Coal-Mine Hollow Fill and Settling Pond Influences on Headwater Streams in Southern West Virginia, USA |
| |
Authors: | T Chad Merricks Donald S Cherry Carl E Zipper Rebecca J Currie Theodore W Valenti |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;(2) Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mail Code 0404-Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;(3) Department of Biology, Roanoke College, Salem, VA 24153, USA |
| |
Abstract: | The influences of coal-mine hollow fills and associated settling ponds in three headwater streams were assessed in southern
West Virginia, USA. Fill drainage waters had elevated conductivities and metal concentrations, compared to a regional reference.
Benthic macroinvertebrate richness was not affected consistently by the hollow fill drainages, relative to a regional reference,
although a more tolerant community, lacking in Ephemeroptera taxa at most locations, was evident. Collector-filterer populations were elevated at monitoring stations directly below the
settling ponds, indicating that the ponds’ presence influenced macroinvertebrate community structure by means of organic enrichment.
Corbicula fluminea growth was enhanced in monitoring locations directly below the settling ponds, also an apparent result of organic enrichment.
Results of acute water column toxicity testing with Ceriodaphnia dubia, sediment chronic toxicity testing with Daphnia magna, and in-situ ecotoxicological assessments with C. fluminea demonstrated no mortality or toxic influence at most of the sites tested below the ponds. The settling ponds appear to serve
as sinks in collecting some, but not all, trace metals. |
| |
Keywords: | coal mine hollow fill valley fill benthic macroinvertebrates trace metals ecotoxicology |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|