Characterizing coal and mineral mines as a regional source of stress to stream fish assemblages

被引：57

作者：

Daniel, Wesley M. ^{[1
]}

Infante, Dana M. ^{[1
]}

Hughes, Robert M. ^{[2
,3
]}

Tsang, Yin-Phan ^{[1
]}

Esselman, Peter C. ^{[4
,5
]}

Wieferich, Daniel ^{[1
]}

Herreman, Kyle ^{[1
]}

Cooper, Arthur R. ^{[1
]}

Wang, Lizhu ^{[6
]}

Taylor, William W. ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Michigan State Univ, Dept Fisheries & Wildlife, E Lansing, MI 48823 USA

[2] Oregon State Univ, Amnis Opes Inst, Corvallis, OR 97333 USA

[3] Oregon State Univ, Dept Fisheries & Wildlife, Corvallis, OR 97333 USA

[4] US Geol Survey, Great Lakes Sci Ctr, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA

[5] Michigan State Univ, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA

[6] Int Joint Commiss Great Lakes Reg Off, Detroit, MI 48232 USA

来源：

ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS | 2015年 / 50卷

关键词：

Threshold analysis; Fish functional traits; Landscape influences; Game fishes; Mining; Rivers; BIOTIC INTEGRITY; LAND-USE; VALLEY FILLS; RIVER-BASIN; HABITAT; COMMUNITY; RESPONSES; DATABASE; IMPACTS; DISTURBANCE;

D O I：

10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.10.018

中图分类号：

X176 [生物多样性保护];

学科分类号：

090705 ;

摘要：

Mining impacts on stream systems have historically been studied over small spatial scales, yet investigations over large areas may be useful for characterizing mining as a regional source of stress to stream fishes. The associations between co-occurring stream fish assemblages and densities of various "classes" of mining occurring in the same catchments were tested using threshold analysis. Threshold analysis identifies the point at which fish assemblages change substantially from best available habitat conditions with increasing disturbance. As this occurred over large regions, species comprising fish assemblages were represented by various functional traits as well as other measures of interest to management (characterizing reproductive ecology and life history, habitat preferences, trophic ecology, assemblage diversity and evenness, tolerance to anthropogenic disturbance and state-recognized game species). We used two threshold detection methods: change-point analysis with indicator analysis and piecewise linear regression. We accepted only those thresholds that were highly statistically significant (p <= 0.01) for both techniques and overlapped within <5% error. We found consistent, wedge-shaped declines in multiple fish metrics with increasing levels of mining in catchments, suggesting mines are a regional source of disturbance. Threshold responses were consistent across the three ecoregions occurring at low mine densities. For 47.2% of the significant thresholds, a density of only <= 0.01 mines/km(2) caused a threshold response. In fact, at least 25% of streams in each of our three study ecoregions have mine densities in their catchments with the potential to affect fish assemblages. Compared to other anthropogenic impacts assessed over large areas (agriculture, impervious surface or urban land use), mining had a more pronounced and consistent impact on fish assemblages. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

引用

页码：50 / 61

页数：12