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Exploring the effects of acid mine drainage on diatom teratology using geometric morphometry

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Abstract

Metal pollution of aquatic habitats is a major and persistent environmental problem. Acid mine drainage (AMD) affects lotic systems in numerous and interactive ways. In the present work, a mining area (Roșia Montană) was chosen as study site, and we focused on two aims: (i) to find the set of environmental predictors leading to the appearance of the abnormal diatom individuals in the study area and (ii) to assess the relationship between the degree of valve outline deformation and AMD-derived pollution. In this context, morphological differences between populations of Achnanthidium minutissimum and A. macrocephalum, including normal and abnormal individuals, were evidenced by means of valve shape analysis. Geometric morphometry managed to capture and discriminate normal and abnormal individuals. Multivariate analyses (NMDS, PLS) separated the four populations of the two species mentioned and revealed the main physico-chemical parameters that influenced valve deformation in this context, namely conductivity, Zn, and Cu. ANOSIM test evidenced the presence of statistically significant differences between normal and abnormal individuals within both chosen Achnanthidium taxa. In order to determine the relative contribution of each of the measured physico-chemical parameters in the observed valve outline deformations, a PLS was conducted, confirming the results of the NMDS. The presence of deformed individuals in the study area can be attributed to the fact that the diatom communities were strongly affected by AMD released from old mining works and waste rock deposits.

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Acknowledgements

The present contribution was financially supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CCCDI—UEFISCDI, project 3-005 Tools for sustainable gold mining in EU (SUSMIN). Thanks are also due to the research group from Resources and Ecosystems Area from Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain, for all their support and facilities.

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  1. Saúl Blanco

    Present address: The Institute of the Environment, La Serna Street, No. 58, 24007, León, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, Fântânele Street, No. 30, 400294, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Adriana Olenici & Călin Baciu

  2. Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, University of León, León, Spain

    Saúl Blanco & María Borrego-Ramos

  3. Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Clinicilor Street, No. 5-7, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Laura Momeu

  4. The Institute of the Environment, La Serna Street, No. 58, 24007, León, Spain

    Adriana Olenici

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  1. Adriana Olenici
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Olenici, A., Blanco, S., Borrego-Ramos, M. et al. Exploring the effects of acid mine drainage on diatom teratology using geometric morphometry. Ecotoxicology 26, 1018–1030 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-017-1830-3

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