Biological Integrity in Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains Headwater Streams |
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Authors: | Mehaffey H Megan Maliha S Nash Anne C Neale Ann M Pitchford |
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Institution: | (1) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, USA |
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Abstract: | The objective of this study was to assess the applicability of using landscape variables in conjunction with water quality
and benthic data to efficiently estimate stream condition of select headwater streams in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains.
Eighty-two streams with riffle sites were selected from eight-two independent watersheds across the region for sampling and
analyses. Clustering of the watersheds by landscape resulted in three distinct groups (forest, crop, and urban) which coincided
with watersheds dominant land cover or use. We used non-parametric analyses to test differences in benthos and water chemistry
between groups, and used regression analyses to evaluate responses of benthic communities to water chemistry within each of
the landscape groups. We found that typical water chemistry measures associated with urban runoff such as specific conductance
and dissolved chloride were significantly higher in the urban group. In the crop group, we found variables commonly associated
with farming such as nutrients and pesticides significantly greater than in the other two groups. Regression analyses demonstrated
that the numbers of tolerant and facultative macroinvertebrates increased significantly in forested watersheds with small
shifts in pollutants, while in human use dominated watersheds the intolerant macroinvertebrates were more sensitive to shifts
in chemicals present at lower concentrations. The results from this study suggest that landscape based clustering can be used
to link upstream landscape characteristics, water chemistry and biotic integrity in order to assess stream condition and likely
cause of degradation without the use of reference sites. Notice: Although this work was reviewed by EPA and approved for publication, it may not necessarily reflect official Agency
policy. |
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Keywords: | Macroinvertebrates Water Quality Landscape Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains Headwater Streams |
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