HR: 14:30h
AN: NB23A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Broad-scale, Repeatable Response Patterns of Invertebrates and Fish Exposed to Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent
AU: * Lowell, R B
EM: rick.lowell@ec.gc.ca
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd., Saskatoon, SK S7N3H5 Canada
AU: Ring, B
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC K1AOH3 Canada
AU: Pastershank, G
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC K1AOH3 Canada
AU: Walker, S
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC K1AOH3 Canada
AU: Trudel, L
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC K1AOH3 Canada
AU: Hedley, K
AF: National Water Research Inst., Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC K1AOH3 Canada
AB: Since 1992, pulp mill effects on aquatic biota have been measured over a broad geographic scale by the National Environmental Effects Monitoring Program in Canada. The standardized sampling and reporting methodology, extensive database, and subsequent analyses have provided a fairly robust picture of the effects of these effluents on receiving waters across the country. Over the last decade, the national average response pattern measured for benthic invertebrate communities has been one typically associated with eutrophication, ranging from mild to more pronounced, partly depending on habitat type. More specifically, invertebrate communities exposed to pulp mill effluent have commonly exhibited increases in abundance, together with some combination of increases, decreases or no change in taxon richness, depending on the degree of eutrophication. Over the same time period, the national average response for fish has been one of nutrient enrichment overlaid by metabolic disruption. That is, exposed fish have consistently shown evidence of increased food availability (fatter, faster growing, larger livers) together with disruption of allocation to reproduction (smaller gonads). Thus, although sublethal toxicity testing demonstrated large improvements in effluent quality during the mid 1990's, measurable effects remain in the field. Efforts are currently underway to better understand and ameliorate these remaining effects.
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
DE: 4804 Benthic processes/benthos
DE: 4845 Nutrients and nutrient cycling
DE: 4857 Pollution
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly