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Trace metal availability and effects on benthic community structure in floodplain lakes
Corine van Griethuysen1, Joyce van Baren, Edwin T H M Peeters
1Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8080, 6700 DD Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
|August 3, 2004
Summary
Assessing trace metal impacts on aquatic life is challenging. Simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) and SEM-acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) effectively predict effects on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in floodplain lakes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Aquatic Ecology
Background:
- Assessing contaminant effects on ecological communities is complex.
- Trace metals and environmental factors influence benthic macroinvertebrate communities in floodplain lakes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate in situ effects of trace metals on benthic macroinvertebrate communities.
- To compare various measures of trace metal availability for ecological risk assessment.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed trace metal availability using total, normalized, SEM, SEM-AVS, and accumulated metal concentrations.
- Correlated metal availability with environmental variables and benthic community composition.
- Utilized 11 environmental variables to explain community variation.
Main Results:
- Accumulated metal concentrations linked to sediment and water properties.
- SEM-AVS or SEM concentrations explained 2-6% of benthic community composition variation.
- Total, normalized, and accumulated metals showed no significant community links.
Conclusions:
- SEM or SEM-AVS concentrations are valuable for assessing trace metal risks at the community level.
- Environmental variables significantly influence benthic community structure.