Fish species diversity as indicator of pollution in Ikpoba River, Benin City, Nigeria

The composition and distribution of fish in the Ikpoba reservoir were investigated. A total of fifty-seven species of fish belonging to thirty-nine genera and twenty-three families were recorded. Of these, 46 species were recorded at the upstream station, 35 at the reservoir, 24 at the slope and 32 at the downstream station. The percentage compositions were 81%, 61%, 42% and 56% respectively. There were 21 ubiquitous species while the distribution of the other species showed variability indicating effects of habitat condition. Species diversity indices showed that the upstream section was richer, more diverse with species more evenly distributed than the other stations. Heavy metal analysis of the dominant fish species showed higher mean levels than the background levels. Metal contamination factor and bioaccumulation quotient were variable in the fishes and in the stations but followed a ranked order of 3 > 2 > 4 > 1 by station. Comparison of stations using ANOVA revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the upstream and the slope stations.     

应用指示种预测森林管理对物种多样性及群落组成的影响

采用指示种分析方法,研究了会同亚热带森林物种多样性和群落组成对森林管理的响应.从357个林下种中鉴定出显著性指示种94个,并构造新的指示种数据集,检验指示种数据集和源群落数据集之间的关联,评估指示种对林下植被管理效应的预测潜能.结果表明:指示种数据集和源群落数据集之间存在极显著的关联(Mantel r=0.898),指示种数据集很好地预测了生物多样性的变化(回归分析,R2>0.74);指示种很好地预测了群落组成对森林管理的响应(ANOVA,F>16.79);非度量多尺度排序(NMDS)以及K-means聚类分析表明,对于不同森林管理的样地类型,指示种数据集的识别能力和源群落数据集是一致的.从物种多样性、群落组成以及在森林类型的识别上,指示种数据集和源群落数据集有一致性规律,作用几乎相同,因此森林评估可以利用指示种代替源群落预测森林管理效应,以减少森林全面调查的成本.     

Molluscs and biodegradable pollution in rivers: proposal for a scale of sensitivity of species

Malacological surveys and physico-shemical water analysis have been carried out at one hundred and sixty stations in France, distributed accross five major catchment areas. The relationships between six of the variables: dissolved oxygen, BOD₅, ammonia nitrogen, nitrites, Kjeldhal nitrogen and orthophosphates can be considered as indicators of biodegradable pollution and the populations of forty eight species of molluscs have been studied using correspondence analysis. A scale of sensitivity of these to this type of pollution is presented.     

Vanadium as a tracer of oil pollution in the sediments of Kuwait

Vanadium is important as an indicator of oil pollution since oil is one of the main contributors of vanadium to the environment and because most crude oils contain relatively high concentrations of vanadium (30.6 ± 14.3 mg kg^–1 were measured in nine different Kuwait crudes). If oil has settled to the bottom and biodegradation has taken place, it is obvious that enrichment of vanadium in the sediment may be observed.More than 200 sampling sites were selected in the coastal zone of Kuwait and sediment samples were analyzed for grain size distribution, CaC0₃ content, heavy metals and TOC. The analytical results were normalized by taking into account the natural background levels of vanadium in different sediment fractions.After evaluation of the results, vanadium enrichments of as much as 10 to 77 mg kg^–1 were found at 15 sampling locations and of 1 to 10 mg kg^–1 at many others. The areas of vanadium enrichment in the sediments were located 3–5 km from the shoreline in the areas of wastewater discharges, near oil loading piers and in the shipping channels. There was no correlation between vanadium and TOC indicating that biodegradation of oils had taken place. However, high TOC values in the sediments were determined in the near shore sediments around the outlets.     

Epilithic and epipelic diatoms in the Sandusky River,with emphasis on species diversity and water pollution

Benthic diatom communities were collected seasonally from silty and rocky substrates to survey the water quality of the Sandusky River. Even though species composition was highly variable along the river, recurrent changes in relative abundance of specific diatom taxa and changes in overall community composition delineated areas where discharge of treated sewage affected water quality of the river. Changes in species diversity (Shannon formula), not decreases in diversity, marked the site where greatest pollution had occurred. Problems with using species diversity indices to indicate pollution tend to be related to predicting decreases in diversity in response to decreases in water quality. Evidence in the Sandusky River and the theories of diatom community dynamics suggest that species diversity can be greater in polluted areas than less polluted areas.     

Long-term changes in intertidal flat macrozoobenthos as an indicator of stress by organic pollution

Organic waste-water from beetsugar factories is being discharged by pipeline into the eastern part of the Dutch Wadden Sea since 1969 mainly in September–December. The organic waste load was high in the first four years and diminished considerably from 1974 onwards.From 1968 macrobenthos has been monitored at five permanent stations. Two of these stations were situated relatively close to the outfall of the pipe-line.Data on numerical density of seven macrobenthic species were analysed for synchrony of yearly fluctuations in order to discriminate between pollution-induced changes in population densities and changes due to variation of natural environmental factors.A great deal of concordance in density fluctuations was found between the five stations. Comparison with data from the western part of the Dutch Wadden Sea (150 km apart) revealed a relative good concordance of the density fluctuations in eastern (only 3 stations) and western Wadden Sea. The two stations close to the outfall showed an aberrant pattern of density variations due to the waste discharge.     

The effects of heavy metals pollution of the upper Arkansas River on the distribution of aquatic macroinvertebrates

Water quality, types, and diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates show that heavy metal pollution of the upper Arkansas River is presently moderately severe and conditions for aquatic life are generally poor, particularly in the Leadville area. A 2 year study was done on a 30 km section of the upper Arkansas River, Colorado, to determine the effects of heavy metals pollution on the distribution of the aquatic macroinvertebrates. Physical and chemical water parameters were measured, and aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected. The major sources of heavy metal-laden inflows are Leadville Drain, California Gulch, and a number of intermittent flows entering the Arkansas River between Lake Fork and Lake Creek. Important freshening flows are Tennessee Creek, Lake Fork (containing Halfmoon Creek), and Lake Creek.     

淮河淮南段与巢湖水质污染对鲫鱼（Carassius auratus）的毒性效应

研究了枯水期淮河淮南段及巢湖西半湖水质污染对鲫鱼的毒性效应。从淮河淮南段与巢湖采集鱼类样本,并以未受人为污染的安丰塘鱼类为对照,分析了鲫鱼肝脏丙二醛（Malondialdehyde,MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（Superoxide dismutase,SOD）活性、谷胱甘肽硫转移酶（Glutathione S-transferase,GST）活性、7-乙氧基异吩恶唑-O-脱乙基酶（7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase,EROD）活性及DNA单链损伤情况,结果表明,淮河淮南段鲫鱼肝脏MDA含量、SOD活性、GST活性、EROD活性均高于对照组,分别是对照组的2.88、1.48、2.03和3.93倍;巢湖鲫鱼肝脏MDA含量、SOD活性、EROD活性均高于对照组,分别是对照组的2.28、1.85和2.74倍。肝细胞DNA单链断裂的测定显示淮河淮南段与巢湖的水质污染均对鲫鱼有遗传毒性。     

Shifts in macrophyte species composition as a result of eutrophication and pollution in Dutch transboundary streams over the past decades

The catchment areas of transboundary streams in the Netherlands have been subject to increasing agricultural and industrial activities over the past decades. To evaluate the effects of these activities on the aquatic vegetation, a study has been carried out in 28 Dutch transboundary lowland streams. Recent data on distribution of 58 aquatic plant species and their growth forms were compared with historical data and were correlated with abiotic variables. Most of these streams lost species that are characteristic for streams and are sensitive to turbidity, eutrophication and pollution (e.g. Potamogeton alpinus, P. polygonifolius, P. densus, Ranunculus peltatus ssp. heterophyllus, Callitriche stagnalis and Myriophyllum alterniflorum.) Species, not common in streams but tolerant to turbidity, eutrophication or pollution (e.g. Potamogeton trichoides, Elodea nuttallii) appeared in many streams or increased in abundance. There was also a shift in growth forms: submerged species decreased or were replaced by emergent/floating-leaved species. Correspondence analysis was carried out to study the relation between the observed changes and the abiotic characteristic of the streams. The magnitude of the shift in species composition was positively correlated with the PO₄ ^3- concentration and pH (which was highly correlated with Cd²⁺) of the water. This leads to the hypothesis that increased input of sewage, agricultural and industrial water causes a change in species composition and main growth forms of aquatic plant species in lowland streams.     

Heavy metal pollution in Antarctica: a molecular ecotoxicological approach to exposure assessment

Trematomus bernacchii sampled from two sites at Ross Island, Antarctica, were assessed for condition (gonadal and hepatic somatic indices and condition factor), pathological state (liver and gill histology), hepatic metal (Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni) concentrations, and metallothionein induction by quantitative competitive (qc) RT-PCR. Fish from a polluted site (Winter Quarters Bay) had pathological anomalies including necrosis and periductal inflammation in their livers, and X-cell disease, epithelial hyperplasia, lamellar fusion and aneurysms in their gills. Such anomalies were less common in fish from a relatively pristine site (Backdoor Bay, Cape Royds). Fish from both sites had similar liver concentrations of Zn, Cu and Cd and qcRT-PCR revealed similar levels of hepatic metallothionein mRNA. Ni in the livers of fish from Winter Quarters Bay were higher than those in fish from Backdoor Bay, but the differences were not great enough to affect hepatic metallothionein mRNA significantly. Despite the polluted state of Winter Quarters Bay waters, it seems that the heavy metals present may have only limited impact on the health status of fish collected from this locality. This may reflect a low bioavailability of the heavy metals in Ross Island marine sediments and suggests that other factors, such as relatively high levels of organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs) or pathogens from the nearby sewage outlet, may play a more significant role in the aetiology of pathological conditions in fish from Winter Quarters Bay.     

Soil macroinvertebrates as indicators of pollution by heavy metals

A broad range of soil pollutants were found to decrease with distance from a zinc smelter from 35,000 to 77, 8270 to 40 and from 190 to less than 1 ppm for zinc, lead and cadmium, respectively. Along this gradient, observed species richness of soil macro-organisms seemed to be more affected by the land-use type than by soil pollution--minimum in crops (21), maximum in woody sites (126). IndVal index allowed isolation of 21 indicator species from the 339 morphospecies identified. Most of these indicator species were characteristic of the unpolluted sites: only two diplopods and one gastropod from polluted poplar plantations, and none from the most polluted site. Since soil invertebrates respond to different environmental factors, including direct effect of heavy metals, we suggest there may be some confounding factors generating spurious relationships between the values of species as bioindicators and the pollution status they are supposed to indicate.     

Assessing the influence of water and substratum quality on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in a metal-polluted stream: an experimental approach

SUMMARY 1. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the relative influence of water quality and substratum quality on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Animas River, a metal-polluted stream in south-western Colorado (U.S.A.).
2. A community-level in situ toxicity test measured direct effects of Animas River water on benthic invertebrates collected from a reference stream (Elk Creek). The effects of metal-contaminated biofilm were examined by comparing macroinvertebrate colonisation of clean and contaminated substrata placed in Elk Creek. A feeding experiment with the mayfly Baetis tricaudatus Dodds (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) examined metal bioaccumulation and effects of metal-contaminated biofilm on growth and survival.
3. Animas River water was acutely toxic to most taxa, with greatest effects observed on mayflies (Heptageniidae, Ephemerellidae) and stoneflies (Taeniopterygidae and Capniidae).
4. Although Animas River biofilm was characterised by high concentrations of metals and low algal biomass, most taxa colonised substratum from the reference stream and the Animas River equally. The exceptions were Ephemerellidae, Taeniopterygidae and Simuliidae, which were less abundant on Animas River substratum. Mayflies grazing Animas River biofilm accumulated significantly more metals and showed reduced growth compared with organisms feeding on Elk Creek biofilm.
5. Results of our experiments demonstrated that effects of heavy metals on benthic community structure in the Animas River were complex, and that responses to metals in water and contaminated substratum were species-specific. Predicting recovery of benthic communities following remediation requires an understanding of these species-specific responses.     

Bryophyte and Lichen Diversity Under Simulated Environmental Change Compared with Observed Variation in Unmanipulated Alpine Tundra

Effects of simulated environmental change on bryophyte and lichen species richness and diversity in alpine tundra were investigated in a 5-year experiment at Latnjajaure, northern Sweden. The experiment had a factorial design including fertilisation and temperature enhancement in one meadow and one heath plant community. Responses in species richness, biodiversity, and species composition of bryophytes and lichens to experimental treatments were compared to the observed variation in six naturally occurring plant communities. The combination of fertilisation and enhanced temperature resulted in a species impoverishment, for bryophytes in the bryophyte-dominated community, and for lichens in the lichen-dominated communities, but the species composition stayed within the observed natural variation. During the course of the study, no species new to the investigated mid-alpine landscape were recorded, but that scenario is realistic within a decade when comparing with the processes seen in vascular plants.     

佳木斯南郊不同生境蝶类多样性调查

2003年4月25日～2004年8月16日间,在佳木斯市南郊范围选择了4种不同生境的样地,对该地区蝴蝶种群结构及其多样性进行调查研究。共采集到蝴蝶1225只,隶属于7科49属71种。种类以蛱蝶最多,绢蝶最少。蝶种分布具有明显的区域性及比较稳定的优势种群分布,其中植被资源最丰富的四丰山区的物种多样性指数均高于其它研究区域,说明植被资源丰富度与蝶类丰富度之间有正相关关系。     

淮河安徽段水及沉积物中重金属的研究

对采集淮河安徽段水及沉积物样品,利用ICP-AES进行重金属分析,结果表明砷、铅、铬超标,在沉积物中的含量最多。研究区域的重金属开始富集于生物体内,已对水生态系统及水产品安全产生影响,应进一步加强检测工作,以便及时采取相应防治对策。     

The response of macroinvertebrate production to a pollution gradient in a headwater stream

1. This study quantified patterns of macroinvertebrate secondary production and stored benthic organic matter along a gradient of pollution and habitat channelisation over a 3‐km reach of Goosefare Brook, a first‐order stream in southern Maine (U.S.A.). 2. Whole‐community invertebrate production decreased from 26.4 g ash‐free dry mass (AFDM) m⁻² year⁻¹ at the reference station to 1.1 g AFDM m⁻² year⁻¹ at stations with the greatest levels of pollution. Production decreased along the pollution gradient for most taxa, although decreases were partly offset by production increases in tolerant taxa. Biomass turnover rates (P/B) were less affected by the stresses than was production. 3. Differences in functional characteristics of the community were evident at stations with channelised habitat, but overall production declined in a linear pattern that mirrored the pollution gradient. Stored organic matter showed a decline along the gradient, but was also lower at channelised stations. Populations of taxa with documented pollution tolerance were more likely to maintain or increase production and P/B. 4. Decreasing biomass because of decreasing stored organic matter and lethal effects of pollutants resulted in shifts in the pathways of energy flow observed at stations exposed to moderate physical or chemical stress, to the loss of most taxa and an extreme (96%) decrease in production at the stations receiving the highest levels of metal pollution. 5. The shifting prominence of different taxa along a continuum of stress in Goosefare Brook shows that describing the nature of an impairment in a functional context requires consideration of chemical stressors, habitat alterations and food resources.     

Arctic and subarctic soil populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii nodulating three different clover species: Characterisation by diversity at chromosomal and symbiosis loci

Indigenous soil populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii from Arctic and subarctic regions have been characterised with emphasis on chromosomal and symbiotic genes. Three clover species were used to trap rhizobia from soils along a latitudinal gradient from 78°N to 60°N in Norway. For the first time R. l. bv. trifolii was isolated from Svalbard at 78°N. Under the extreme conditions in the Arctic, rhizobia have survived as saprophytes and in symbiosis with clover legumes. The chromosomal diversity of the soil populations was mapped by rep-PCR. Separation of chromosomal types were strongly influenced by geographic origin. Symbiotic genes, the nodEF and nifDK IGS gene regions, were investigated by PCR-RFLP. The nifDK IGS were more conserved than the nodEF genes. Sym plasmids were widely distributed in different chromosomal types and across the latitudinal gradient.     

Factors influencing the species composition,distribution and abundance of benthic invertebrates in the profundal zone of a eutrophic northern lake

Factors influencing the species composition, distribution and abundance of benthic invertebrates were determined in a eutrophic subarctic lake from April 1978 to April 1979. Collections were made at five stations located at depths of 4 to 13 m. The largest populations of up to 5 × 10³ animals m^–2 were found in the deepest part of the lake. of the 24 species recorded in this area, the chironomidsProcladius denticulatus, Dicrotendipes modestus, Chironomus decorus andGlyptotendipes barbipes were most common. The strong development of benthos in the profundal zone was attributed to a consistently large supply of food and warm (4 °C) winter temperatures on bottom. Slightly smaller populations (up to 4 × 10³ animals, m^–2), composed of 19–23 species, occurred in shallower water, a reflection of lower (1.5 °C) winter temperatures. In the anoxic northern part of the lake, only 4–8 species were found in low numbers (400–1 000 animals m^–2). This was likely due to low (<5% saturation) oxygen levels in water and high organic content (18.5%) of the sediments.     

Accumulation of cadmium, lead and strontium, and a role of calcium oxalate in water hyacinth tolerance

Eichhornia crassipes plants brought from the River Nile were cultured in jars containing river water supplemented with various concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Sr (0 to 100 μg cm-3), added simultaneously. Treatment continued for 20 d during which each cultivation solution was being replaced with fresh one every 3 d. The growth of Eichhornia was drastically retarded at heavy metal concentrations higher than 15 μg cm-3. At concentrations 15 or 25 μg cm-3, the accumulation of Cd and Pb to levels several times higher than those in control plants was found. More than 50 % of the uptaken metals were retained by roots alone. Leaves and leaf petiols received around 30 and 20 % of the accumulated metals, respectively. X-ray microanalysis indicated the presence of the three heavy metals in Ca oxalate crystals. Content of metals in the crystals increased progressively over time of exposure in a way similar to those in whole plant tissues. These results suggest a possible role for Ca oxalate crystalization in toxic heavy metal deposition and thus tolerance by Eichhornia. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.