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Use of leaf litter breakdown and macroinvertebrates to evaluate gradient of recovery in an acid mine impacted stream remediated with an active alkaline doser

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Abstract

The spatial congruence of chemical and biological recovery along an 18-km acid mine impaired stream was examined to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with an alkaline doser. Two methods were used to evaluate biological recovery: the biological structure of the benthic macroinvertebrate community and several ecosystem processing measures (leaf litter breakdown, microbial respiration rates) along the gradient of improved water chemistry. We found that the doser successfully reduced the acidity and lowered dissolved metals (Al, Fe, and Mn), but downstream improvements were not linear. Water chemistry was more variable, and precipitated metals were elevated in a 3–5-km “mixing zone” immediately downstream of the doser, then stabilized into a “recovery zone” 10–18 km below the doser. Macroinvertebrate communities exhibited a longitudinal pattern of recovery, but it did not exactly match the water chemistry gradient Taxonomic richness (number of families) recovered about 6.5 km downstream of the doser, while total abundance and % EPT taxa recovery were incomplete except at the most downstream site, 18 km away. The functional measures of ecosystem processes (leaf litter breakdown, microbial respiration of conditioned leaves, and shredder biomass) closely matched the measures of community structure and also showed a more modest longitudinal trend of biological recovery than expected based on pH and alkalinity. The measures of microbial respiration had added diagnostic value and indicated that biological recovery downstream of the doser is limited by factors other than habitat and acidity/alkalinity, perhaps episodes of AMD and/or impaired energy/nutrient inputs. A better understanding of the factors that govern spatial and temporal variations in acid mine contaminants, especially episodic events, will improve our ability to predict biological recovery after remediation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Raccoon Creek Watershed Partnership and numerous undergraduate interns and volunteers for assistance with chemical and biological fieldwork. The Appalachian Watershed Research Group, including Dina Lopez, Morgan Vis, and Natalie Kruse, provided valuable discussion of processes occurring in Hewett Fork over the years. Steve Porter and Matt Trainer created maps for the project. This work was supported in part by a Watershed Professorship endowment from the American Electric Power Foundation to the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Kelly S. Johnson

  2. 58 Avon Place, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Peter C. Thompson

  3. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Kelly S. Johnson & Jen Bowman

  4. Environmental Studies Program, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Lori Gromen

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Johnson, K.S., Thompson, P.C., Gromen, L. et al. Use of leaf litter breakdown and macroinvertebrates to evaluate gradient of recovery in an acid mine impacted stream remediated with an active alkaline doser. Environ Monit Assess 186, 4111–4127 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3684-y

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