland crayfish (Orconectes hylas (Faxon)) has been introduced into the St. Francis River watershed in southeast Missouri and has displaced populations of native crayfish. The effects of O. hylas on macroinvertebrate community composition were investigated in a fourth-order Ozark stream at two locations, one with the presence of O. hylas and one without. Significant differences between sites and across four sampling periods and two habitats were found in five categories of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics: species richness, percent/composition, dominance/diversity, functional feeding groups, and biotic indices. In most seasons and habitat combinations, the invaded site had significantly higher relative abundance of riffle beetles (Coleoptera: Elmidae), and significantly lower Missouri biotic index values, total taxa richness, and both richness and relative abundance of midges (Diptera: Chironomidae). Overall study results indicate that some macroinvertebrate community differences due to the O. hylas invasion were not consistent between seasons and habitats, suggesting that further research on spatial and temporal habitat use and feeding ecology of Ozark crayfish species is needed to improve our understanding of the effects of these invasions on aquatic communities.

Assessing anthropogenic impacts using benthic macroinvertebrate as bio-indicators in central highland streams of Ethiopia

Biological indicators particularly those using macroinvertebrate communities are increasingly used to assess the effects of human driven stressors on stream water and habitat quality. The goal of this study was to establish relationships between benthic macroinvertebrate and common stressor types (siltation, agriculture and paper mill waste) in central highlands of Ethiopia. For analysis environmental variables and benthic invertebrate taxa were collected from four streams from November, 2011 to June, 2012. There was a significant difference in conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus and five days biological oxygen demand between paper mill waste and other stressor types. In siltation sites, most environmental parameters were not significantly different (p > 0.05) from reference and agricultural sites. Sensitive taxa such as Perlidae, Lepidostomatidae, Scirtidae and Philopotamidae were represented in the reference site. Paper mill waste was the worst stressor for deterioration of water quality and cause significant reduction of benthic invertebrate diversity directly by intoxication and indirectly by changing water quality parameters. Agriculture and siltation stressed sites showed major difference in abundance than richness of benthic invertebrates. Of 39 benthic macroinvertebrate metrics tested, five metrics representing richness, composition and sensitivity were identified as useful to discriminate stressor groups. These metrics are taxa richness, EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Tricoptera), % Oligochaeta & Chironomidae, % EPT-BCH (EPT without Baetidae, Caenidae and Hydropschidae and ASPT (Average Score Per Taxa). Among others % EPT-BCH was found effective to separate the effect of siltation from agriculture and reference sites. This study showed that benthic macroinvertebrate metrics were useful to assess the impact of different stressors in Ethiopian central highland stream and rivers. Key Words : Benthic macroinvertebrate, Stressors, Pollution, Metrics, Highland streams

Relationships between ecological risk indices for metals and benthic communities metrics in a macrophyte-dominated lake

With the aim of evaluating and comparing the correlation relationship between metal pollution and benthic structural and functional metrics, we carried out samplings of three anthropogenic disturbance levels at eight sites located in the Lake Baiyangdian that are strongly influenced by wastewater discharge (Sites 1 and 2), aquaculture and densely populated villages (Sites 3, 6, and 8), and the least human disturbances (Sites 4, 5, and 7). Benthic communities were studied in eight sample sites, and Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Hg, Cd, and Cr were simultaneously determined. The potential ecological risk index (RI) was calculated by Hakanson's methodology. The results showed that the RI for all three habitats was lower than 94, and they are in decreasing order: Habitat 1, Habitat 2, and Habitat 3. When the three sampling seasons were compared, August appeared to show the highest risk, followed by April and November. For the periphyton metrics, the best correlation was detected between chlorophyll c/chlorophyll a (Chl c/a) ratio and Eri Hg (r=−0.851, p<0.01); for the benthic macroinvertebrate metrics, the best correlation was established between Eri Hg and community similarity index (CSI) (r=−0.983, p<0.01). When periphyton and benthic macroinvertebrate metrics were compared, benthic macroinvertebrate metrics appeared to be more sensitive, especially the metrics of number of diptera taxa (NDT), community loss index (CLI), and CSI. Our results suggest that the benthic community would be used in biomonitoring for heavy metal pollution in the Lake Baiyangdian, China.

The use of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics in the assessment of ecological status of floodplain lakes

Five oxbow lakes of the Łyna River, located in an agricultural area, were studied seasonally in 2005 and 2008. The EPT index (abundance of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera larvae), as well as their proportion to Chironomidae indicated that groups sensitive to environmental conditions occurred at low abundance in relation to the different hydrological types of oxbow lakes. The Family Biotic Index, the Biological Monitoring Working Part index adapted to Polish conditions and the Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) revealed low water quality regardless of the level of hydrological connectivity. In turn, the indices of biodiversity Margalef (d) and probability of interspecific encounters indicated good or satisfactory water quality. The pH correlated positively with the total abundance of aquatic invertebrates, while lower macroinvertebrate abundance was observed in turbid waters of lentic oxbows with a high content of total dissolved solids. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that hydrological connectivity was the main factor responsible for the value of monitoring indices, followed by the physical and chemical parameters of the local environment. Among the indices used, it was ASPT-PL that grouped the studied oxbow lakes according to their hydrological types and seems to be the best index. This study shows that the structure of invertebrate communities inhabiting oxbow lakes reflects physico-chemical conditions of water and can be a valuable source of monitoring data, indispensable to the management and protection of these important aquatic ecosystems.

Bioassessment of the Rio Grande Upstream and Downstream of Los Alamos National Laboratory,New Mexico, USA

Benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects) were collected from the Rio Grande upstream and downstream of Los Alamos Canyon (LAC), a major drainage that crosses Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) lands in northern New Mexico, USA. LAC contains legacy waste, including radionuclides and polychlorinated biphenyls, and occasionally discharges storm water and snowmelt flows to the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande is the major waterway that flows southward across the state. In 2009, rock baskets were placed in waters 61- to 76-cm-deep within each reach (five per reach), and, after approximately 6 weeks of colonization, the rock baskets were retrieved. All samples were sorted completely and organisms were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Both reaches in 2009 were dominated by the collector filtering net-spinning caddisfly, Hydropsyche occidentalis. In 2011, benthic macroinvertebrates were collected using D kick nets from shallow riffle locations (15- to 31-cm depth) from each reach (six per reach). These samples were collected after post- (Las Conchas) fire flooding events moved sediment and ash through the two study areas—the downstream reach, however, was affected by higher flows and greater number of flooding events than those affecting the upstream reach. Each kick net sample consisted of ten 1-m (kick) samples. The 10 subsamples were composited and organisms were picked from randomly selected cells in a sorting pan until 500 organisms had been identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Both reaches in 2011 were dominated by the collector-gathering mayfly, Baetis tricaudatus. A bioassessment of the downstream reach compared with the upstream (reference) reach was conducted by scoring 10 metrics related to the structure and function of the benthic macroinvertebrate community. While 2009 ranked at the highest level (nonimpaired), 2011 ranked a level lower (slightly impaired). The slightly lower bioassessment score of the downstream reach in 2011 may be a result of flooding impacts following the Las Conchas fire rather than of LANL operations. Overall, based on the similarity of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics between reaches and the composition of benthic macroinvertebrates favoring pollution intolerant taxa, LANL influences, if any, via the LAC system to the Rio Grande are not significantly impacting water quality of the Rio Grande.

Refining a kick sampling strategy for the bioassessment of benthic macroinvertebrates in headwater streams

Small headwater streams constitute a large proportion of the river channel network in many parts of the world. In this study, two multihabitat kick sampling methods (60-second and 20-second) were compared across 10 small headwater streams in the southwest and east of Ireland in spring and summer 2009 to determine the influence of sampling on various benthic macroinvertebrates in headwater streams. The performance of each method, over time and replication, was examined using a range of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics, as well as the community composition and structure recorded by both methods. The ability to recruit taxa, as well as the field sampling and laboratory processing effort required for each method, was also assessed. Results indicated that both kick sampling methods generally recorded similar metric scores with the exception of taxonomic richness (t = 180 s and n = 9 replicates test) where the 20-second kicks consistently out preformed those calculated for the 60-second kicks. All other metrics compared generally performed equally as well regardless of the method used. Multivariate analysis of macroinvertebrate community assemblage, using SIMPROF, RELATE and CS-SMC analyses, further highlighted the high similarity in the macroinvertebrate assemblage recorded between both methods. Finally, the 20-second kicks recruited taxa as efficiently as 60-second kicks samples so long as replication was equal but required less sampling effort (NSE) and processing time. Therefore, the shorter 20-second kicks can be used to assess the ecological health of headwater streams, provided that adequate replication is adopted, resulting in significant effort, cost and time savings.

Impacts of urbanization on stream habitats and macroinvertebrate communities in the tributaries of Qiangtang River, China

The impacts of watershed urbanization on streams have been studied worldwide, but are rare in China. We examined relationships among watershed land uses and stream physicochemical and biological attributes, impacts of urbanization on overall stream conditions, and the response pattern of macroinvertebrate assemblage metrics to the percent of impervious area (PIA) of watersheds in the middle section of the Qiantang River, Zhejiang Province, China. Environmental variables and benthic macroinvertebrates of 60 stream sites with varied levels of watershed urban land use were sampled in April, 2010. Spearman correlation analysis showed watershed urbanization levels significantly correlated with increased stream depth, width, and values of conductivity, total nitrogen, ammonia, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and chemical oxygen demand for the study streams. There was significant difference in total taxa richness, Empheroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa richness, and Diptera taxa richness, percentages of individual abundances of EPT, Chironomidae, shredders, filterers, and scrapers, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index between reference streams and urban impacted streams. In contrast, percentages of individual abundances for collectors, oligochaeta, and tolerant taxa, and biotic index were significantly higher in urban impacted than reference streams. All the above metrics were significantly correlated with PIA. The response patterns of total taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index followed a drastic decrease at thresholds of 3.6, 3.7, and 5.5% of PIA, respectively. Our findings indicate that stream benthic macroinvertebrate metrics are effective indicators of impacts of watershed urban development, and the PIA-imperviousness thresholds we identified could potentially be used for setting benchmarks for watershed development planning and for prioritizing high valued stream systems for protection and rehabilitation.

Comparison of benthic macroinvertebrate communities by two methods: Kick- and U-net sampling

The assessment of benthic invertebrate community condition is an integral component of freshwater biomonitoring and water quality determination. Several sampling devices have been developed to collect benthic macroinvertebrates, including qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative methods. In this study, we compared several benthic macroinvertebrate metrics and community assemblage measures calculated from data obtained from two sampling methods, namely the Kick- and U-net sampling devices. We reasoned that if the two methods produced similar values for benthic metrics and community composition, then samples collected by these methods should be able to be combined to build larger data sets for use in regional bioassessment analyses. No statistical differences between Kick- and U-net methods were found among standard benthic macroinvertebrate metrics, except for Kick-nets collecting more Chironomidae. Invertebrate assemblages were very similar between collection methods, although slightly greater taxonomic richness was found in U-net samples. Bray–Curtis similarity was typically >75% between methods within a stream, while classification strength-sampling-method comparability, an approach for analyzing differences in similarity between groups, indicated invertebrate assemblage similarity between collection methods was virtually identical at approximately 100%. Since these two methods produce similar results, we conclude that benthic macroinvertebrate data collected by these methods can be combined for data analysis and bioassessments with the caveat that mesh size of the sample nets is similar. In addition, if the primary study objective is to assess macroinvertebrate biodiversity, then the U-net sampling device may be more appropriate, despite the slightly greater time needed to complete field sample collection, as it tended to collect a greater diversity of species.

Seasonal predictability of benthic macroinvertebrate metrics and community structure with maturity-weighted abundances in a Missouri Ozark stream, USA

Benthic macroinvertebrates in lotic habitats are influenced by a wide range of physical and chemical environmental factors that change over a temporal continuum. Within a year, different species can occupy the same space at different points in time. Thus, the community structure itself is in flux from season to season. This study analyzed the structure of a riffle macroinvertebrate community in a single stream from a series of monthly samples over a year cycle. The goals of this study were to: (1) identify community measures that were least variable over the continuum and predict them in test samples from the next year; (2) explore the usefulness of maturity data in analyzing community structure; (3) construct a temporal River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System like (RIVPACS-like) model that classifies seasons based on biota and predicts an expected community for any season. From a set of 120 metrics, nine metrics representing 5 measurement categories displaying low variability over the annual continuum were selected for multiple regression analysis. The Biotic Index was fairly predictable between years, regardless of season, whereas other measures were less so. Metrics with standard abundances compared to their maturity-weighted analogues revealed that measures based on finer taxonomic resolution or functional groups were more likely to differ. Three biologically determined seasons were identified from cluster analysis during the process of creating a multivariate predictive model. Temporal environmental variables were used to determine test date group membership and comparisons of expected to observed communities revealed that 1 of 3 test dates was predicted well by the model. Our results demonstrate that macroinvertebrate community structures can express high variability over a short period of time and this phenomenon deserves more understanding with regard to interpreting biological assessment results.

Stream Condition in Piedmont Streams with Restored Riparian Buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed1

Orzetti, Leslie L., R. Christian Jones, and Robert F. Murphy, 2010. Stream Condition in Piedmont Streams with Restored Riparian Buffers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):473‐485. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2009.00414.xAbstract: This study tested the efficacy of restored forest riparian buffers along streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed by examining habitat, selected water quality variables, and benthic macroinvertebrate community metrics in 30 streams with buffers ranging from zero to greater than 50 years of age. To assess water quality we measured in situ parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity) and laboratory‐analyzed grab samples (soluble reactive phosphorus, total phosphorus, nitrate, ammonium, and total suspended solids). Habitat conditions were scored using the Environmental Protection Agency Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for high gradient streams. Benthic macroinvertebrates were quantified using pooled riffle/run kick samples. Results showed that habitat, water quality, and benthic macroinvertebrate metrics generally improved with age of restored buffer. Habitat scores appeared to stabilize between 10 and 15 years of age and were driven mostly by epifaunal substrate availability, sinuosity, embeddedness, and velocity depth regime. Benthic invertebrate taxa richness, percent Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera minus hydropsychids (%EPT minus H), % Ephemeroptera, and the Family Biotic Index were among the metrics which improved with age of buffer zone. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that forest riparian buffers enhance instream habitat, water quality, and resulting benthic macroinvertebrate communities with noticeable improvements occurring within 5‐10 years postrestoration, leading to conditions approaching those of long established buffers within 10‐15 years of restoration.

Response of benthic macroinvertebrate communities to highway construction in an Appalachian watershed

Highway construction in mountainous areas can result in sedimentation of streams, negatively impacting stream habitat, water quality, and biotic communities. We assessed the impacts of construction of a segment of Corridor H, a four-lane highway, in the Lost River watershed, West Virginia, by monitoring benthic macroinvertebrate communities and water quality, before, during, and after highway construction and prior to highway use at upstream and downstream sites from 1997 through 2007. Data analysis of temporal impacts of highway construction followed a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study design. Highway construction impacts included an increase in stream sedimentation during the construction phase. This was indicated by an increase in turbidity and total suspended solids. Benthic macroinvertebrate metrics indicated a community more tolerant during and after construction than in the period before construction. The percent of Chironomidae and the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) increased, while percent of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) decreased. Our 10-year study addressed short-term impacts of highway construction and found that impacts were relatively minimal. A recovery of the number of EPT taxa collected after construction indicated that the benthic macroinvertebrate community may be recovering from impacts of highway construction. However, this study only addressed a period of 3 years before, 3 years during, and 4 years post construction. Inferences cannot be made concerning the long-term impacts of the highway, highway traffic, runoff, and other factors associated with highway use. Continual monitoring of the watershed is necessary to determine if the highway has a continual impact on stream habitat, water quality, and biotic integrity.

Relating Values of Selected Benthic Macroinvertebrate Metrics from D-net to Surber Sampler in Two Southeast Wyoming Streams

Abstract Samples were taken from two southeast Wyoming streams to determine if values of selected benthic macroinvertebrate metrics derived from using a D-net could be related to values derived from using a Surber sampler. Conditions under which samples were collected were variable, ranging from severely polluted to non-polluted over two seasons. Metrics evaluated were the Shannon-Weiner index and the random runs value plus four measures of richness; Ephemeroptera taxa richness, Ephemeroptera/Plecoptera/Trichoptera taxa richness, total taxa richness, and Plecoptera taxa richness. Regression analysis indicated that linear relations existed between average metric values estimated through use of the D-net and Surber sampler. These results indicated that average D-net values for these six metrics can be expressed as average Surber sampler values, and vice versa, in these two streams when using either the D-net or Surber sampler in the manner described. This study presented two ways (i.e., the F test or the mo...

Land Use, Geology, Enrichment, and Stream Biota in the Eastern Ridge and Valley Ecoregion: Implications for Nutrient Criteria Development1

Abstract: The eastern panhandle region of West Virginia is entirely within the Appalachian Ridge and Valley ecoregion. It is underlain by limestone in the eastern part and by shale and sandstone in the western part. Agricultural and urban development has affected the condition of the streams of this region. We examined samples from 165 stations in the Ridge and Valley, collected from 1998 to 2004. Land use, geological characteristics, physical and chemical parameters, and algal and macroinvertebrate assemblages were used to identify potential stressors that affect streams in the region. Our analyses indicated that both human land uses and ecoregional differences led to elevated nutrient concentrations in streams of the study areas. Multiple regression analyses indicated that both agricultural and urban land use in the watershed were associated with high nutrient concentrations (NO2+3, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) in streams. These elevated nutrient concentrations have led to increased algal biomass, increased trophic state, and degradation of macroinvertebrate community in the streams. Values of the West Virginia Stream Condition Index, as well as several other benthic macroinvertebrate metrics, decreased with increased nutrient concentrations and conductivity, especially in the limestone region. When regional differences were partitioned out in the analysis, nutrient concentrations became the strongest stressor in the limestone region while conductivity exhibited less of an effect on macroinvertebrate metrics. Meanwhile, periphyton diagnostic metrics also responded to increased nutrient concentrations, suggesting nutrients could be a cause of biological degradation in the Eastern Ridge and Valley region. Multiple approaches and multiple lines of evidence (reference approach and stressor‐response approach) were applied to develop nutrient benchmarks for different geological regions in the study watershed.

Landuse legacies and small streams: identifying relationships between historical land use and contemporary stream conditions

The concept of landscape legacies has been examined extensively in terrestrial ecosystems and has led to a greater understanding of contemporary ecosystem processes. However, although stream ecosystems are tightly coupled with their catchments and, thus, probably are affected strongly by historical catchment conditions, few studies have directly examined the importance of landuse legacies on streams. We examined relationships between historical land use (1944) and contemporary (2000-2003) stream physical, chemical, and biological conditions after accounting for the influences of contemporary land use (1999) and natural landscape (catchment size) variation in 12 small streams at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. Most stream variables showed strong relationships with contemporary land use and catchment size; however, after accounting for these factors, residual variation in many variables remained significantly related to historical land use. Residual variation in benthic particulate organic matter, diatom density, % of diatoms in Eunotia spp., fish density in runs, and whole-stream gross primary productivity correlated negatively, whereas streamwater pH correlated positively, with residual variation in fraction of disturbed land in catchments in 1944 (i.e., bare ground and unpaved road cover). Residual variation in % recovering land (i.e., early successional vegetation) in 1944 was correlated positively with residual variation in streambed instability, a macroinvertebrate biotic index, and fish richness, but correlated negatively with residual variation in most benthic macroinvertebrate metrics examined (e.g., Chironomidae and total richness, Shannon diversity). In contrast, residual variation in whole-stream respiration rates was not explained by historical land use. Our results suggest that historical land use continues to influence important physical and chemical variables in these streams, and in turn, probably influences associated biota. Beyond providing insight into biotic interactions and their associations with environmental conditions, identification of landuse legacies also will improve understanding of stream impairment in contemporary minimally disturbed catchments, enabling more accurate assessment of reference conditions in studies of biotic integrity and restoration.