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Evaluating Recovery of Stream Ecosystems from Mining Pollution: Integrating Biochemical, Population, Community and Ecosystem Indicators

EPA Grant Number: R829515C004
Subproject: this is subproject number 004 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R829515
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: HSRC - Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites
Center Director: Shackelford, Charles D.
Title: Evaluating Recovery of Stream Ecosystems from Mining Pollution: Integrating Biochemical, Population, Community and Ecosystem Indicators
Investigators: Clements, William , Ranville, James
Institution: Colorado State University , Colorado School of Mines
EPA Project Officer: Lasat, Mitch
Project Period: November 1, 2001 through October 31, 2003
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation

Description:

Objective:

This research will integrate the fields of aquatic toxicology and ecotoxicology to characterize the recovery of a stream ecosystem from mining pollution. The ultimate goals of our research are: i) to improve our mechanistic understanding of ecological responses to heavy metals across several levels of biological organization; and ii) to evaluate indicators of recovery in a metal polluted stream (the Arkansas River) following improvements in water quality.

Approach:

We will combine experimental stream studies and a long-term field monitoring project to characterize responses of aquatic organisms to heavy metals. Experiments conducted in stream microcosms will quantify concentration-response relationships between heavy metals and biochemical (bioaccumulation), population (mortality, size structure of dominant taxa), community (species diversity, community composition) and ecosystem (respiration) level indicators. To test the hypothesis that these indicators are sensitive to improvements in water quality, we will validate responses in a large-scale 'natural experiment' (sensu Diamond 1986) conducted in the Arkansas River, a metal polluted stream in central Colorado. Metal concentrations in the Arkansas River are expected to decline over the next few years as a result of remediation activities in California Gulch, a U.S. EPA Superfund.

Expected Results:

The most important expected benefits of this research are: i) an improved understanding of the mechanistic linkages among ecological indicators at different levels of biological organization; and ii) development and validation of a suite of indicators that can be used to assess recovery of metal-polluted streams in the Rocky Mountain region. Traditional biological monitoring programs for evaluating water quality and for assessing ecological integrity are seriously limited because of the inability to demonstrate direct cause-and-effect relationships. Our microcosm experiments are designed not only to show causation but to establish concentration-response relationships between heavy metals and a suite of biochemical, population, community, and ecosystem level indicators. We will test these predictions by evaluating indicator responses to improvements in water quality in the Arkansas River following a large-scale remediation program.

Supplemental Keywords:

Streams; ecological effects; heavy metals; Rocky Mountains. , Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Industry Sectors, Water, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Remediation, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Restoration, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Ecological Risk Assessment, Hazardous Waste, Environmental Engineering, Ecosystem Protection, Groundwater remediation, Hazardous, Mining - NAIC 21, Ecology and Ecosystems, bioavailability, heavy metal contamination, heavy metals, risk assessment, treatment, water quality, aquatic ecosystem, ecological impact, environmental rehabilitation, geochemistry, extraction of metals, contaminated waste sites, mining, mining wastes, acid mine runoff, acid mine drainage, metal release, monitoring, streams, ecological recovery, stakeholder groups, contaminated aquifers, groundwater pollution, remediation technologies, contaminant transport, ecological indicators, water quality criteria, acid mine discharge, leaching of toxic metals, metal wastes, aquatic ecosystems, metals, community involvement, contaminated groundwater, hydrogeology, rivers, stream ecosystem, restoration strategies

Progress and Final Reports:
2002 Progress Report
2003 Progress Report


Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R829515    HSRC - Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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