The Impact of Fine Sediment on Macro‐invertebrates

Abstract

The sustainable use of water resources requires clear guidelines for the management of diffuse pollution inputs to rivers. Without informed guidelines, management decisions are unlikely to deliver cost-effective improvements in the quality of rivers as required by current water policy. Here, we review the evidence available for deriving improved guidelines on the loading of fine sediment to rivers based on the impact on macro-invertebrates. The relationship between macro-invertebrates and fine sediments is poorly defined. Studies of the impacts of fine sediment on macro-invertebrates have been undertaken at various scales, which has an influence on the range of responses displayed and the reliability of the results obtained; results obtained from investigations at smaller scales may not manifest at the scale required to manage rivers and vice versa. Many of the identified effects of increased loading of fine sediment on macro-invertebrates occur as a consequence of deposition on the river bed, yet many current management guidelines are based on suspended sediment targets. On this basis, existing water quality guidelines for sediment management are unlikely to be appropriate.

Efectos de las extracciones de áridos sobre el transporte de sedimentos en suspensión en ríos de montaña (alto río Cinca, Pirineo Central)

“…Este incremento puede afectar directamente a los organismos e indirectamente al hábitat físico (Jones et al, 2012). Las partículas en suspensión pueden colapsar las agallas de los organismos afectando a la eficiencia de respiración (Bilotta y Brazier, 2008).…”

Benthic and hyporheic macroinvertebrate distribution within the heads and tails of riffles during baseflow conditions

“…This pattern of fine sediment deposition (typically sand-and silt-sized fractions of B2 mm; Wentworth, 1922;Jones et al, 2012) directly influences the structure and composition of invertebrate communities (Brunke & Gonser, 1999) but also the nature of vertical hydrological exchange (Leek et al, 2009;Hartwig & Borchardt, 2015;Datry et al, 2015). Consequently, the dynamic pattern of vertical hydraulic exchange exerts a strong influence on physical and chemical conditions such as temperature, oxygen concentrations and the residence time of water (Olsen & Townsend, 2003;Krause et al, 2011b).…”

The Experience of Using Innovative Artificial Filter Arrays on South Kuzbass Open Pit: Case Study

“…This is due to the process of natural penetration or artificial insertion of small particles into rock's fractures -colmatation process [1][2][3][4][5][6].…”