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Assessment of mine drainage remediated streams using diatom assemblages and biofilm enzyme activities

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Abstract

A legacy of pre-regulation coal mining in many areas has been acid mine drainage (metal-rich, low pH water). Today, numerous remediation strategies may be implemented, but there is little data on efficacy in restoring biological condition. Two alkaline doser projects in Ohio were assessed using diatom assemblages, and biofilm extracellular enzyme activities (EEA). In one stream, water quality steadily increased downstream of the doser; pH increased from 3.8 to 7.2 and Fe decreased from 107 to 0.42 mg l−1. Likewise, the periphyton biomass (chl a 7.15–12.77 mg m−2) increased and periphyton index scores (4–27) improved. As well, EEA data showed greater activity for phosphorus, nitrogen, and one carbon acquisition enzyme. For the other stream, the conductivity remained high (>720 μS cm−1) and pH and alkalinity decreased downstream. Biological data, including EEA, varied along the stream length with higher numbers in the middle reach, such as chlorophyll a (0.56 to 87.75 to 2.77 mg m−2), and index scores (7 to 29 to 11). The first remediation site showed positive results in chemistry, biological community and measures of ecosystem function. The second stream was highly variable in these parameters suggesting further AMD inputs are hampering recovery.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Raccoon Creek Partnership for Hewett Fork and the Monday Creek Restoration Project for Monday Creek for providing water chemistry data. A special thanks to Molly Semones and Nate Smucker for field and laboratory assistance and Jared DeForest graciously allowed use of laboratory equipment. Comments by Kelly Johnson and Jared DeForest on an earlier version of this manuscript and those from Nate Smucker and two anonymous reviewers on the manuscript greatly improved the manuscript. From the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, we thank Steven Porter, Data and GIS Specialist for creating Figs. 1 and 2 and Jen Bowman, Environmental Project Manager, for facilitating the research. Funding for this research was provided by an Ohio University Graduate Student Senate Original Work Grant, a Biological Restorability Research Challenge grant, and the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology.

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  1. Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Porter Hall Rm. 315, Athens, OH, 45701, USA

    Justin R. Pool & Morgan L. Vis

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

    Natalie A. Kruse

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  1. Justin R. Pool
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Correspondence to Morgan L. Vis.

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Pool, J.R., Kruse, N.A. & Vis, M.L. Assessment of mine drainage remediated streams using diatom assemblages and biofilm enzyme activities. Hydrobiologia 709, 101–116 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1440-2

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