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Huber ED, Hintz LL, Wilmoth B, McKenna JR, Hintz WD. Coping with stress: Salt type, concentration, and exposure history limit life history tradeoffs in response to road salt salinization. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174998. [PMID: 39053528 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Substantial increases in the salinity of freshwater ecosystems has occurred around the globe from causes such as climate change, industrial operations, and the application of road deicing salts. We know very little about how plastic responses in life history traits or rapid evolution of new traits among freshwater organisms could promote stability in ecological communities affected by salinization. We performed a cohort life history analysis from birth to death with 180 individuals of a ubiquitous freshwater zooplankter to understand how life history traits are affected by exposure to two common salt types causing salinization-sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium chloride (CaCl2)-across two environmentally relevant concentrations. We also tested if a multi-generational exposure history to high salinity altered life-history responses. We tracked and measured lifespan, time to maturation, brood size, brood interval, and body size. We found smaller brood sizes but slightly longer lifespans occurred at a low concentration of NaCl (230 mg Cl-/L). The longer lifespans led to more, albeit smaller broods, which generated a similar lifetime reproductive output compared to the no-salt control populations. At higher concentrations of NaCl and CaCl2, we found lifetime reproductive output was reduced by 23 % to 83 % relative to control populations because no tradeoff among life history traits occurred. In CaCl2, we observed shorter life spans, longer time intervals between smaller broods, and smaller body sizes leading to reduced lifetime reproductive output. We also found that a multi-generational exposure to the salt types did not convey any advantages for lifetime reproductive output. In some cases, the exposure history worsened the life history trait responses suggesting maladaptation. Our findings suggest that life history tradeoffs for freshwater species can occur in response to salinization, but these tradeoffs will largely depend on salt type and concentration, which will have implications for biodiversity and ecological stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Huber
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, USA
| | - Leslie L Hintz
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, USA
| | - Bayley Wilmoth
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, USA
| | - Jorden R McKenna
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, USA
| | - William D Hintz
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, The University of Toledo, 6200 Bay Shore Rd., Oregon, OH, USA.
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2
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Madge Pimentel I, Baikova D, Buchner D, Burfeid Castellanos A, David GM, Deep A, Doliwa A, Hadžiomerović U, Mayombo NAS, Prati S, Spyra MA, Vermiert AM, Beisser D, Dunthorn M, Piggott JJ, Sures B, Tiegs SD, Leese F, Beermann AJ. Assessing the response of an urban stream ecosystem to salinization under different flow regimes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171849. [PMID: 38537828 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Urban streams are exposed to a variety of anthropogenic stressors. Freshwater salinization is a key stressor in these ecosystems that is predicted to be further exacerbated by climate change, which causes simultaneous changes in flow parameters, potentially resulting in non-additive effects on aquatic ecosystems. However, the effects of salinization and flow velocity on urban streams are still poorly understood as multiple-stressor experiments are often conducted at pristine rather than urban sites. Therefore, we conducted a mesocosm experiment at the Boye River, a recently restored stream located in a highly urbanized area in Western Germany, and applied recurrent pulses of salinity along a gradient (NaCl, 9 h daily of +0 to +2.5 mS/cm) in combination with normal and reduced current velocities (20 cm/s vs. 10 cm/s). Using a comprehensive assessment across multiple organism groups (macroinvertebrates, eukaryotic algae, fungi, parasites) and ecosystem functions (primary production, organic-matter decomposition), we show that flow velocity reduction has a pervasive impact, causing community shifts for almost all assessed organism groups (except fungi) and inhibiting organic-matter decomposition. Salinization affected only dynamic components of community assembly by enhancing invertebrate emigration via drift and reducing fungal reproduction. We caution that the comparatively small impact of salt in our study can be due to legacy effects from past salt pollution by coal mining activities >30 years ago. Nevertheless, our results suggest that urban stream management should prioritize the continuity of a minimum discharge to maintain ecosystem integrity. Our study exemplifies a holistic approach for the assessment of multiple-stressor impacts on streams, which is needed to inform the establishment of a salinity threshold above which mitigation actions must be taken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Madge Pimentel
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Daria Baikova
- Aquatic Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Dominik Buchner
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Gwendoline M David
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Department of Plankton and Microbial Ecology, Stechlin, Germany
| | - Aman Deep
- Biodiversity, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Annemie Doliwa
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Una Hadžiomerović
- Aquatic Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Prati
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Anna-Maria Vermiert
- Ruhr University Bochum, Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniela Beisser
- Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, Recklinghausen, Germany
| | - Micah Dunthorn
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jeremy J Piggott
- Zoology and Trinity Centre for the Environment, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Bernd Sures
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Research Center One Health Ruhr of the University Alliance Ruhr, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Scott D Tiegs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
| | - Florian Leese
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Arne J Beermann
- Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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3
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Brownlie WJ, Alexander P, Maslin M, Cañedo-Argüelles M, Sutton MA, Spears BM. Global food security threatened by potassium neglect. NATURE FOOD 2024; 5:111-115. [PMID: 38374417 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00929-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Food security and healthy ecosystems are placed in jeopardy by poor potassium management. Six actions may prevent declines in crop yield due to soil potassium deficiency, safeguard farmers from potash price volatility and address environmental concerns associated with potash mining.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Alexander
- School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark Maslin
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, UK
| | - Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- FEHM-Lab, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
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Zhao Y, Li S, Tang S, Wang Y, Yao X, Xie J, Zhao J. Effects of chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate stress on mortality rate, gill tissue morphology, and gene expression in mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:99440-99453. [PMID: 37612552 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29411-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi is a freshwater fish that is endemic to East Asia. To study the different damages and molecular mechanisms caused by different salt (NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3) on Siniperca chuatsi, the fish were subjected to NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3 stresses with different concentration for 96 h for mortality assessment, moreover, the fish were exposed to these salt stresses with equal sodium ion concentration (Na+ = 210 mmol/L), then gill morphological changes were observed and gene expression was analyzed by high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed that mandarin fish tolerated NaCl and Na2SO4 better than NaHCO3. NaHCO3 stress caused more damage to gill than NaCl and Na2SO4 stress. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses indicated that differentially expressed genes were enriched in damage and apoptosis upon NaHCO3 stress, whereas they were enriched in energy and immune-related pathways upon NaCl and Na2SO4 stress. Hub genes were different under all three stresses. MAPK pathway genes showed a trend in up-regulated expression under all salt stresses, but the expression patterns varied with time during salt exposure and freshwater recovery stage. Taken together, this study demonstrated the variation in the effects of NaCl, Na2SO4, and NaHCO3 stress on mandarin fish. The MAPK signaling pathway is important for regulating the response to salt stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Shuaishuai Li
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Shoujie Tang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Yanling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Xiaoli Yao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Jinyang Xie
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Jinliang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
- National Demonstration Centre for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China.
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5
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Piech P, Kujawa R. Effect of Different Water Salinities on the Larvae of the Blue Bream Ballerus ballerus (Linnaeus, 1758) during Rearing. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071245. [PMID: 37048501 PMCID: PMC10093694 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The influence of water salinities of 3, 5, and 7 ppt on the growth and survival of Ballerus ballerus (L.) larvae was studied. The control group was fish reared in freshwater (0 ppt). The larvae showed high tolerance to water salinities of 5–7 ppt. The mean final weight of the larvae ranged from 48.6 to 64.1 mg, with corresponding mean total lengths from 18.9 to 22.6 mm, depending on the water salinity level. The best larval length increments were recorded in water with salinity of 3 ppt. They were only slightly lower in 0 ppt water, and there were no statistically significant differences between the breeding rates calculated for larvae reared in 3 ppt water. Depending on the salinity level of the water, the final survival rate of the blue bream larvae ranged from 83.5 to 98.6%. The blue bream larvae reared in water with salinity levels of 5 and 7 ppt were statistically smaller than the others, but the results obtained were equally satisfactory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Piech
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Roman Kujawa
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
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Kaushal SS, Mayer PM, Likens GE, Reimer JE, Maas CM, Rippy MA, Grant SB, Hart I, Utz RM, Shatkay RR, Wessel BM, Maietta CE, Pace ML, Duan S, Boger WL, Yaculak AM, Galella JG, Wood KL, Morel CJ, Nguyen W, Querubin SEC, Sukert RA, Lowien A, Houde AW, Roussel A, Houston AJ, Cacopardo A, Ho C, Talbot-Wendlandt H, Widmer JM, Slagle J, Bader JA, Chong JH, Wollney J, Kim J, Shepherd L, Wilfong MT, Houlihan M, Sedghi N, Butcher R, Chaudhary S, Becker WD. Five state factors control progressive stages of freshwater salinization syndrome. LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS 2023; 8:190-211. [PMID: 37539375 PMCID: PMC10395323 DOI: 10.1002/lol2.10248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Factors driving freshwater salinization syndrome (FSS) influence the severity of impacts and chances for recovery. We hypothesize that spread of FSS across ecosystems is a function of interactions among five state factors: human activities, geology, flowpaths, climate, and time. (1) Human activities drive pulsed or chronic inputs of salt ions and mobilization of chemical contaminants. (2) Geology drives rates of erosion, weathering, ion exchange, and acidification-alkalinization. (3) Flowpaths drive salinization and contaminant mobilization along hydrologic cycles. (4) Climate drives rising water temperatures, salt stress, and evaporative concentration of ions and saltwater intrusion. (5) Time influences consequences, thresholds, and potentials for ecosystem recovery. We hypothesize that state factors advance FSS in distinct stages, which eventually contribute to failures in systems-level functions (supporting drinking water, crops, biodiversity, infrastructure, etc.). We present future research directions for protecting freshwaters at risk based on five state factors and stages from diagnosis to prognosis to cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujay S. Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Paul M. Mayer
- Pacific Ecological Systems Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Gene E. Likens
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Jenna E. Reimer
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Carly M. Maas
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Megan A. Rippy
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via Jr Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, Virginia
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Stanley B. Grant
- Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via Jr Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, Virginia
- Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Ian Hart
- Chatham University, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Ruth R. Shatkay
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Barret M. Wessel
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Christine E. Maietta
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Michael L. Pace
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Shuiwang Duan
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Walter L. Boger
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Alexis M. Yaculak
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Joseph G. Galella
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Kelsey L. Wood
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Carol J. Morel
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - William Nguyen
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Shane Elizabeth C. Querubin
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Rebecca A. Sukert
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Anna Lowien
- Environmental Science & Policy Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Alyssa Wellman Houde
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Anaïs Roussel
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Andrew J. Houston
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Ari Cacopardo
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Cristy Ho
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | | | - Jacob M. Widmer
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Jairus Slagle
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - James A. Bader
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Jeng Hann Chong
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Jenna Wollney
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Jordan Kim
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Lauren Shepherd
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Matthew T. Wilfong
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Megan Houlihan
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Nathan Sedghi
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Rebecca Butcher
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Sona Chaudhary
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - William D. Becker
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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Venâncio C, Caon K, Lopes I. Cation Composition Influences the Toxicity of Salinity to Freshwater Biota. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1741. [PMID: 36767106 PMCID: PMC9914514 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The effects of salinization on freshwater ecosystems have been estimated by testing sodium chloride (NaCl) since it is the most widely used salt as a deicing agent and Na+ and Cl- ions are the most representative in seawater composition. However, calcium, magnesium, and/or potassium are starting to be proposed as potential surrogates for NaCl, but for which ecotoxicological effects are less explored. This study aimed to identify (i) the less toxic salt to freshwater biota to be suggested as a safer alternative deicer and (ii) to contribute to the lower tiers of salinity risk assessment frameworks by identifying a more suitable surrogate salt than NaCl. The battery of ecotoxicity assays with five key trophic level species showed that among the tested salts (MgCl2, CaCl2, and KCl), KCl and CaCl2 seemed to induce the highest and lowest toxicity, respectively, compared with NaCl. CaCl2 is suggested as a safer alternative for use as a deicer and KCl as a surrogate for the risk assessment of seawater intrusion in coastal regions. These results enrich the salt toxicity database aiming to identify and propose more suitable surrogate salts to predict the effects of salinization to a broader extent.
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Ersoy Z, Abril M, Cañedo-Argüelles M, Espinosa C, Vendrell-Puigmitja L, Proia L. Experimental assessment of salinization effects on freshwater zooplankton communities and their trophic interactions under eutrophic conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 313:120127. [PMID: 36089138 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems are becoming saltier due to human activities. The effects of increased salinity can lead to cascading trophic interactions, affecting ecosystem functioning and energy transfer, through changes in community and size structure. These effects can be modulated by other environmental factors, such as nutrients. For example, communities developed under eutrophic conditions could be less sensitive to salinization due to cross-tolerance mechanisms. In this study, we used a mesocosm approach to assess the effects of a salinization gradient on the zooplankton community composition and size structure under eutrophic conditions and the cascading effects on algal communities. Our results showed that zooplankton biomass, size diversity and mean body size decreased with increased chloride concentration induced by salt addition. This change in the zooplankton community did not have cascading effects on phytoplankton. The phytoplankton biomass decreased after the chloride concentration threshold of 500 mg L-1 was reached, most likely due to direct toxic effects on the osmotic regulation and nutrient uptake processes of certain algae rather than as a response to community turnover or top-down control. Our study can help to put in place mitigation strategies for salinization and eutrophication, which often co-occur in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Ersoy
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de l'Aigua (IdRA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Rui Nabeiro' Biodiversity Chair, MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Meritxell Abril
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- FEHM-Lab (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de l'Aigua (IdRA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Espinosa
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Lidia Vendrell-Puigmitja
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Proia
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic- Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.
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9
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Vendrell-Puigmitja L, Proia L, Espinosa C, Barral-Fraga L, Cañedo-Argüelles M, Osorio V, Casas C, Llenas L, Abril M. Hypersaline mining effluents affect the structure and function of stream biofilm. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:156966. [PMID: 35760177 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The salinisation of freshwater ecosystems is a global environmental problem that threatens biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and human welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of a realistic salinity gradient on the structure and functioning of freshwater biofilms. The salinity gradient was based on the real ion concentration of a mining effluent from an abandoned mine in Germany. We exposed biofilm from a pristine stream to 5 increasing salinities (3 to 100 g L-1) under controlled conditions in artificial streams for 21 days. We evaluated its functional (photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient uptake, and microbial respiration) and structural responses (community composition, algal biomass and diatom, cyanobacteria and green algae metrics) over time. Then we compared their responses with an unexposed biofilm used as control. The functionality and structure of the biofilm exposed to the different salinities significantly decreased after short-term and long-term exposure, respectively. The community composition shifted to a new stable state where the most tolerant species increased their abundances. At the same time, we observed an increase in the community tolerance (measured as Pollution-Induced Community Tolerance) along the salinity gradient. This study provides relevant information on the salt threshold concentrations that can substantially damage algal cells (i.e., between 15 and 30 g L-1). The results provide new insights regarding the response and adaptation of stream biofilm to salinity and its potential implications at the ecosystem level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Vendrell-Puigmitja
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Proia
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain.
| | - Carmen Espinosa
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain; Aigües de Vic S.A., Carrer de la Riera, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Laura Barral-Fraga
- LDAR24-Laboratoire Départemental d'Analyse et de Recherche de la Dordogne, 24660 Coulounieix-Chamiers, France; Grup de recerca en Ecologia aquàtica continental (GRECO), Departament de Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Girona, 17071 Girona, Spain
| | - Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Grup de recerca FEHM (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de l'Aigua (IdRA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria Osorio
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Spain; Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Carme Casas
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Laia Llenas
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain
| | - Meritxell Abril
- BETA Tech Center, TECNIO Network, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Ctra de Roda 70, 08500 Vic, Spain
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10
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Backström T, Winkelmann C. Invasive round goby shows higher sensitivity to salinization than native European perch. NEOBIOTA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.75.86528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Salinity is an influential abiotic environmental factor in aquatic species, specifically in freshwater, where salinization causes ecosystem degradation. Secondary salinization, that is increases in salinity due to anthropogenic activities, can affect both osmoregulation and behaviour in freshwater fishes. It is generally believed that invasive species handle climatic change and environmental degradation better than native species, which is one reason for their invasion success. However, how invasive and native species cope with salinity changes remains little understood. Therefore, we investigated how low (500 µS/cm) and high salinity (2000 µS/cm) conditions affected oxygen consumption and behaviour in the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and the native European perch (Perca fluviatilis). Our results showed that in round goby oxygen consumption increased and swimming and non-swimming movements changed in response to salinity increments, whereas European perch was not affected by salinity. Thus, it seems as if the invasive round goby is more sensitive to changes in salinity than the native European perch. Our results fit with the minority of studies indicating invasive species being less tolerant than some native species to environmental changes. This finding could be explained by the adaptation of round goby to low salinity due to its long establishment in River Rhine. Further, our results are also confirming that the effect of salinity is species-specific. In addition, European perch and round goby show diametrically different behavioural response to disturbance which could be an effect of holding different ecological niches as well as their anatomical differences.
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11
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Ombadi M, Varadharajan C. Urbanization and aridity mediate distinct salinity response to floods in rivers and streams across the contiguous United States. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118664. [PMID: 35671686 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Salinity is an important water quality parameter that affects ecosystem health and the use of freshwaters for industrial, agricultural, and other beneficial purposes. Although a number of studies have investigated the variability and trends of salinity in rivers and streams, the effects of floods on salinity across a wide range of watersheds have not been determined. Here, we examine this question by utilizing long-term observational records of daily streamflow and specific conductance (SC; a proxy for salinity) in addition to catchment characteristics for 259 United States Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring sites in the contiguous United States spanning a wide range of climatic, geologic and hydrologic conditions. We used a combination of statistical methods, random forest machine learning models, and information-theoretic causal inference algorithms to determine the response of SC to floods and the factors that impact salinity changes within sites (intra-site variability) and across sites (inter-site variability). Our results show that changes to SC during flood events exhibited substantial variability ranging from a 100% decrease to 34% increase relative to the long-term mean. We found that dilution is the prevailing mechanism that decreases SC levels during floods for most sites, but other mechanisms caused an increase of SC for 6.1% (n = 5521) of flood events. Our analysis revealed that antecedent conditions of SC in the few days preceding the flood are the most important factor in explaining intra-site variability. The response of salinity to floods also varied considerably across sites with different characteristics, with a notable effect of urbanization in temperate climates resulting in increased dilution of SC, and mining in arid climates, which adversely increases SC levels. Overall, we find that the combined effect of aridity and anthropogenic factors is of primary importance in determining how salinity responds to floods, and it bears strongly on water quality conditions in a future world - one in which floods are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, concurrent with shifting aridity patterns and increasing urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Ombadi
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA.
| | - Charuleka Varadharajan
- Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
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12
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Po BHK, Wood CM. Transepithelial potential remains indicative of major ion toxicity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after 4-day pre-exposure to major salts. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 246:106132. [PMID: 35286992 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Multi-Ion Toxicity (MIT) Model uses electrochemical theory to predict the transepithelial potential (TEP) across the gills as an index of major ion toxicity in freshwater animals. The goal is to determine environmental criteria that will be protective of aquatic organisms exposed to salt pollution. In recent studies, TEP disturbances above baseline (ΔTEP) during short-term exposures to major ions have been proven as indicative of their toxicity to fish, in accord with the MIT model. However, the acute 1-h exposures used in these previous studies might not be realistic relative to the 24 h or 96 h test periods used for toxicity assessment. To address this temporal inconsistency, the current study investigated both the TEP responses to serial concentrations of 10 major salts (NaCl, Na2SO4, NaHCO3, KCl, K2SO4, KHCO3, CaCl2, CaSO4, MgCl2, MgSO4) and plasma ion levels in juvenile rainbow trout after they had been pre-exposed to 50% of the 96h-LC50 levels of these same salts for 4 days. The pre-exposures caused no mortalities. In general, plasma ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-) were well-regulated; however, pre-exposure to sulfate salts resulted in the greatest number of alterations in plasma ion levels. TEP responses remained largely similar to those of naïve trout (without salt pre-exposure). All salts caused hyperbolic concentration-dependent increases in TEP that were well-described by the Michaelis-Menten equation. In the pre-exposed trout, the variation of ∆TEP at the 96h-LC50 concentrations was only 2.2-fold, compared to nearly 28-fold variation among the molar concentrations of the various salts at the 96h-LC50s, identical to the conclusion for naïve trout. Overall, the results remove the temporal inconsistency of previous tests and remain supportive of the MIT model. In addition, the recorded alterations in certain plasma ions, baseline TEP, and Michaelis-Menten constants improve our knowledge on specific physiological responses after extended major ion exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly H K Po
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.
| | - Chris M Wood
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4; Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1.
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13
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Current water quality guidelines across North America and Europe do not protect lakes from salinization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115033119. [PMID: 35193976 PMCID: PMC8892338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115033119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The salinity of freshwater ecosystems is increasing worldwide. Given that most freshwater organisms have no recent evolutionary history with high salinity, we expect them to have a low tolerance to elevated salinity caused by road deicing salts, agricultural practices, mining operations, and climate change. Leveraging the results from a network of experiments conducted across North America and Europe, we showed that salt pollution triggers a massive loss of important zooplankton taxa, which led to increased phytoplankton biomass at many study sites. We conclude that current water quality guidelines established by governments in North America and Europe do not adequately protect lake food webs, indicating an immediate need to establish guidelines where they do not exist and to reassess existing guidelines. Human-induced salinization caused by the use of road deicing salts, agricultural practices, mining operations, and climate change is a major threat to the biodiversity and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Yet, it is unclear if freshwater ecosystems are protected from salinization by current water quality guidelines. Leveraging an experimental network of land-based and in-lake mesocosms across North America and Europe, we tested how salinization—indicated as elevated chloride (Cl−) concentration—will affect lake food webs and if two of the lowest Cl− thresholds found globally are sufficient to protect these food webs. Our results indicated that salinization will cause substantial zooplankton mortality at the lowest Cl− thresholds established in Canada (120 mg Cl−/L) and the United States (230 mg Cl−/L) and throughout Europe where Cl− thresholds are generally higher. For instance, at 73% of our study sites, Cl− concentrations that caused a ≥50% reduction in cladoceran abundance were at or below Cl− thresholds in Canada, in the United States, and throughout Europe. Similar trends occurred for copepod and rotifer zooplankton. The loss of zooplankton triggered a cascading effect causing an increase in phytoplankton biomass at 47% of study sites. Such changes in lake food webs could alter nutrient cycling and water clarity and trigger declines in fish production. Current Cl− thresholds across North America and Europe clearly do not adequately protect lake food webs. Water quality guidelines should be developed where they do not exist, and there is an urgent need to reassess existing guidelines to protect lake ecosystems from human-induced salinization.
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14
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Peng Y, Yang X, Li H, Iqbal M, Li A, Zhang J, Zhang M, Li J, Zhou D. Salt-contaminated water inducing pulmonary hypertension and kidney damage by increasing Ang II concentration in broilers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:1134-1143. [PMID: 34347242 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13358-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
NaCl is the main component of freshwater salinization. High NaCl concentration in drinking water can cause pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) and kidney damage in broilers. To explore the effect of NaCl in drinking water on broilers' kidneys, this study divided 80 chickens into four groups. With the control group fed with pure water, broiler chickens were fed with fresh water (FW, NaCl 1 g/L), low salt-contaminated water (L-SCW, NaCl 2.5 g/L), and high salt-contaminated water (H-SCW, NaCl 5 g/L). The results show that ascites heart index (AHI) and hematocrit (HCT) of broilers increase in L-SCW and H-SCW, the serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine of broilers increase significantly, the kidney index increases, the kidney sections show vacuolar degeneration and fibrotic degeneration, and the TUNEL results show that the kidneys possess obvious apoptosis. In addition, the detection of RAAS-related genes (AGT gene in the liver, REN in the kidney, ACE in the lung) demonstrates that after using salt-contaminated water, the transcription levels of AGT, REN, and ACE rise significantly, and the concentration of angiotensin II (Ang II) also increases significantly. In order to verify the effect of Ang II on broiler kidneys, this research used exogenous Ang II to treat chicken embryonic kidney (CEK) cells. The results show that the cell activity of CEK decreased with the increase of the concentration of exogenous Ang II. Meanwhile, the flow cytometry assay shows that Ang II could promote the apoptosis of CEK cells. These results indicate that the salt-contaminated water can aggravate PHS and cause kidney damage. The mechanism may be related to the increase of Ang II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
- Hainan College of Vocation and Technique, No.95 Nanhai Avenue, Longhua District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, 570105, China
| | - Xiaoqi Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Mudassar Iqbal
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
- University College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Aoyun Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiabin Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiakui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Donghai Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Freshwater salinisation: a research agenda for a saltier world. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:440-453. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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16
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Walker SE, Robbins G, Helton AM, Lawrence BA. Road salt inputs alter biogeochemistry but not plant community composition in exurban forested wetlands. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha E. Walker
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
| | - Gary Robbins
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
| | - Ashley M. Helton
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
- Center for Environmental Science and Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
| | - Beth A. Lawrence
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
- Center for Environmental Science and Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USA
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17
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Application of Polyaluminium Chloride Coagulant in Urban River Water Treatment Influenced the Microbial Community in River Sediment. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13131791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Polyaluminium chloride (PAC) has been widely used as a chemical coagulant in water treatment. However, little is known about the impact of PAC performance on the microbial community in sediments. In this study, the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal communities in urban river sediments with and without PAC treatment were investigated. Prokaryotic diversity decreased at the PAC addition site (A2) and increased along with the river flow (from A3 to A4), while eukaryotic diversity was the opposite. The abundance of core microbiota showed a similar trend. For example, the dominant Proteobacteria presented the highest relative abundance in A1 (26.8%) and the lowest in A2 (15.3%), followed by A3 (17.5%) and A4 (23.0%). In contrast, Rozellomycota was more dominant in A2 (56.6%) and A3 (58.1%) than in A1 (6.2%) and A4 (16.3%). Salinity, total dissolved solids, and metal contents were identified as the key physicochemical factors affecting the assembly of core microorganisms. The predicted functions of archaea and fungi were mainly divided into methane cycling and saprotrophic nutrition, respectively, while bacterial function was more diversified. The above findings are helpful to enhance our understanding of microorganism response to PAC and have significance for water treatment within the framework of microecology.
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18
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Po BHK, Wood CM. Trans-epithelial potential (TEP) response as an indicator of major ion toxicity in rainbow trout and goldfish exposed to 10 different salts in ion-poor water. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 276:116699. [PMID: 33639489 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems are facing increasing contamination by major ions. The Multi-Ion Toxicity (MIT) model, a new tool for risk assessment and regulation, predicts major ion toxicity to aquatic organisms by relating it to a critical disturbance of the trans-epithelial potential (TEP) across the gills, as predicted by electrochemical theory. The model is based on unproven assumptions. We tested some of these by directly measuring the acute TEP responses to a geometric series of 10 different single salts (NaCl, Na2SO4, KCl, K2SO4, CaCl2, CaSO4, MgCl2, MgSO4, NaHCO3, KHCO3) in the euryhaline rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the stenohaline goldfish (Carassius auratus) acclimated to very soft, ion-poor water (hardness 10 mg CaCO3/L). Results were compared to 24-h and 96-h LC50 data from the literature, mainly from fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). All salts caused concentration-dependent increases in TEP to less negative/more positive values, in patterns well-described by the Michaelis-Menten equation, or a modified version incorporating substrate inhibition. The ΔTEP above baseline became close to a maximum at the 96-h LC50, except for the HCO3- salts. Furthermore, the range of ΔTEP values at the LC50 within one species was much more consistent (1.6- to 2.1-fold variation) than the molar concentrations of the different salts at the LC50 (19- to 25-fold variation). ΔTEP responses were related to cation rather than anion concentrations. Overall patterns were qualitatively similar between trout and goldfish, with some quantitative differences, and also in general accord with recently published data on three other species in harder water where ΔTEP responses were much smaller. Blood plasma Na+ and K+ concentrations were minimally affected by the exposures. The results are in accord with most but not all of the assumptions of the MIT model and support its further development as a predictive tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly H K Po
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Chris M Wood
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada; Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33149, USA.
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19
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Galella JG, Kaushal SS, Wood KL, Reimer JE, Mayer PM. Sensors track mobilization of 'chemical cocktails' in streams impacted by road salts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:035017-35017. [PMID: 34017359 PMCID: PMC8128710 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abe48f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Increasing trends in base cations, pH, and salinity of freshwaters have been documented in U.S. streams over 50 years. These patterns, collectively known as Freshwater Salinization Syndrome (FSS), are driven by multiple processes, including applications of road salt and human-accelerated weathering of impervious surfaces, reductions in acid rain, and other anthropogenic legacies of change. FSS mobilizes chemical cocktails of distinct elemental mixtures via ion exchange, and other biogeochemical processes. We analyzed impacts of FSS on streamwater chemistry across five urban watersheds in the Baltimore-Washington, USA metropolitan region. Through combined grab-sampling and high-frequency monitoring by USGS sensors, regression relationships were developed among specific conductance and major ion and trace metal concentrations. These linear relationships were statistically significant in most of the urban streams (e.g., R2 = 0.62 and 0.43 for Mn and Cu, respectively), and showed that specific conductance could be used as a proxy to predict concentrations of major ions and trace metals. Major ions and trace metals analyzed via linear regression and principal component analysis (PCA) showed co-mobilization (i.e., correlations among combinations of specific conductance, Mn, Cu, Sr2+, and all base cations during certain times of year and hydrologic conditions). Co-mobilization of metals and base cations was strongest during peak snow events but could continue over 24 hours after specific conductance peaked, suggesting ongoing cation exchange in soils and stream sediments. Mn and Cu concentrations predicted from specific conductance as a proxy indicated acceptable goodness of fit for predicted vs. observed values (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency > 0.28). Metals concentrations remained elevated for days after specific conductance decreased following snowstorms, suggesting lag times and continued mobilization after road salt use. High-frequency sensor monitoring and proxies associated with FSS may help better predict contaminant pulses and contaminant exceedances in response to salinization and impacts on aquatic life, infrastructure, and drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Galella
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park, MD 20140
| | - Sujay S Kaushal
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park, MD 20140
| | - Kelsey L Wood
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park, MD 20140
| | - Jenna E Reimer
- Department of Geology & Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park, MD 20140
| | - Paul M Mayer
- US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment Corvallis, OR 97333
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20
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Le TDH, Schreiner VC, Kattwinkel M, Schäfer RB. Invertebrate turnover along gradients of anthropogenic salinisation in rivers of two German regions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:141986. [PMID: 32911168 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Rising salinity in freshwater ecosystems can affect community composition. Previous studies mainly focused on changes in freshwater communities along gradients of absolute levels of electrical conductivity (EC). However, both geogenic and anthropogenic drivers contribute to the EC level and taxa may regionally be adapted to geogenic EC levels. Therefore, we examined the turnover in freshwater invertebrates along gradients of anthropogenic EC change in two regions of Germany. The anthropogenic change of EC was estimated as the difference between the measured EC and the modeled background EC driven by geochemical and climate variables. Turnover in freshwater invertebrates (β-diversity) was estimated using the Jaccard index (JI). We found that invertebrate turnover between EC gradient categories is generally greater than 47%, with a maximum of approximately 70% in sites with a more than 0.4 mS cm-1 change compared to the baseline (i.e. no difference between predicted and measured EC). The invertebrates Amphinemura sp., Anomalopterygella chauviniana and Leuctra sp. were reliable indicators of low EC change, whereas Potamopyrgus antipodarum indicated sites with the highest EC change. Variability within categories of EC change was slightly lower than within categories of absolute EC. Elevated nutrient concentrations that are often linked to land use may have contributed to the observed change of the invertebrate richness and can exacerbate effects of EC on communities in water. Overall, our study suggests that the change in EC, quantified as the difference between measured EC and modeled background EC, can be used to examine the response of invertebrate communities to increasing anthropogenic salinity concentrations in rivers. However, due to the strong correlation between EC change and observed EC in our study regions, the response to these two variables was very similar. Further studies in areas where EC change and observed EC are less correlated are required. In addition, such studies should consider the change in specific ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trong Dieu Hien Le
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany; Faculty of Resources & Environment, University of Thu Dau Mot, 06 Tran Van On street, Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong, Viet Nam.
| | - Verena C Schreiner
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Mira Kattwinkel
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
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21
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Baberschke N, Schaefer F, Meinelt T, Kloas W. Ion-rich potash mining effluents affect sperm motility parameters of European perch, Perca fluviatilis, and impair early development of the common roach, Rutilus rutilus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 752:141938. [PMID: 32898804 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Secondary salinization of freshwater ecosystems is of increasing global concern. One of the main causes are the effluents of the potash mining industry containing high concentrations of major ions (Cl-, Na+, Mg2+, K+). In Germany, the ongoing discharge of effluents into the River Werra led to a strong impoverishment of the biodiversity and abundance of local species. Young cohorts of many freshwater fish are completely absent suggesting reproductive failure under these conditions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to experimentally investigate the effects of high concentrations and imbalances of ions that are prevalent in potash mining effluents on reproductive traits of native freshwater teleosts. Sperm motility parameters of the common roach, Rutilus rutilus, and European perch, Perca fluviatilis, were assessed as well as fertilization rate, egg size, hatching, malformations and mortality of embryonic and larval stages of roach. Concentrations of the permitted thresholds (HT) and future thresholds (LT) as well as three ion solutions containing high Mg2+ (Mg), high K+ (K) and both in combination (Mg + K) were tested. Curvilinear velocity and linearity of perch spermatozoa were elevated with potentially adverse effects on fertilization success. Sperm motility parameters and fertilization rate of roach were not affected. However, egg sizes of roach were increased in all groups due to the osmotic action of ions and in LT, premature hatch was observed. Furthermore, all groups comprised a higher number of malformations including pericardial edema and spine curvatures and group HT exhibited a higher mortality rate compared to control. The results clearly demonstrated that particularly the sum of high concentrations of ions, as prevalent in HT and LT, rather than individual ion species exerts detrimental effects on early development of roach potentially increasing overall mortality under natural conditions. These results emphasize that currently permitted and future thresholds are exceeding tolerated ion concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Baberschke
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Fabian Schaefer
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Meinelt
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Kloas
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany; Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Invalidenstraße 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany; Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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Dugan HA, Skaff NK, Doubek JP, Bartlett SL, Burke SM, Krivak-Tetley FE, Summers JC, Hanson PC, Weathers KC. Lakes at Risk of Chloride Contamination. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:6639-6650. [PMID: 32353225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b07718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Lakes in the Midwest and Northeast United States are at risk of anthropogenic chloride contamination, but there is little knowledge of the prevalence and spatial distribution of freshwater salinization. Here, we use a quantile regression forest (QRF) to leverage information from 2773 lakes to predict the chloride concentration of all 49 432 lakes greater than 4 ha in a 17-state area. The QRF incorporated 22 predictor variables, which included lake morphometry characteristics, watershed land use, and distance to the nearest road and interstate. Model predictions had an r2 of 0.94 for all chloride observations, and an r2 of 0.86 for predictions of the median chloride concentration observed at each lake. The four predictors with the largest influence on lake chloride concentrations were low and medium intensity development in the watershed, crop density in the watershed, and distance to the nearest interstate. Almost 2000 lakes are predicted to have chloride concentrations above 50 mg L-1 and should be monitored. We encourage management and governing agencies to use lake-specific model predictions to assess salt contamination risk as well as to augment their monitoring strategies to more comprehensively protect freshwater ecosystems from salinization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary A Dugan
- Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 680 North Park Street Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Nicholas K Skaff
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Jonathan P Doubek
- School of Natural Resources & Environment and Center for Freshwater Research and Education, Lake Superior State University, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan 49783, United States
| | - Sarah L Bartlett
- NEW Water, 2231 North Quincy Street Green Bay, Wisconsin 54302, United States
| | - Samantha M Burke
- University of Guelph, School of Environmental Sciences, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Flora E Krivak-Tetley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03768, United States
| | - Jamie C Summers
- WSP Canada Incorporated, 2300 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E4, Canada
| | - Paul C Hanson
- Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 680 North Park Street Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Kathleen C Weathers
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York 12545, United States
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Cañedo-Argüelles M, Kefford B, Schäfer R. Salt in freshwaters: causes, effects and prospects - introduction to the theme issue. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 374:rstb.2018.0002. [PMID: 30509904 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are globally increasing the salt concentration of freshwaters (i.e. freshwater salinization), leading to significant effects at the population, community and ecosystem level. The present theme issue focuses on priority research questions and delivers results that contribute to shaping the future research agenda on freshwater salinization as well as fostering our capacity to manage salinization. The issue is structured along five topics: (i) the estimation of future salinity and evaluation of the relative contribution of the different drivers; (ii) the physiological responses of organisms to alterations in ion concentrations with a specific focus on the osmophysiology of freshwater insects and the responses of different organisims to seawater intrusion; (iii) the impact of salinization on ecosystem functioning, also considering the connections between riparian and stream ecosystems; (iv) the role of context in moderating the response to salinization. The contributions scrutinise the role of additional stressors, biotic interactions, the identify of the ions and their ratios, as well as of the biogeographic and evolutionary context; and (v) the public discourse on salinization and recommendations for management and regulation. In this paper we introduce the general background of salinization, outline research gaps and report key findings from the contributions to this theme issue.This article is part of the theme issue 'Salt in freshwaters: causes, ecological consequences and future prospects'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
- Grup de recerca FEHM (Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management), Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciència Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ben Kefford
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Ralf Schäfer
- Department of Quantitative Landscape Ecology, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstr. 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
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Entrekin SA, Clay NA, Mogilevski A, Howard-Parker B, Evans-White MA. Multiple riparian-stream connections are predicted to change in response to salinization. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 374:20180042. [PMID: 30509922 PMCID: PMC6283969 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Secondary freshwater salinization, a common anthropogenic alteration, has detrimental, lethal and sub-lethal effects on aquatic biota. Ions from secondary salinization can become toxic to terrestrial and aquatic organisms when exposed to salinized runoff that causes periodic high-concentration pulses. Gradual, low-level (less than 1000 ppm salinity) increases in salt concentrations are also commonly documented in regions with urbanization, agriculture, drilling and mining. Despite widespread low-level salt increases, little is known about the biological and ecological consequences in coupled riparian-stream systems. Recent research indicates lethal and even sub-lethal levels of ions can subsidize or stress microbial decomposer and macroinvertebrate detritivores that could lead to alterations of three riparian-stream pathways: (i) salinized runoff that changes microbial decomposer and macroinvertebrate detritivore and algae performance leading to changes in composition and processing of detrital pools; (ii) riparian plant salt uptake and altered litter chemistry, and litterfall for riparian and aquatic detritivores and their subsequent enrichment, stimulating decomposition rates and production of dissolved and fine organic matter; and (iii) salt consumption in salinized soils could increase riparian detritivore growth, decomposition and dissolved organic matter production. Subsidy-stress and reciprocal flows in coupled riparian-stream connections provide frameworks to identify the extent and magnitude of changes in detrital processing from salinization.This article is part of the theme issue 'Salt in freshwaters: causes, ecological consequences and future prospects'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Entrekin
- Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 72035, USA
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Natalie A Clay
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
| | | | - Brooke Howard-Parker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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25
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Gorostiza S, Saurí D. Naturalizing pollution: a critical social science view on the link between potash mining and salinization in the Llobregat river basin, northeast Spain. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 374:rstb.2018.0006. [PMID: 30509908 PMCID: PMC6283971 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The scientific literature distinguishes between primary or natural and secondary or human-induced salinization. Assessing this distinction is of vital importance to assign liabilities and responsibilities in pollution cases and for designing the best policy and management actions. In this context, actors interested in downplaying the role of certain drivers of human-induced salinization can attempt to neglect its importance by referring to natural salinization, in a similar fashion to other pollution and health-related cases, from tobacco smoke to climate change. Potash mining, which has experienced continued growth during the last decades and is a significant contributor to salinization, is prone to originate such controversies because natural salinization from the saline geological catch can be mixed with salinization produced by mining waste such as brines and mine tailings, thus obscuring the distinction between causes. By reviewing the long-standing social and environmental conflict caused by potash mining in a region of Mediterranean climate—the Llobregat river basin—in this article, we highlight the importance of the impacts of salinization on human health and provide a critical social science perspective on salinization processes. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Salt in freshwaters: causes, ecological consequences and future prospects’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Gorostiza
- Institut de Ciències i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Saurí
- Departament de Geografia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalunya, Spain
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