Effects of mountaintop removal coal mining on the diversity and secondary productivity of Appalachian rivers

Voss, Kristofor A.; Bernhardt, Emily S.

doi:10.1002/lno.10531

Cited by 20 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…Macroinvertebrate richness frequently declines with increasing salinity and our study partially corroborates previous research on this topic, at least at the reach scale (Cañedo‐Arguelles et al., ; Pond et al., ). Conceptually, salinisation acts as an environmental filter of the regional macroinvertebrate species pool that limits local species richness to salinity‐tolerant species (Kefford et al., ; Voss & Bernhardt, ). Indeed, several macroinvertebrate taxa inhabiting headwater streams are locally‐extirpated at elevated salinity levels, especially members of the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (Pond, ; Pond et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alteration of macroinvertebrate communities is evident from mining‐induced stressors in Appalachian streams (Fritz et al., ; Pond et al., ; Voss & Bernhardt, ). For example, Pond et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…() showed changes in composition across 27 mining‐influenced stream sites compared to 10 reference sites in the central Appalachians of West Virginia. Changes in macroinvertebrate community composition are often related to the loss of salinity‐sensitive Ephemeroptera (Fritz et al., ; Pond et al., ; Voss & Bernhardt, ). Our results and those from a concurrent study (Timpano, Schoenholtz, et al., ), confirm that Ephemeroptera (except Baetidae) are greatly reduced or absent from mining‐influenced Appalachian streams.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alteration of macroinvertebrate communities is evident from mining-induced stressors in Appalachian streams (Fritz et al, 2010;Pond et al, 2008;Voss & Bernhardt, 2017). sensitive Ephemeroptera (Fritz et al, 2010;Pond et al, 2008;Voss & Bernhardt, 2017).…”

Section: Microbial and Macroinvertebrate Community Composition And mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In mining-influenced Appalachian streams, salinisation has been identified as the primary stressor, or limiting factor (Cormier, Suter, Zheng, & Pond, 2013;Pond, Passmore, Borsuk, Reynolds, & Rose, 2008;Timpano, Schoenholtz, Soucek, & Zipper, 2015), for macroinvertebrates, despite its co-occurrence with other potential stressors, such as elevated levels of suspended solids, alkalinity, selenium, manganese, and nitrogen, and with altered physical habitat (Bernhardt et al, 2012;Lindberg et al, 2011;Pond et al, 2008). Although macroinvertebrate richness in mining-influenced streams is typically reduced (Fritz et al, 2010;Pond et al, 2008;Voss & Bernhardt, 2017), less is known about potential changes in microbial communities and organic matter decomposition along gradients of mining-induced salinisation (Lecerf & Chauvet, 2008;Pond et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial and macroinvertebrate communities, but not leaf decomposition, change along a mining‐induced salinity gradient

et al. 2019

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Natural levels of salinity in aquatic ecosystems drive biodiversity patterns across broad spatial scales; however, less is known about changes in biotic communities and the ecosystem functions they support along anthropogenic salinisation gradients. Resource extraction often causes salinisation of freshwater ecosystems which may extirpate salinity‐sensitive macroinvertebrates and microbes and thus reduce rates of organic matter decomposition. We quantified bacterial (16S), fungal (ITS) and macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness, composition, and β‐diversity across the resulting gradient of specific conductance (annual mean: 25–1,383 μS/cm) in 24 headwater streams in the eastern U.S.A. variously influenced by surface coal mining but selected to minimise habitat and water‐quality differences other than salinity. Furthermore, we measured rates of organic matter decomposition in submersed leaf packs (Quercus alba) across these same sites. Bacterial and reach‐wide macroinvertebrate richness was reduced along the mining‐induced salinity gradient whereas fungal or leaf‐pack macroinvertebrate richness remained similar. Community composition of microbes and macroinvertebrates changed along the salinity gradient, with mining‐influenced sites becoming increasingly dissimilar to reference sites as salinity increased. Beta‐diversity was driven by taxonomic replacement rather than nestedness for microbial and macroinvertebrate communities. Organic matter decomposition rates in mining‐influenced streams were not reduced even at mean specific conductance levels 10× higher than reference sites. We attribute maintenance of decomposition rates to salinity tolerance of both fungi and macroinvertebrate shredders found in leaf packs. Our study informs theory linking anthropogenic alteration of biotic communities to rates of ecosystem functions by providing evidence that taxonomic replacement and stressor‐tolerance of specific functional groups along a mining‐induced salinity gradient can maintain certain ecosystem functions, at least within the studied salinity range. We therefore advise against generalising biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships in other salinised systems, but caution that organic matter decomposition may be altered at salinity levels above those observed in our study and that other ecosystem functions may be affected by loss of salinity‐sensitive taxa.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alteration of macroinvertebrate communities is evident from mining‐induced stressors in Appalachian streams (Fritz et al., ; Pond et al., ; Voss & Bernhardt, ). For example, Pond et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Microbial and Macroinvertebrate Community Composition And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial and macroinvertebrate communities, but not leaf decomposition, change along a mining‐induced salinity gradient

et al. 2019

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Consistent declines in aquatic biodiversity across diverse domains of life in rivers impacted by surface coal mining

Simonin

Rocca

Gerson

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

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The rivers of Appalachia (United States) are among the most biologically diverse freshwater ecosystems in the temperate zone and are home to numerous endemic aquatic organisms. Throughout the Central Appalachian ecoregion, extensive surface coal mines generate alkaline mine drainage that raises the pH, salinity, and trace element concentrations in downstream waters. Previous regional assessments have found significant declines in stream macroinvertebrate and fish communities after draining these mined areas. Here, we expand these assessments with a more comprehensive evaluation across a broad range of organisms (bacteria, algae, macroinvertebrates, all eukaryotes, and fish) using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA (eDNA). We collected water samples from 93 streams in Central Appalachia (West Virginia, United States) spanning a gradient of mountaintop coal mining intensity and legacy to assess how this land use alters downstream water chemistry and affects aquatic biodiversity. For each group of organisms, we identified the sensitive and tolerant taxa along the gradient and calculated stream specific conductivity thresholds in which large synchronous declines in diversity were observed. Streams below mining operations had steep declines in diversity (À18 to À41%) and substantial shifts in community composition that were consistent across multiple taxonomic groups. Overall, large synchronous declines in bacterial, algal, and macroinvertebrate communities occurred even at low levels of mining impact at stream specific conductivity thresholds of 150-200 µS/cm that are substantially below the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aquatic life benchmark of 300 µS/cm for Central Appalachian streams. We show that extensive coal surface mining activities led to the extirpation of 40% of biodiversity from impacted rivers throughout the region and that current water quality criteria are likely not protective for many groups of aquatic organisms.

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Response of Aquatic Life to Coal Mining in Appalachia

Merovich

Hitt

Merriam

et al. 2020

Appalachia's Coal-Mined Landscapes

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Effects of mountaintop removal coal mining on the diversity and secondary productivity of Appalachian rivers

Cited by 20 publications

References 59 publications

Microbial and macroinvertebrate communities, but not leaf decomposition, change along a mining‐induced salinity gradient

Microbial and macroinvertebrate communities, but not leaf decomposition, change along a mining‐induced salinity gradient

Consistent declines in aquatic biodiversity across diverse domains of life in rivers impacted by surface coal mining

Response of Aquatic Life to Coal Mining in Appalachia

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