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75 years after mining ends stream insect diversity is still affected by heavy metals

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Abstract

A century of heavy metal mining in the western United States has left a legacy of abandoned mines. While large operations have left a visible reminder, smaller one and two-man operations have been overgrown and largely forgotten. We revisited an area of northern Idaho that has not had active mining since at least 1932 and probably since 1910. At three sites along each of 10 mountain streams we sampled larval stream insects and correlated their community diversity to stream levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc, pH, temperature, oxygen content, and conductivity. Although the streams appear pristine, multivariate statistics indicated that cadmium and zinc levels were significantly correlated with fewer animals, fewer families, a smaller percentage of plecopterans (stoneflies), and lower Shannon H diversity values. After at least 75 years, abandoned mines appear to be still influencing stream communities.

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Acknowledgment

We are grateful to the helpful and diligent comments of three anonymous reviewers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA, 99258, USA

    Hugh Lefcort & James Vancura

  2. United States Forest Service, Fernan Office, 2502 East Sherman Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814, USA

    Edward L. Lider

Authors
  1. Hugh Lefcort
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  2. James Vancura
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  3. Edward L. Lider
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hugh Lefcort.

Appendix: List of the Idaho panhandle national forest insects

Appendix: List of the Idaho panhandle national forest insects

Order: Ephemeroptera—Mayflies

Family: Heptageniidae

Rithrogena sp.

Stenoma sp.

Epearus sp.

Cinygmula sp.

Heptagenia sp.

Macdunnoa sp.

Cinygma sp.

Rithrogena sp.

Epeorus ironopsis

Unknown sp.1

Unknown sp.1

Family: Ephemerellidae

Caurinella sp.

Drunella sp.1

Drunella sp.2

Cautatella sp.1

Caudatella sp.2

Caudatella sp.3

Family: Leptophlebiidae

Paraleptophlebia sp.1

Paraleptophlebia sp.2

Paraleptophlebia sp.3

Family: Baetidae

Barbaetis sp.

Heterocloeon sp.

Fullceon sp. or Dipheter sp.

Paracloedes sp.

Family: Ameletidae

Ameletus sp.

Family: Siphlonuridae

Parameletus sp.

Family: Tricorythidae

Unknown genus

Order: Plecoptera—Stoneflies

Family: Chloroperlidae

Plumiperla sp.

Neaviperla sp.

Sweltsa sp.

Trizunaka sp.

Family: Perlidae

Claasenia sp.

Perlesta sp.

Hansonoperla sp.

Claassenia sp.

Doroneuria sp.

Family: Perlodidae

Isoperla sp.

Setvena sp.

Osobonus sp.

Cosumnoperla sp.

Unknown genus

Family: Peltoperlidae

Yoraperla sp.

Family: Nemouridae

Amphinemura sp.

Order: Trichoptera-Caddisflies

Family: Odontoceridae

Nerophilus sp.

Parthina sp. or Psilatreta sp.

Odontoceridae sp.

Family: Lepidostomatidae

Lepidstema sp.

Family: Hydropsychida

Hydropsychida sp.

Hydropsychida parapsyche

Family: Sericostomatidae

Sericostomatidae sp.

Family: Rhyacophilidae

Rhyacophila sp.1

Rhyacophila sp.2

Family: Phryganeidae

Unknown genus

Family: Limnephilidae

Goereilla sp.

Psychoglypha sp.

Chyranda sp.

Homophylax sp.

Family: Philopolomidae

Wormaldia sp.

Family: Calamorceratidae

Unknown genus

Family: Psychomyiidae

Lype sp.

Family: Polycentropodidae

Neureclipsis sp.

Order: Coleoptera—Beetles

Family: Hydraenidae

Ochthebius sp.

Family: Dytiscidae

Agabus sp.

Family: Staphylindae

Thinopinus sp.

Family: Dryopidae

Stygoporus dryops

Order: Diptera—True Flies

Family: Tabanidae

Unknown genus

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Lefcort, H., Vancura, J. & Lider, E.L. 75 years after mining ends stream insect diversity is still affected by heavy metals. Ecotoxicology 19, 1416–1425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-010-0526-8

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