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Relations between water physico-chemistry and benthic algal communities in a northern Canadian watershed: defining reference conditions using multiple descriptors of community structure

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Abstract

Defining reference conditions is central to identifying environmental effects of anthropogenic activities. Using a watershed approach, we quantified reference conditions for benthic algal communities and their relations to physico-chemical conditions in rivers in the South Nahanni River watershed, NWT, Canada, in 2008 and 2009. We also compared the ability of three descriptors that vary in terms of analytical costs to define algal community structure based on relative abundances of (i) all algal taxa, (ii) only diatom taxa, and (iii) photosynthetic pigments. Ordination analyses showed that variance in algal community structure was strongly related to gradients in environmental variables describing water physico-chemistry, stream habitats, and sub-watershed structure. Water physico-chemistry and local watershed-scale descriptors differed significantly between algal communities from sites in the Selwyn Mountain ecoregion compared to sites in the Nahanni-Hyland ecoregions. Distinct differences in algal community types between ecoregions were apparent irrespective of whether algal community structure was defined using all algal taxa, diatom taxa, or photosynthetic pigments. Two algal community types were highly predictable using environmental variables, a core consideration in the development of Reference Condition Approach (RCA) models. These results suggest that assessments of environmental impacts could be completed using RCA models for each ecoregion. We suggest that use of algal pigments, a high through-put analysis, is a promising alternative compared to more labor-intensive and costly taxonomic approaches for defining algal community structure.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Parks Canada Agency (to G. J. Scrimgeour), NSERC Strategic Partnership Projects Grant (to R.I. Hall), Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (to G.J. Scrimgeour), Environment Canada, North American Tungsten, Canadian Zinc Corporation, Northern Scientific Training Program (student travel funding), and the University of Waterloo (graduate student assistance). We thank Dana Haggarty for the assistance during fieldwork and logistical support. Shape files for map, copyright: Department of Natural Resources Canada and Parks Canada Agency, all rights reserved.

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  1. Kathryn E Thomas

    Present address: Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4A6, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Kathryn E Thomas & Roland I Hall

  2. Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation, Parks Canada Agency, Suite 1300, 635-8 Ave SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3M3, Canada

    Garry J Scrimgeour

  3. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G2E9, Canada

    Garry J Scrimgeour

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Thomas, K.E., Hall, R.I. & Scrimgeour, G.J. Relations between water physico-chemistry and benthic algal communities in a northern Canadian watershed: defining reference conditions using multiple descriptors of community structure. Environ Monit Assess 187, 564 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4778-x

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