Integrated studies of the effects of liming acidified waters (ISELAW-programme)

Appelberg, Magnus; Lingdell, Pär Erik; Andrén, Cecilia

doi:10.1007/bf00476941

Cited by 27 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…We found that the number of years an acid‐impaired steam is treated with limestone sand did not influence the overall level of recovery of the system. Unfortunately, there are only a few studies that have been able to examine the effect of time on stream recovery (Appelberg et al 1995, Simmons and Doyle 1996, Appelberg and Svenson 2001, Bradley and Omerond 2002). Simmons and Doyle (1996) and Bradley and Omerond (2002) concluded that extended time periods (>10 years) were needed to assess the duration of effective treatment effects and because some biological recovery processes require time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stream Ecosystem Response to Limestone Treatment in Acid Impacted Watersheds of the Allegheny Plateau

McClurg

Petty

Mazik

et al. 2007

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Restoration programs are expanding worldwide, but assessments of restoration effectiveness are rare. The objectives of our study were to assess current acid-precipitation remediation programs in streams of the Allegheny Plateau ecoregion of West Virginia (USA), identify specific attributes that could and could not be fully restored, and quantify temporal trends in ecosystem recovery. We sampled water chemistry, physical habitat, periphyton biomass, and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish community structure in three stream types: acidic (four streams), naturally circumneutral (eight streams), and acidic streams treated with limestone sand (eight streams). We observed no temporal trends in ecosystem recovery in treated streams despite sampling streams that ranged from 2 to 20 years since initial treatment. Our results indicated that the application of limestone sand to acidic streams was effective in fully recovering some characteristics, such as pH, alkalinity, Ca2+, Ca:H ratios, trout biomass and density, and trout reproductive success. However, recovery of many other characteristics was strongly dependent upon spatial proximity to treatment, and still others were never fully recovered. For example, limestone treatment did not restore dissolved aluminum concentrations, macroinvertebrate taxon richness, and total fish biomass to circumneutral reference conditions. Full recovery may not be occurring because treated streams continue to drain acidic watersheds and remain isolated in a network of acidic streams. We propose a revised stream restoration plan for the Allegheny Plateau that includes restoring stream ecosystems as connected networks rather than isolated reaches and recognizes that full recovery of acidified watersheds may not be possible.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stream Ecosystem Response to Limestone Treatment in Acid Impacted Watersheds of the Allegheny Plateau

McClurg

Petty

Mazik

et al. 2007

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Lingdell & Engblom, 1995; Clayton & Menendez, 1996; Hindar et al ., 1996; Schofield & Keleher, 1996; Simmons, Cieslewicz & Zajicek, 1996), but biological responses on other occasions have fallen short of expectations, particularly among acid‐sensitive invertebrates (e.g. Fjellheim & Raddum, 1992, 1995; Appelberg, Lingdell & Andren, 1995; Rundle, Weatherley & Ormerod, 1995; Clayton & Menendez, 1996; Eggleton, Morgan & Pennington, 1996; Simmons & Doyle, 1996). In the latter case, authors have speculated about which factors other than acid‐base chemistry might limit or obscure species’ colonization: (i) factors such as climate may affect colonization, for example by causing continued acid episodes (Weatherley & Ormerod, 1992; Rundle et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term effects of catchment liming on invertebrates in upland streams

2002

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Catchment liming to mitigate acidification causes major chemical change in freshwaters but longer‐term effects are poorly understood. Using a replicated basin‐scale experiment with a multiple BACI design (= before‐after‐control‐impact), we assessed chemical and biological effects for 10 years after the catchments of three acidified Welsh streams at Llyn Brianne were limed in 1987/88. 2. Stream chemistry was measured weekly to monthly, and macroinvertebrates monitored annually, between 1985 and 1998. Biological change through time was assessed from the abundance and taxon richness of invertebrates. We paid particular attention to 18 species known to be acid‐sensitive. The effects of liming were assessed by comparing chemical and biological trends among the three replicate limed streams, three acid reference streams and two naturally circumneutral streams. 3. Following single lime applications, acid‐base chemistry in treated streams changed significantly. High mean pH (> 6), increased calcium (> 2.5 mg L−1) and low aluminium (< 0.1 mg L−1) persisted throughout the 10 years following liming. 4. The effects of liming on invertebrates were modest. Acid sensitive taxa increased significantly in abundance in limed streams, but only during 2 years following treatment. Significant effects on richness were more sustained, but on average added only 2–3 acid‐sensitive species to the treated streams, roughly one‐third of their average richness in adjacent circumneutral streams. Only the mayfly Baetis rhodani and the stonefly Brachyptera risi occurred significantly more often in limed streams after treatment than before it. 5. Despite these modest long‐term effects on invertebrates, nearly 80% of the total pool of acid‐sensitive species has occurred at least once in the limed streams in the 10 years since treatment. This pattern of occurrence suggests that the colonization of limed streams by acid‐sensitive taxa reflects limited persistence rather than restricted dispersal. We present evidence to show that episodes of low pH continued to affect acid‐sensitive taxa even after liming. We highlight the importance of extending the time‐periods over which the effects of large‐scale ecological experiments are assessed.

show abstract

“…In all six lakes where early measurements are available, measured pH-values are higher after liming than in the early twentieth century. This is not surprising since the initial goal of liming was to reach a pH value>6 (Appelberg et al 1995). In all lakes, the DpH increased after liming by up to 1 pH-unit.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…The methods used to assess water chemistry, benthic invertebrates and zooplankton appear to vary over time, with inconsistencies between sampling undertaken during the ISELAW program and earlier sampling. More detailed descriptions of methodology are given in Appelberg et al (1995); Appelberg and Svenson (2001); Persson (2001); Persson and Ekström (2001); Persson and Wilander (2002); Reizenstein (2002) and Östlund (2005).…”

Section: Monitoring Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The program includes observations of macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, fish and water chemistry. The main focus of ISELAW is to study the long-term effects of liming; to determine if there are unwanted effects of liming and if liming restores the species composition and biodiversity that existed prior to acidification (Appelberg et al 1995;Appelberg and Svenson 2001). In 1999, a paleolimnological study of 12 of the original 13 lakes was included within ISELAW.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Monitoring compared with paleolimnology: implications for the definition of reference condition in limed lakes in Sweden

Norberg

Bigler

Renberg

2007

Environ Monit Assess

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Surface water acidification was identified as a major environmental problem in the 1960s. Consequently, a liming program was launched in Sweden in the 1970s. The primary purpose of liming is to restore conditions that existed prior to acidification. To reach this goal, as well as achieve 'good status' (i.e. low levels of distortion resulting from human activity) in European freshwaters until 2016 under the European Union Water Framework Directive, lake data are required to define reference conditions. Here, we compare data from chemical/biological monitoring of 12 limed lakes with results of paleolimnological investigations, to address questions of reference conditions, acidification, and restoration by liming. Using diatom-based lake-water pH inferences, we found clear evidence of acidification in only five of the 12 lakes, which had all originally been classified as acidified according to monitoring data. After liming, measured and diatom-inferred pH agree well in seven lakes. The sediment record of three of the five remaining lakes gave ambiguous results, presumably due to sediment mixing or low sediment accumulation rates. It is difficult to determine whether liming restored the lakes to a good status, especially as some of the lakes were not acidified during the twentieth century. In addition to acid deposition, other factors, such as natural lake and catchment ontogeny or human impact through agricultural activity, influence lake acidity. This study shows that monitoring series are usually too short to define reference conditions for lakes, and that paleolimnological studies are useful to set appropriate goals for restoration and for evaluation of counter measures.

show abstract

Integrated studies of the effects of liming acidified waters (ISELAW-programme)

Cited by 27 publications

References 2 publications

Stream Ecosystem Response to Limestone Treatment in Acid Impacted Watersheds of the Allegheny Plateau

Stream Ecosystem Response to Limestone Treatment in Acid Impacted Watersheds of the Allegheny Plateau

Long‐term effects of catchment liming on invertebrates in upland streams

Monitoring compared with paleolimnology: implications for the definition of reference condition in limed lakes in Sweden

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About