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Related Experiment Video

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Bioindication Testing of Stream Environment Suitability for Young Freshwater Pearl Mussels Using In Situ Exposure Methods

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Published on: September 5, 2018

Elevated Magnesium Concentrations Altered Freshwater Assemblage Structures in a Mesocosm Experiment.

Thomas J Mooney¹, Cherie D McCullough², Andrew Jansen¹

¹Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

|July 15, 2020

Summary

Mining contaminant magnesium (Mg) impacts Australian freshwater ecosystems. Low Mg concentrations (<3 mg/L) negatively affected phytoplankton and zooplankton, indicating toxicity to aquatic life.

Keywords:

Mining effects Multiple lines of evidence Phytoplankton Tropical waters Zooplankton

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Area of Science:

Environmental Toxicology
Aquatic Ecology
Ecotoxicology

Background:

Magnesium (Mg) is a mining contaminant in Australia's Alligator Rivers Region.
Aquatic freshwater assemblages are vulnerable to Mg toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

To assess Mg toxicity to aquatic freshwater assemblages using a mesocosm experiment.
To determine assemblage effect concentrations (ECx) for Mg.

Main Methods:

A 25-tub mesocosm experiment with 4 nominal Mg treatments (2.5–68 mg/L) and a control.
Sampling of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and macroinvertebrate assemblages before and after Mg addition.
Analysis of chlorophyll a for phytoplankton biomass and assemblage similarity for zooplankton.

Main Results:

Significant negative relationship between phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) and Mg concentration.
Significant negative relationship between zooplankton assemblage similarity and Mg concentration.
Unimodal responses in macroinvertebrate assemblages, with peak abundance at intermediate Mg.

Conclusions:

Magnesium concentrations resulting in assemblage EC01 values were <3 mg/L.
Mesocosm EC01 values support a weight-of-evidence framework for environmental protection.
Mg poses a risk to freshwater aquatic life in the Alligator Rivers Region.