HR: 14:45h
AN: NB13F-06 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Heavy Metal Impacts on Stream Macroinvertebrate Communities: a Species Trait Approach
AU: * Phillips, N
EM: nrphillips@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand
AU: Hickey, C
EM: c.hickey@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand
AU: Scarsbrook, M
EM: m.scarsbrook@niwa.co.nz
AF: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand
AB: Heavy metal pollution can have significant impacts on stream macroinvertebrate communities. These impacts are often quantified using either laboratory-based toxicity tests, which measure physiological response of individuals, or field-based ecological surveys, which measure change in community composition. Surprisingly, work that provides the linkage between physiological response of individuals and community response is scarce. Examination of biological or species traits can provide that important link and potentially offers a greater understanding of, not only the community response, but also the mechanisms operating to produce an observed ecological effect. We present results of an investigation into the effects of heavy metals associated with mining activities on the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. We have found that species traits allow us to identify specific life history, resistance and physiological characteristics of organisms, which respond differentially to metal contamination. Such information provides insight into the links between the mechanisms of toxicity to individuals and the translation of that toxicity to community level impacts. We have also found that species traits methods are at least as effective as "traditional" methods (e.g. community composition) in differentiating metal contaminated sites and provide additional evidence to address the ecological significance of stressor effects.
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects
DE: 1845 Limnology
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly