Sensitivity of the early life stages of a mayfly to fine sediment and orthophosphate levels

Everall, Nicholas C.; Johnson, Matthew F.; Wood, Paul J.; Mattingley, Lauren

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.131

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…Reproduction mode may also exert a strong control over which taxa are able to persist in substrates with high fine sediment content. Unattended eggs deposited onto the river bed, for instance, may become smothered or abraded by fine sediment (Everall, Johnson, Wood, & Mattingley, 2018). As a result, the prevalence of ovoviviparity, as found in diverse taxa (e.g., Sphaerium spp., Asellus aquaticus, Cloëon spp.…”

Section: Controls On Ecological Responses: Invertebrate Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

et al. 2018

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Excess fine sediment, comprising particles <2 mm in diameter, is a major cause of ecological degradation in rivers. The erosion of fine sediment from terrestrial or aquatic sources, its delivery to the river, and its storage and transport in the fluvial environment are controlled by a complex interplay of physical, biological, and anthropogenic factors. While the physical controls exerted on fine sediment dynamics are relatively well‐documented, the role of biological processes and their interactions with hydraulic and physicochemical phenomena has been largely overlooked. The activities of biota, from primary producers to predators, exert strong controls on fine sediment deposition, infiltration, and resuspension. For example, extracellular polymeric substances associated with biofilms increase deposition and decrease resuspension. In lower energy rivers, aquatic macrophyte growth and senescence are intimately linked to sediment retention and loss, whereas riparian trees are dominant ecosystem engineers in high energy systems. Fish and invertebrates also have profound effects on fine sediment dynamics through activities that drive both particle deposition and erosion depending on species composition and abiotic conditions. The functional traits of species present will determine not only these biotic effects but also the responses of river ecosystems to excess fine sediment. We discuss which traits are involved and put them into context with spatial processes that occur throughout the river network. While strides towards better understanding of the impacts of excess fine sediment have been made, further progress to identify the most effective management approaches is urgently required through close communication between authorities and scientists. This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Science of Water > Water Quality

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Section: Controls On Ecological Responses: Invertebrate Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

et al. 2018

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“…These exposure values are similar to those mean concentrations found during the elevated periods as described above. It should be noted that these elevated periods were shorter than the mesocosm exposure experiments described by Everall et al (2018). However, over the trial period in the upper River Itchen, there were many short-and long-term incidences where the concentration of FRP (taken as equivalent to orthophosphate in the Everall et al study) exceeded 0.3 mg L −1 (see for example Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Recently, Everall et al 2018 investigated, in the laboratory, the effect of increased concentrations of orthophosphate (maximum exposure = 0.3 mg L −1 ) in the presence of increased suspended fine sediment (maximum level = 25 mg L −1 ) on the early life stages of the blue-winged olive mayfly (Serratella ignita).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The impact of orthophosphate on biota is likely to be complex and have multi-faceted synergistic and antagonistic interactions with other pollutants and environmental stressors that may be present in the aquatic environment and should be the subject of further research (Everall et al (2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There has been a recent interest in understanding the effects of elevated phosphorus concentrations on riverine benthic invertebrates (Everall et al 2018). Numbers of organisms have declined in several UK rivers over the past 20 years, particularly in chalk streams (Bennett and Gilchrist 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using high-frequency phosphorus monitoring for water quality management: a case study of the upper River Itchen, UK

Fones

Bakir

Gray

et al. 2020

Environ Monit Assess

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Increased concentrations of phosphorus (P) in riverine systems lead to eutrophication and can contribute to other environmental effects. Chalk rivers are known to be particularly sensitive to elevated P levels. We used high-frequency (daily) automatic water sampling at five distinct locations in the upper River Itchen (Hampshire, UK) between May 2016 and June 2017 to identify the main P species (including filterable reactive phosphorus, total filterable phosphorus, total phosphorus and total particulate phosphorus) present and how these varied temporally. Our filterable reactive phosphorus (considered the biologically available fraction) data were compared with the available Environment Agency total reactive phosphorus (TRP) values over the same sampling period. Over the trial, the profiles of the P fractions were complex; the major fraction was total particulate phosphorus with the mean percentage value ranging between 69 and 82% of the total P present. Sources were likely to be attributable to wash off from agricultural activities. At all sites, the FRP and Environment Agency TRP mean concentrations over the study were comparable. However, there were a number of extended time periods (1 to 2 weeks) where the mean FRP concentration (e.g. 0.62 mg L −1) exceeded the existing regulatory values (giving a poor ecological status) for this type of river. Often, these exceedances were missed by the limited regulatory monitoring procedures undertaken by the Environment Agency. There is evidence that these spikes of elevated concentrations of P may have a biological impact on benthic invertebrate (e.g. blue-winged olive mayfly) communities that exist in these ecologically sensitive chalk streams. Further research is required to assess the ecological impact of P and how this might have implications for the development of future environmental regulations.

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The sedimentology of gravel beds in groundwater‐dominated chalk streams: Implications for sediment modelling and management

Mondon,

Sear,

Collins

et al. 2024

River Research & Apps

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Elevated fine sediment accumulation in a river system's gravel bed is known to cause detrimental ecological impacts. Current sediment targets and approaches to mitigation have failed due to the oversimplification of geomorphological processes controlling fine sediment accumulation and the lack of relevant scientific knowledge underpinning them. This is particularly apparent in chalk streams (groundwater‐dominated systems) which regularly exhibit high rates of sediment accumulation despite low suspended sediment yields. A necessary first step is to better characterise their sedimentology; thus, the novelty of this study was to determine the sedimentological characteristics of chalk stream gravel beds, specifically the quantity and distribution of fine sediment with depth. We collated published and unpublished freeze‐core data, encompassing 90 sites across 11 UK chalk streams. Results showed average quantities of fine sediment (<2 mm) in chalk stream gravel beds were 25% by weight, with >75% of beds exceeding thresholds for ecological degradation. Quantities of fine sediment increased with increasing depth into the bed, with an average increase between surface and subsurface layers of 54%, and 89% of the gravel bed over‐saturated with fine sediment. Regional differences were attributed to differences in stream power and local sediment sources, including surficial geology and catchment land use. Additionally, a major contrast was identified between experimental conditions in flume studies used to establish models describing interactions/mechanisms of fine sediment infiltration into immobile gravel beds and the natural conditions observed in chalk streams. As such, the use of such models as a basis to explore sediment management scenarios is unlikely to predict the outcome of such management techniques correctly in a real‐world situation.

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Sensitivity of the early life stages of a mayfly to fine sediment and orthophosphate levels

Cited by 24 publications

References 83 publications

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers

Using high-frequency phosphorus monitoring for water quality management: a case study of the upper River Itchen, UK

The sedimentology of gravel beds in groundwater‐dominated chalk streams: Implications for sediment modelling and management

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