A biological assessment of best management practice effectiveness during intensive silviculture and forest chemical application

A multi-year study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Florida's Best Management Practices (BMPs) for protecting aquatic ecosystems during intensive forestry operations and forest chemical applications. Five silviculture sites adjacent to stream systems were selected for study from major eco-regions of the state. Replicate stream bioassessments, using a multimetric approach (the Stream Condition Index), were conducted as part of a `before-after, control-impact' (BACI) study design. Bioassessment stations were established above and below the treatment area to determine pre-treatment reference and test conditions. Silviculture treatments of clearcut harvesting, intensive mechanical site preparation and machine planting were then completed, during which all applicable BMPs were adhered to. In addition, two sites received an herbicide application and one site was fertilized. Following the treatments, the sites were re-sampled at the same points both one year, and two years after the first bioassessment. No significant differences in the SCI were observed between the reference and test portions of the streams that could be attributed to the silviculture operations using BMPs. Hence, the study showed that BMPs provided protection to adjacent stream ecosystems, even during intensive silviculture and forest chemical applications.     

STREAM DEPTH SIGNIFICANCE DURING IN‐SITU SEDIMENT OXYGEN DEMAND MEASUREMENTS IN SHALLOW STREAMS1

ABSTRACT: Ninety‐one sediment oxygen demand (SOD) samples from six designated sites along the stretch of Lower Rapid Creek, South Dakota, were conducted using an in‐situ SOD chamber. Inside the chamber, readings of dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature, pH, and specific conductance were recorded every minute for more than one hour using the Datasonde 3 Hydrolab. Initial readings of such parameters were recorded for the overlaying water before the deployment of the SOD chamber. Characteristics of the stream conditions, air temperature, barometric pressure, average flow velocity of the stream, depth of the stream, and the flow velocity by the chamber were recorded. Single and multiple linear regression analyses on all parameters indicated that the velocity of the stream is the least critical parameter for SOD in shallow streams.     

Effects of biodegradable plastic components on metabolism of an estuarine benthos

We examined the metabolic response of an estuarine benthic community to additions of three materials being considered for use in manufacture of biodegradable substitutes for plastics. Diver-collected cores containing benthos were dosed with 59 g/m² of three test materials, cornstarch, a bacterial polyester (PHBV), and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), or left undisturbed as controls. Fluxes of dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate + nitrite, phosphate, silica) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were similar in control cores and cores dosed with EVOH during a 1-month test period at 20°C. Fluxes in cores dosed with starch and PHBV differed significantly from controls but not from each other. After 2 weeks of incubation, production of DIC was higher in cores containing starch and PHBV, while efflux of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite was reduced. After 4 weeks of incubation, production of DIC was similar among all treatments and controls, while efflux of ammonia was high in the starch- and PHBV-containing cores compared to controls and cores with EVOH. Fluxes of silica and phosphate were similar in all cores during the experiment. These results indicate that both starch and PHBV are carbon-rich substrates readily metabolized by the benthic community but that their presence significantly alters normal nutrient exchange patterns. This response is expected because of the high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of starch and PHBV and indicates that impacts of these two materials would be similar. However, the high biological oxygen demand of such materials and resulting disturbance of normal nutrient regeneration patterns of the benthos (delayed ammonia efflux and potential stimulation of denitrification) must be considered in developing strategies for their disposal.Paper presented at the Biodegradable Materials and Packaging Conference, September 22–23, 1993, Natick, Massachusetts.     

COMPARISON OF FOUR ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATES AND THE PONAR GRAB FOR BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE COLLECTION1

ABSTRACT: Four different bottom-placed artificial substrates were compared with the Ponar grab for collecting benthic invertebrates. Artificial substrate samples of organisms were larger and more diverse than those of the grab. Barbeque Basket samplers caught the most taxa and individuals and Beak Trays caught the least. Chironomids and crustaceans were dominant in artificial substrate samples. Exposure habitat (left or right bank) determined taxa availability, whereas sampler design determined suitability for colonization by the taxa. Diversity for Beak Tray samples was lower than that for other artificial substrates but higher than for Ponar samples. The Barbeque Basket, Bull Basket, and Multiple Plate samples were taxonomically similar. Ponar samples were different, and Beak Trays were of intermediate similarity. As qualitative samplers, Barbeque Baskets were 63 percent efficient, followed by Bull Baskets (55 percent), Multiple Plates (48 percent), Beak Trays (38 percent), and Ponar Grabs (6–10 percent). Bull Baskets required the least and Beak Trays the most replicates to be within a preselected percentage error of the mean at the 95 percent probability level for numbers of taxa and individuals, and for diversity. Under conditions of the study, Bull Baskets ranked highest, followed by Barbeque Baskets and Multiple Plates, in selected performance criteria. Differences between grab and artificial substrate samples are explainable in terms of major riverine habitats and characteristics of the collection methods.     

庵里水库湿地生态健康的生物学评价

近三、四十年来,庵里水库湿地受人类活动影响,健康状况退化严重,危及流域内社会经济的协调发展。通过背景资料收集、野外采样、实验室鉴定与分析,主要利用生物学指标数据的95th百分位标准化指标数据,用简单加和法计算综合指数,根据流域内生态健康等级评价庵里水库湿地生态健康状况。结果表明:(1)庵里水库湿地生态健康状况一般;(2)不同种类的底栖大型无脊椎动物对环境的适应能力、耐受力和敏感程度不同,底栖大型无脊椎动物的结构、种类、数量能够客观地反映栖息地健康;(3)利用样点数据百分位进行指数标准化和生态健康级别划分,能够体现评价标准的区域性特征;(4)限于条件,底栖大型无脊椎动物分类鉴定粗略,进一步降低底栖动物的分类单元是提高生态健康评价准确性的重要措施之一。研究结果可为庵里水库的生态研究、综合管理提供科学依据。     

基于底栖动物完整性指数的河口健康评价

建立底栖动物完整性（B-IBI）评价指标体系和评价标准评价长江口及毗邻海域健康.根据2005年7月长江口及毗邻海域41个站位的底栖动物数据（参照点13个,干扰点28个）,通过对14个生物参数的分布范围、判别能力和相关关系分析,筛选出了多样性指数、种类数、总栖息密度、总生物量、甲壳类的密度百分比和棘皮动物的密度百分比等6个生物参数构成B-IBI指标体系.采用比值法统一参数量纲,直接累加得到B-IBI指数值.根据参照点B-IBI值的50%分位数值确定健康等级标准,建立了评价长江口及毗邻海域健康的B-IBI标准：＞2.48为健康,1.86～2.48为亚健康,1.24～1.86为一般,0.62～1.24为差,＜0.62为极差.评价结果表明,长江口及毗邻海域41个站位中,7个为健康,2个为亚健康,8个为一般,8个为较差,16个为极差.用2006年6月底栖动物数据进行评价结果验证,准确率为89%.     

黔桂喀斯特区域河流水体离子对底栖硅藻群落的影响

为了建立喀斯特地区河流底栖硅藻对水环境变化的响应模型,定量研究了中国西南喀斯特地区黔桂珠江水系典型岩溶水体中的离子、电导率与底栖硅藻群落分布的关系.研究发现,电导率的范围为20-2070 μS·cm-1,并且ca2+与(HCO-3+CO2-/3)是岩溶水体的主要优势离子.对离子、电导率与硅藻群落结构进行主成分分析(PCA)、对应分析(CA)、加权平均分析(WA)和相关性分析,结果表明,水体离子(HCO-3+CO2-/3、SO2-/4、NO3-、Cl-、Ca2+、Na+、Mg2+、K+)与电导率环境变量都能用于解释底栖硅藻的群落分布特征;而ca2+、(HCO3-+CO2-/3)和Na+浓度是影响物种组成的显著因素.通过研究确定了以上8种水体离子和电导率的相应指示种值(最适值Optima),以及这些离子环境下的硅藻分布特征.该结果为中国西南喀斯特地区硅藻种群生态学、个体生态学以及水质评价的研究提供了理论依据.     

澜沧江小湾水坝运行前后大型底栖动物群落及水质评价

为探究大型河流建坝前后大型底栖动物群落动态及水生态系统的变化情况,选取澜沧江中游小湾水坝库区及下游河段为研究区,结合流域梯级水坝建设规划,分别于2008年、2010年、2011年和2016年开展大型底栖动物定点采样调查,分析水坝运行前后大型底栖动物群落物种组成、密度、生物量、功能摄食群的变化,并开展水质评价和库区总生物量分析.结果表明:大型底栖动物群落优势种由适应自然河流急流生境的昆虫纲蜉蝣目、襀翅目和毛翅目（EPT种类）演变为适应水库静水环境的双翅目摇蚊科和寡毛纲种类;密度和生物量与蓄水前相比显著降低,表现为坝前静水区低于上游过渡区的分布格局;功能摄食群由掠食者种类占优势演变为收集者占优势;基于Goodnight-Whitley指数的水质评价结果表明,库区水质相比蓄水前有逐渐变差的趋势,坝前静水区与过渡区相比水质相对较差;库区大型底栖动物总生物量显著低于蓄水前自然河流时期.研究显示,由于澜沧江小湾水坝蓄水后生境条件的变化,库区大型底栖动物群落及其分布格局发生了明显变化,同时受澜沧江上游河段梯级开发的影响,库区大型底栖动物群落还处于动态变化过程中.      

溪流底栖动物定量与半定量采样法比较研究

溪流底栖动物定量和半定量采样法在个体数、物种数、物种相似性及生物指数方面的比较研究表明:(1)急流生境中,半定量样(踢网)的个体和物种数高于定量样(索伯网);静水-缓流生境中,半定量样(D形网)的个体和物种数一般高于定量样,且物种数有显著差异(z=-2.032,P<0.05).(2)同一样点半定量样(踢网加D形网)与定量样之间的物种相似性(平均为0.68)高于急流生境(0.56)和静水-缓流生境(0.45).(3)同一样点半定量样和定量样单独计算的生物指数值之间无显著差异.建议在应用溪流底栖动物开展水质生物评价时,可用半定量采样法完成野外采样.图4表1参8     

德兴铜矿废水对乐安江底栖动物群落的影响

对乐安江水系的底栖动物及其生活环境进行的研究表明，位于乐安江上游的德兴铜矿排出的大量酸性废水对主活在该水系中的底栖动物的分布及其群落结构会产生直接影响．废水中的各种污染物质，尤以重金属（特别是铜和铅、锌、镉）对底栖动物群落的抑制作用最大．在下游，随着同污染源距离的增加，河流的污染状况逐渐减轻，底栖动物种类多样性逐渐增加，清洁种类逐渐恢复．另外，河流水量的季节性变化对河流自身的净化作用会产生很大影响．