Role of Periphyton in Mediating the Effects of Pollution in a Stream Ecosystem

The effects of pollutants on primary producers ramify through ecosystems because primary producers provide food and structure for higher trophic levels and they mediate the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and contaminants. Periphyton (attached algae) were studied as part of a long-term biologica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental management (New York) 2010-03, Vol.45 (3), p.563-576
Main Authors: Hill, Walter R, Ryon, Michael G, Smith, John G, Adams, S. Marshall, Boston, Harry L, Stewart, Arthur J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
Animals
Aquatic ecology
Aquatic Pollution
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Bioaccumulation
Biogeochemical cycles
Biogeochemistry
Biomass
Biomonitoring
Cadmium
Conservation of Natural Resources - economics
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Contaminants
Creeks & streams
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Environment
Environmental Management
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental restoration
Eukaryota - metabolism
Eutrophication
Fish
Fishes
Food chains
Forestry Management
Heavy metals
Hypotheses
Indicator organisms
Invertebrates
Laboratories
Management
Mercury
Metal concentrations
Metals
Metals - metabolism
Metals - toxicity
National security
Nature Conservation
Nickel
Nitrogen - metabolism
Nitrogen - toxicity
Nutrient cycles
Nutrients
Phosphorus
Photosynthesis
Pollutants
Pollution effects
Primary production
Rivers
Stream water
Streams
Tennessee
Time Factors
Trophic levels
Upstream
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
Water Pollution Control
Water Pollution, Chemical - prevention & control
Yttrium
Zinc
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Summary:The effects of pollutants on primary producers ramify through ecosystems because primary producers provide food and structure for higher trophic levels and they mediate the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and contaminants. Periphyton (attached algae) were studied as part of a long-term biological monitoring program designed to guide remediation efforts by the Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex on East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. High concentrations of nutrients entering EFPC were responsible for elevated periphyton production and placed the stream in a state of eutrophy. High rates of primary production at upstream locations in EFPC were associated with alterations in both invertebrate and fish communities. Grazers represented >50% of the biomass of invertebrates and fish near the Y-12 Complex but
ISSN:0364-152X
1432-1009
DOI:10.1007/s00267-010-9425-2