Use of Maryland Biological Stream Survey Data to Determine Effects of Agricultural Riparian Buffers on Measures of Biological Stream Health

This study was undertaken to determine the importance of riparian buffers to stream ecology in agricultural areas. The original Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS) data set was partitioned to represent agricultural sites in Maryland's Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions. ANOVA, multiple linear regression (MLR), and CART regression tree models were developed using riparian and site catchment landscape characteristics. MBSS data were both stratified by physiographic region and analyzed as a combined data set. All models indicated that land management at the site was not the controlling factor for fish IBIs (FIBI) at that site and, hence, using FIBI to evaluate site-scale factors would not be a prudent procedure. Measures of instream habitat and location in the stream network were the dominant explanatory factors for FIBI models. Both CART and MLR models indicated that forest buffers were influential on benthic IBIs (BIBI). Explanatory variables reflected instream conditions, adjacent landscape influence, and chemistry in the Coastal Plains sites, all of which are relatively site specific. However, for Piedmont sites, hydrologic factors were important, in addition to adjacent landscape influence, and chemistry. Both Coastal Plain and Piedmont CART models identified several hydrologic factors, emphasizing the dominant control of hydrology on the physical habitat index (PHI). Riparian buffers were a secondary influence on PHI in the Coastal Plain, but not in the Piedmont. Between 40% and 70% of the variation in FIBI, BIBI, and PHI was explained by the “easily obtainable” variables available from the MBSS data set. While these are empirical results specific to Maryland, the general findings are of use to other locations where the establishment of forest buffers is considered as an aquatic ecosystem restoration measure.     

Analysis of macroinvertebrate assemblages in relation to environmental gradients among lotic habitats of California's Central Valley

We assessed relationships between environmental characteristicsand macroinvertebrate assemblages in lotic habitats of California's Central Valley with community metric and multivariate statistical approaches. Using canonical ordinationanalyses, we contrasted results when assemblage structure was assessed with macroinvertebrate metrics, as suggested for use inindices of biotic integrity, or with genera abundances. Our objectives were to identify metrics or taxa diagnostic of loticenvironmental stressors and compare the capacity of theseapproaches to detect stressors in order to suggest how they mightbe used to diagnose stressors. For macroinvertebrate metrics,redundancy analysis (RDA) extracted three axes correlated withchannel morphology and substrates. For genera abundances, canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) extracted two axescorrelated with soluble salts and with channel morphology andsubstrates but did not separate these gradients onto differentaxes. Cluster analyses identified five RDA and five CCA sitegroups, which exhibited differences for environmental variables,metrics, or genera abundances, and agreement between the analysesin partitioning of sites was greater than if sites were partitioned randomly. These approaches differ in their abilityto detect environmental stressors, because they measure differentaspects of assemblages and would be complementary in design ofnew metrics diagnostic of stressors.     

基于大型无脊椎动物完整性的赤水河健康评价体系构建

作为长江上游珍稀鱼类国家自然保护区的核心区,赤水河流域水系的健康状况虽颇受关注,但相关评价工作却较少。笔者结合现场调查(2016年)和历史数据(2007年),初步构建基于大型无脊椎动物群落的健康评价体系,对赤水河干流和部分支流的不同季节(春季和秋季)和不同河段(上中下游)的健康状况进行评估。指标筛选结果显示:赤水河上游河段在春季和秋季分别包括6、2个核心参数,中游河段分别包括5、4个,下游包括3、2个核心参数。通过四分法将健康状态划分为4个等级:健康、亚健康、一般和不健康。从整体上看,赤水河处于亚健康状态,且春季和秋季河流不同采样点健康状况有所差异,春季健康状况好于秋季。回归分析显示,BOD_5、COD_(Mn)以及NH~+_4-N是影响赤水河健康的主要环境因子。研究所构建的B-IBI评价指标较好地评估了赤水河的健康状况,可作为赤水河流域水体环境监测的有效手段之一。     

长江流域鄂西四河流大型底栖动物群落结构特征及水质生物学评价

鄂西水系是国家级水源保护区,也是湖北省重要的生态旅游区。为了解鄂西水生态健康状况,于2014年10月~2017年1月不同时段在宜昌国家可持续发展实验示范区卷桥河（J）、清江利川段（Q）、宜昌市水源地黄柏河（H）和丹江口入库河流天河郧西段（T）开展了底栖动物群落特征研究。研究表明：4个河段共采集到大型底栖动物5门8纲18目61科。基于底栖动物指示种耐污性及其丰度占比分析,表明J、Q和T三河流污染程度沿水流方向呈加重趋势,而H水体健康状况整体较好。运用FBI和SIGNAL底栖生物评价指数,显示四条河流健康程度沿水流方向均呈下降趋势,但H变化趋势平缓,结果表明H水体上下游均处于较健康状态,其他3条河流上游或源头水体健康状况良好,下游受到较重污染。对主要环境因子（TP、NH₃-N、COD_Mn和TN）做主成分分析表明,轴1的解释率达到65.1%,表明轴1可以有效表征主要环境压力梯度。FBI和SIGNAL指数与轴1线性拟合度均较高,表明二者在鄂西河流水生态健康评估中可作为快速生物评价指数。     

永定河流域春季大型底栖动物群落结构和空间格局

为了解永定河流域大型底栖动物群落结构与空间分布状况,2017年春季调查了永定河流域大型底栖动物群落,采集并鉴定出大型底栖动物77个分类单元,其中水生昆虫为绝对优势类群。聚类分析表明,永定河流域底栖动物群落结构在空间上与流域地理格局基本一致,上游区洋河、妫水河、桑干河以直突摇蚊、流水长跗摇蚊、间摇蚊为优势类群,中游区永定河山峡段以钩虾、台湾蜉、近岸细蜉为主,下游区五湖一线段以德永摇蚊、恩菲摇蚊、沼虾为优势类群。直接收集者成为流域内绝对优势功能摄食类群,在不同区域的相对丰度均达到90%以上。单因素方差分析显示,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数无组间差异,Margalef丰富度指数和物种数在中游区和下游区差异显著(P0.05)。研究表明流域大型底栖动物群落出现了整体退化,生物多样性下降,重度-中度耐污类群成为优势,多数河段功能摄食类群不完整,永定河流域生态系统保护和修复工作亟待开展。     

Status of Aquatic Bioassessment in U.S. EPA Region IX

U.S. EPA Region IX is supporting bioassessment programs in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada using biocriteria program and Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (R-EMAP) resources. These programs are designed to improve the state, tribal and regional ability to determine the status of water quality. Biocriteria program funds were used to coordinate with Arizona, California and Hawaii which resulted in these states establishing reference conditions and in developing biological indices. U.S. EPA Region IX has initiated R-EMAP projects in California and Nevada. These U.S. EPA Region IX sponsored programs have provided an opportunity to interact with the States and provide them with technical and management support. In Arizona, several projects are being conducted to develop the State's bioassessment program. These include the development of a rotational random monitoring program; a regional reference approach for macroinvertebrate bioassessments; ecoregion approach to testing and adoption of an alternate regional classification system; and development of warm-water and cold-water indices of biological integrity. The indices are projected to be used in the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) 2000 water quality assessment report. In California, an Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) has been developed for the Russian River Watershed using resources from U.S. EPA's Non-point Source (NPS) Program grants. A regional IBI is under development for certain water bodies in the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. Resources from the U.S. EPA Biocriteria program are being used to support the California Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup (CABW) in conjunction with the California Department of Fish & Game (CDFG), and to support the Hawaii Department of Health (DoH) Bioassessment Program to refine biological metrics. In Nevada, R-EMAP resources are being used to create a baseline of aquatic information for the Humboldt River watershed. U.S. EPA Region IX is presently working with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to establish a Nevada Aquatic Bioassessment Workgroup. Future R-EMAP studies will occur in the Calleguas Creek watershed in Southern California, and in the Muddy and Virgin River watersheds in southern Nevada, and the Walker River watershed in eastern California and west-central Nevada.     

Use of man-made impoundment in mitigating acid mine drainage in the North Branch Potomac River

The US Department of the Army, Baltimore District Corps of Engineers, oversees a long-term monitoring study to assess and evaluate effects of the Jennings-Randolph reservoir on biota in the North Branch Potomac River. The reservoir was intended, in part, to mitigate effects of acid mine drainage originating in upstream and headwater areas. The present study assessed recovery of benthos and fish in this system, six years after completion of the reservoir. Higher pH and lower iron and sulfate concentrations were observed upstream of the reservoir compared to preimpoundment conditions, suggesting better overall water quality in the upper North Branch. Water quality improved slightly directly downstream of the reservoir. However, the reservoir itself was poorly colonized by macrophytes and benthic organisms, and plankton composition suggested either metal toxicity and/or nutrient limitation. One large tributary to the North Branch and the reservoir (Stony River) was shown to have high (and possibly toxic) levels of manganese, iron, zinc, and aluminum due to subsurface coal mine drainage. Macroinvertebrate diversity and number of taxa were higher in sites downstream of the reservoir in the present study. Compared with previous years, the present study suggested relatively rapid recovery in the lower North Branch due to colonization from two major unimpacted tributaries in this system: Savage River and South Branch Potomac. Abundance of certain mayfly species across sites provided the most clear evidence of longitudinal gradients in water quality parameters and geomorphology. Fish data were consistent with macroinvertebrate results, but site-to-site variation in species composition was greater. Data collected between 1982 and 1987 suggested that certain fish species have unsuccessfully attempted to colonize sites directly downstream of the reservoir despite the more neutral pH water there. Our results show that recovery of biota in the North Branch Potomac was attributed to decreased acid inputs from mining operations and dilution from the Savage River, which contributed better water quality. Continued improvement of North Branch Potomac biota may not be expected unless additional mitigation attempts, either within the reservoir or upstream, are undertaken.     

Macroinvertebrate assemblages of surface mine wetlands of Southwest Virginia,USA

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Development and Application of an Agricultural Intensity Index to Invertebrate and Algal Metrics from Streams at Two Scales

Research was conducted at 28‐30 sites within eight study areas across the United States along a gradient of nutrient enrichment/agricultural land use between 2003 and 2007. Objectives were to test the application of an agricultural intensity index (AG‐Index) and compare among various invertebrate and algal metrics to determine indicators of nutrient enrichment nationally and within three regions. The agricultural index was based on total nitrogen and phosphorus input to the watershed, percent watershed agriculture, and percent riparian agriculture. Among data sources, agriculture within riparian zone showed significant differences among values generated from remote sensing or from higher resolution orthophotography; median values dropped significantly when estimated by orthophotography. Percent agriculture in the watershed consistently had lower correlations to invertebrate and algal metrics than the developed AG‐Index across all regions. Percent agriculture showed fewer pairwise comparisons that were significant than the same comparisons using the AG‐Index. Highest correlations to the AG‐Index regionally were ?0.75 for Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera richness (EPTR) and ?0.70 for algae Observed/Expected (O/E), nationally the highest was ?0.43 for EPTR vs. total nitrogen and ?0.62 for algae O/E vs. AG‐Index. Results suggest that analysis of metrics at national scale can often detect large differences in disturbance, but more detail and specificity is obtained by analyzing data at regional scales.     

基于O/E模型和化学-生物综合指数的淮河流域关键断面生态健康评价

由于人类对河流的过度开发利用,河流生态系统逐步退化,部分河流甚至已丧失生态服务功能.因此,客观评价河流生态系统健康状况,加强河流生态保护与修复是水环境管理的重要工作.本研究于2014—2015年度在淮河流域典型河段的9个关键断面展开了4次水生态状况调查,根据四季水质现状和底栖动物群落结构特征,分别应用O/E模型和化学-生物综合指数法对淮河流域河流生态健康进行评价.结果表明:淮河流域总氮污染严重,处于劣Ⅴ类标准;底栖动物群落结构简单,生物多样性较低,主要以腹足纲和昆虫纲为主且物种分布呈现显著的季节性差异;O/E指数在pc≥0和pc≥0.5阈值条件下的评价结果显示所有断面的健康等级均处于差或极差;除夏季外,化学-生物综合指数评价结果与O/E指数评价结果呈现较好的一致性.水质恶化是物种锐减的重要诱因,是水生态健康状况较差的主要限制因素.