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Changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function downstream from mountaintop removal and valley fill coal mining
Citation:
WAITS, E. R., J. W. MARTINSON, AND K. M. FRITZ. Changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function downstream from mountaintop removal and valley fill coal mining. Presented at SETAC North America 31st Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, November 07 - 11, 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
The goal of this research is to develop methods and indicators that are useful for evaluating the condition of aquatic communities, for assessing the restoration of aquatic communities in response to mitigation and best management practices, and for determining the exposure of aquatic communities to different classes of stressors (i.e., pesticides, sedimentation, habitat alteration).
Description:
Mountaintop removal and valley fill coal mining has altered the physicochemical landscape of the Central Appalachian region in the U.S. Increased specific conductance and levels of component ions downstream from valley fill sites are toxic to aquatic life and can negatively impact resident biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity has been shown to have direct consequences on the health and function of ecosystems and the goods and services they provide. In this study, we compared estimates of phylogenetic diversity (PD) of macroinvertebrate communities in natural forested perennial streams to that of streams below valley fills receiving mine drainage. PD is a biodiversity index that measures the length of evolutionary pathways connecting a given set of species and reflects "feature diversity". We also evaluated the relationship of PD to rates of leaf-litter breakdown, a critical function in forested streams used to assess the ecological health or condition of stream ecosystems. Estimates of PD were much lower in valley fill sites than undisturbed natural stream habitats. The observed reduction in biodiversity in valley fill sites can be explained by an increase in specific conductance at these sites. Functional consequences of reduced PD were also observed. Loss of biodiversity translates into diminished rates of leaf-litter breakdown and related ecosystem functon. Additionally, PD better explains variation in ecosystem function than traditional measures of species richness, and should be considered in conservation and management of ecosystems impacted by anthropogenic activity.