Effect of urban and industrial wastes on species diversity of the diatom community in a tropical river,Malaysia

Monthly species diversity and other components of diversity of diatom samples collected over a period of one year at eight stations in the Linggi River Basin, Malaysia were analysed. Species diversity ranged between 0.52–3.62 bits individua^–1. Among the four stations located in the Linggi River (sensu stricto), highest diversity values were recorded at a station polluted by rubber effluent, followed by the stations unpolluted from point sources. Lowest diversity was recorded at a station polluted with urban sewage. At Kundor River, highest diversity was recorded at stations located downstream of rubber and palm oil waste discharges. On the whole, diversity values at unpolluted stations were always lower than at mildly polluted stations. Severe organic loadings caused low diversity by reducing the number of species (species richness) but did not increase the evenness (equitability) as expected when compared with unpolluted or mildly polluted stations. The changes in species diversity can be related to changes in diatom community structure and thereby changes in water quality, but cannot be used as an index of water quality.     

Predicting diatom communities at the genus level for the rapid biological assessment of rivers

1. Diatoms were sampled in the spring of 1994 and the autumn of 1995 at 137 pristine or near-pristine reference sites on large and small streams at various altitudes in eastern New South Wales and Victoria. Scrapings were taken from five firm substrata across a range of microhabitat conditions at each site on each occasion. For each substratum, 100 valves were identified to genus level. 2. Multivariate statistical models were constructed to predict the probability of occurrence of each genus at a given site under near-pristine conditions on the basis of physical features of the site that are not affected by human activity. Model predictions were compared with the flora observed at the reference sites and at 55 test sites affected by varying degrees of human disturbance. 3. Test sites were characterized more by the presence of genera not predicted by the model than by the absence of predicted genera. The degree of departure from model predictions was related mainly to increasing alkalinity, electrical conductivity, hardness and pH of river water. We therefore conclude that the main effect of human activity on the composition of diatom communities in the rivers of coastal south-eastern Australia has been to increase genus richness through enrichment with alkaline salts. 4. The models did not perform as well as similar models applied to river macroinvertebrates at the family level, perhaps because of greater temporal variability in diatom communities and differences in the environmental variables to which diatoms and macroinvertebrates respond. Means of improving the current models are discussed.     

Assessment of Water Pollution using Diatom Community Structure and Species Distribution — A Case Study in a Tropical River Basin

A study on biological assessment of water pollution using diatom community structure and species distribution was carried out in the Linggi River Basin, Malaysia which was polluted by various urban, industrial and agricultural wastes. A total of 86 diatom taxa belonging to 21 genera were recorded from all eight sampling stations located in the basin, of which 70 species were found on artificial substrates; the remaining 16 species were recorded exclusively on natural substrates. The number of diatom species observed between the stations varied from 22-47 species. The dominant diatom species in decreasing order of abundance were Eunotia vanheurckii, Nitzschia palea, Achnanthes saxonica, Gomphonema parvulum and Achnanthes minutissima. The most common clean water species were Achnanthes minutissima, A. linearis and Synedra rumpens. The most tolerant species were Nitzschia palea followed by Gomphonema parvulum and Pinnularia braunii. Eunotia vanheurckii and Navicula cryptocephala occurred in high densities at both unpolluted and polluted stations and can be considered as the common facultative or indifferent species. Although a large number of species were recorded at the unpolluted stations, equivalent number of species were also found at the moderately polluted stations. However, the number of species was reduced at grossly polluted stations. Nevertheless, a marked variation in species association exists between the unpolluted and polluted stations, but not among the polluted stations to distinguish the type and degree of pollution.     

山西桑干河流域湿地植被物种多样性研究

以109个样方调查数据为基础,采用丰富度指数、物种多样性指数和均匀度指数对山西桑干河流域湿地植物群落的物种多样性进行了研究,并用方差分析和多重比较的方法研究了各群落之间多样性指数的差异程度。研究结果表明：各植被类型的物种多样性指数大小排列依次为：柽柳—委陵菜群落＞柽柳+沙棘—鹅观草群落＞柽柳—鹅绒委陵菜群落＞柽柳—芦苇群落＞芦苇+水蓼+莎草群落＞芦苇+苔草群落＞百里香+铁杆蒿群落＞香蒲+水蓼群落＞水葱+轮藻+眼子菜群落＞藨草+莎草+泽泻群落＞水葱+藨草+芦苇群落＞狐尾藻+香蒲群落＞慈姑+芦苇群落＞水蓼+慈姑群落＞水莎草+水稗群落。对12种多样性指数进行比较后发现,R₀、H′和E₄优于其他指数。     

Dynamics of diatom colonization process in some rivers influenced by urban pollution (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Periphytic diatom communities’ colonization patterns were studied at three sampling stations of the Red–Nhue–Tolich hydrosystem presenting different urban pollution levels by using artificial substrates for 6 weeks in dry season 2005. Structural characteristics of periphytic diatoms developed on glass substrates at each sampling site were followed and compared. This experiment showed, through various general criteria (total diatom density, dry weight biomass) and specific criteria (relative diatom abundances, indices) that the structure of benthic diatoms developed on these substrates was strongly affected by pollution as early as the second week of colonization. Communities exposed to heavily and moderately polluted sites contained species which are known to be saprophilous or tolerant to organic pollution such as Nitzschia umbonata, Nitzschia palea, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Eolimna minima. Growth inhibition of diatom communities at the heavily polluted site was mostly related to a strong increase of organic load rather than to low metallic input, though metallic (Cd and Zn) burdens have been successfully quantified in the biofilms developed at the three studied sites. Nevertheless, no significant difference in species richness and diversity index between colonization duration times was observed. Based on values of diatom indices Indice de Polluosensibilité (IPS) and diatom assemblage index to organic water pollution (DAIPo), water quality could be classified as medium quality at Red site, polluted at NT₂ and heavily polluted at TL. Thus, the use of diatoms as a tool for water assessment appears suitable for monitoring rivers in Vietnam, as it is in several other countries.     

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.     

Fish parasite communities in tropical reservoirs along the Perak River, Malaysia

The parasite communities of fish in three reservoirs (Temengor, Kenering and Cenderuh) along the Perak River, as well as in the lower Perak, are compared. A total of 36 species, 51 species, 61 species and 58 species of metazoan parasites from six types of fishes common in all studied locations, were obtained in Temengor, Kenering, Cenderuh Reservoirs, and downstream Perak River, respectively. The various criteria (prevalence, mean intensity, diversity index, similarity index and evenness) of the parasite community were highest at the Cenderuh Reservoir, followed by the downstream river, Kenering, and Temengor Reservoirs. Monogeneans were the most common parasites in all species of fish examined from all study sites. Fish of the same species showed a high degree of similarity of its parasite fauna regardless of study site, but different hosts had a low similarity of their parasite fauna, even within the same study site. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

湘江流域工业污染源对农田生态系统土壤动物群落影响的研究

对湘江流域工业污染区的土壤动物群落研究表明,接近污染源和污染物质富集的农田,土壤动物的种类和数量减少;工业污染区土壤的污染主要是重金属有毒物质的过量累积。调查共获得29类土壤动物,隶属于4门10纲,动物的种类与数量随着重金属污染程度的增加而递减,土壤动物密度与重金属元素Hg、Cd,zn、Cu、As、Pb的浓度密切相关,这在污染模拟实验中也得到证明。     

Effects of disturbance caused by selective timber extraction on fish communities in Sabah, Malaysia

To examine the effects of selective timber extraction on fish communities in Sabah, Malaysia, quantitative samples of fishes were taken from thirteen streams running through undisturbed rainforest or through forest that had been selectively logged 3–18 years previously. Multivariate analysis (canonical discriminant analysis and cluster analysis) indicated that mesohabitats within streams (riffles and pools) and differences in stream size were more important in determining community structure than logging history. Riffles in streams running through logged or undisturbed forest were indistinguishable using relative biomass or abundance data, as were pools from small streams (approximate order 2). Fish communities from pools in larger streams showed some separation in multivariate space corresponding to a complex set of relative changes in abundance and/or biomass between species. However it was difficult to unambiguously assign such changes to logging regime alone. There appeared to be some differences in fish communities between streams in recently-logged (3–7 years) and old-logged (17–18 years) areas related to abundance or biomass of three cyprinids (Garra borneensis, Lobocheilos bo and Osteochilus chini). Only one species, Pangio mariarum, was not found in streams in logged forest, but it was only found at one location in undisturbed forest. A number of other species showed significant differences in abundance or biomass between sites but most of these were only present at some sites and in low abundance. Principal components analysis of habitat data showed that riffle sites were homogeneous whatever their logging history as were pools in unlogged large streams. Pools in logged large streams were significantly more heterogeneous but in a random rather than systematic manner. It is concluded that the type of selective logging practices used locally have low impact on fish communities through mechanisms of persistence and/or rapid recolonisation.     

塔里木河下游植物群落的物种数量变化与生态系统动态研究

物种多样性是指物种及其集合体的生物学多样性。物种多样性研究的核心是物种的数量变化和物种的生物学多样性程度。本文根据野外采集的数据 ,运用Simpson指数、McIn tosh指数以及Margalef指数 ,对塔里木河下游英苏、阿布达勒、喀尔达依、阿拉干、依干不及麻等地区的物种多样性指数分别进行了计算 ,并根据计算得到的生物多样性指数探讨了干旱区退化生态系统的物种多样性以及在干旱区物种多样性与生态系统稳定性之间的关系。结果表明 ,塔里木河下游从英苏至依干不及麻 ,Simpson多样性指数的变化范围为 0 82～ 0 2 6 ,McIn tosh均匀度指数的变化范围为 0 6 0～ 0 1 8,Margalef丰富度指数的变化范围为 1 4 7～ 0 38,物种数的变化范围是 9～ 2。分析表明塔里木河下游生态系统退化十分严重 ,并据此讨论了塔里木河下游生态系统退化的特征、演替动态及稳定性     

Field assessment of the potential of algicidal bacteria against diatom blooms

The possible use of algicidal bacteria for the efficient termination of natural freshwater diatom blooms with minimal adverse effects on the freshwater ecosystem was assessed under laboratory and field conditions. A field mesocosm (150 L) was dosed with a single application of isolate SK09, and monitored at Samnang jin in the lower part of the Nakdong River (South Korea) over 12 days of the winter season. We found that the tested bacterium acted against some species of Stephanodiscus- and Aulacoseira-like structures on in vitro and in vivo diatom blooms. However, this bacterium failed to fully control in vivo natural blooms of Stephanodiscus due to the low water temperatures of less than 10°C and predation activity of protozooplankton (heterotrophic nanoflagellates and ciliates). In addition, its selective inhibition indirectly affected the decrease of dissolved oxygen levels, the dramatic regeneration of N and P by the large-scale Stephanodiscus-lysing process, and a great increase in algal biomass of genera Chlamydomonas. This strongly suggests the necessity of developing an effective strategy for enhancing the activity of algicidal bacteria, and for mitigating some drawbacks to effectively and safely regulate natural diatom blooms.     

Epilithic diatom community response to years of P04 fertilization: Kuparuk River,Alaska (68 N Lat.)

An arctic river was fertilized continuously through the ice-free season with phosphoric acid beginning in 1983. The epilithic diatom community increased in biomass in the first two years in response to the added limiting nutrient (Peterson et al., 1983). The diatom community switched from one dominated by Hannea arcus to one dominated by species of Achnanthes and Cymbella. The immediate responses to the P-addition were decreases in both the Shannon diversity and evenness indices. By the second year, the community diversity increased downriver reaching maximal species richness (110–127 spp). In 1985–1987, the epilithic algal biomass decreased an order of magnitude with both whole-river PO₄ (1985, 1987) and PO₄ + NH₄ addition (1986). In the 5th summer of fertilization, the reduction in biomass was clearly caused by a numerical increase of grazing, refugia-building chironomids (Orthocladiinae, primarily) (Gibeau, 1991; Gibeau, Miller, Hershey, in prep.). We assume the algal biomass reduction in the 3rd and 4th years was similarly caused by grazers with a two year time lag in the numerical response of these monovoltine species. The evenness of the community increased in 1986 as if it might have been grazed; however the number of immigrants was reduced. The community became dominated by Eunotia, Cymbella and Achnanthes, species either fast growing or more prostrate, as the erect species of Hannea Diatoma, and Fragillaria declined. A detrended correspondence analysis of the temporal and spatial diatom samples in species space (186 spp.) showed that the largest variation in the community was between years and less variation was associated with river fertilization. Samples from bioassay tubes run by Peterson et al. (1983) in the Kuparuk River showed P and N + P limitation as found in the river in 1983–84. Like the river samples, the largest change in the diatom community occurred between 15 and 25 day samples, more than that induced by fertilization. Diatoms sampled from all treatments taken at day 25 were more similar to one another than those sampled at day 15. Diatoms colonizing glass slides used in the bioassay tubes were dominated by Achnanthes linearis and Cymbella minuta. Of the 84 species found in bioassays, 26 species were present in all river samples for 4 years. Differences in the communities discriminated by multivariate methods were cause by changes in rare species and abundance patterns of common species.     

Study on the effects of arsenic pollution on the communities of macro-invertebrate in Xieshui River

In 2006 and 2007, five sampling stations were set up in Xieshui River and its tributaries to study the macro-invertebrate communities, and measure physicochemical parameters and contents of different forms of arsenic. A comparative analysis and multivariate statistical methods were used to explore the effects of arsenic pollution on the macro-invertebrate communities. In this study, sixty species were identified, including 39 aquatic insects, 10 mollusks, 5 oligochaetes, 1 crustacean, and 5 others. Results of the comparative analysis indicated that the macro-invertebrate communities at the station with serious arsenic pollution tended to be simple and showed a significant decreasing in density, biomass, and biodiversity in comparison with the other stations. Arsenic pollution also had a major effect on the dominant species and groups. For instance, EPT taxa disappeared at the station with serious arsenic pollution, and chironomids that belong to the genus Cardiocladius were very tolerant to high concentrations of arsenic. Results of the functional feeding groups (FFGs) analysis indicated that the predators were more tolerant to arsenic pollution, while the scrapers, filterers, and collectors were relatively sensitive to arsenic pollution. Results of a non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis showed that when the concentration of inorganic arsenic decreased to the range between the criteria continuous concentration (CCC) and the criteria maximum concentration (CMC), the effects of inorganic arsenic on the macro-invertebrate communities seemed to be insignificant. Results of a BVSTEP (Bio-Env Step-Wise Procedure) analysis showed that water temperature, rotifer density, trivalent arsenic, pentavalent arsenic, and total inorganic arsenic greatly influenced species appearance, while rotifer density and various forms of arsenic had a considerable impact on the species composition.     

Assessment of pollution impact on aquatic microbial communities based on DNA hybridization and protozoan identification: preliminary method development and comparison

Common methods of assessing the biological impact of point source discharge involve a census of organisms above and below the discharge. The identification and enumeration of organisms necessary for this approach can be time consuming and costly. When microbial communities are used, identification and enumeration are often impossible because the majority of species are identifiable only when cultured and most native species cannot be cultured. As such, little is known about the response of nonculturable aquatic microbial communities to anthropogenic changes. We isolated aquatic microbial DNA from colonized artificial substrates in two streams receiving industrial waste. DNA was isolated from the microbial communities upstream and downstream of the discharges and the similarity of these communities were compared by DNA-DNA hybridization. These novel estimates of impact were compared to more conventional estimates based on a component of the microbial communities that could be readily identified, the protozoans. Protozoan species were identified and similarity between upstream and downstream stations was assessed using Jaccard's similarity index.In the Roanoke River, protozoan species richness was significantly lower at the downstream station. Both Jaccard's coefficients and DNA hybridizations indicated that upstream communities were more similar to each other than with the downstream site. However, these differences were not significant. Estimates of community similarity from Jaccard's coefficients and DNA hybridizations were not correlated. In Peak Creek, protozoan species richness was significantly lower at the downstream station. Jaccard's coefficients and DNA hybridizations were not significantly higher within upstream stations than between upstream and downstream stations. The two similarity measures were not correlated. Problems in this preliminary study included small sample sizes and highly variable background on hybridization membranes resulting from the use of nonradioactive DNA probe label and detection methods. Alternative approaches using radioisotopes or COT curves may be more viable means of making molecular methods a useful tool in impact assessment.     

Effects of pollution on benthic invertebrate communities of the St. Marys River, 1985

A survey was undertaken in 1985 to assess spatial and temporal trends in the benthic community structure in relation to sediment contamination and wastewater sources at 70 stations between Whitefish Bay and lower Lake George in the St. Marys River. Cluster analysis identified seven benthic communities. Three were identified as pollution impacted, based on a preponderance of tubificids and nematodes, usually at high densities (up to 259 000 m^-2), but sometimes at low densities (< 100 m^-2) at individual stations. Impacted communities occurred downstream of industrial and municipal sources and in depositional areas, and were confined mainly to Canadian waters. Unimpacted communities had greater numbers of taxa, and occurred upstream of point sources, along the U.S. shoreline, and in most areas of downstream lakes. Impacted and unimpacted communities were separated along particle size and contaminant gradients in river sediments. Despite recent reductions in pollutant loadings and improvements in sediment quality, no major changes were apparent in the status of the benthic community from earlier surveys.     

基于格网的东江流域生态安全空间综合评价

通过统计以往关于生态安全评价的文献,从众多指标中筛选出应用频率较高的指标作为构建生态安全评价指标体系的基础,运用压力-状态-响应(P-S-R)模型,采用熵权法确定评价指标的权重,建立了基于格网的东江流域生态安全评价指标体系,并用综合评分法对东江流域的生态安全状况进行了评价。结果表明:东江流域生态安全由2000年的较安全等级下降为2004年的较不安全等级,到2008年改善为很安全等级。可见,基于对照比较筛选以确定生态安全评价指标,可在很大程度上克服目前生态安全评价指标体系缺乏统一标准的不足;基于格网的生态安全评价,可消除行政界线变动带来的影响,并可反映区域内部的空间差异性,从而提高了研究结果的可信度。     

Review of cold water pollution in the Murray–Darling Basin and the impacts on fish communities

The release of water from deep below the surface of large dams causes significant disturbance to water temperature regimes in downstream river channels with consequent impacts upon aquatic biota and river health. The Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) has a large number of dams, which are known to cause cold water pollution (CWP) in the downstream reaches of the impounded rivers. This study reviews the situation with regard to CWP in the MDB including the location, magnitude and extent of temperature suppression, the impacts upon fish, constraints and progress towards ameliorating the problem.     

Applicability of a generic index for diatom assemblages to monitor pollution in the tropical River Tsanwun, Taiwan

A generic index (GI) utilizing epilithic diatom assemblages as abioindicator of water pollution in subtropical rivers in Taiwan was applied toastudy of a tropical river. Seven sites on the River Tsanwun were sampledseasonally from August 1995 to June 1998. Although there is a marked differencein water chemistry between tropical and subtropical rivers in Taiwan, thedominant genera of their diatom assemblages are quite similar. The six generaused for the calculation of GI in the subtropical rivers were also the maincomponents of diatom assemblages in the River Tsanwun. The calculated valuesdisplayed a close correlation with water quality, evaluated on the basis ofphysical and chemical variables. A strong correlation was found between this GIand other diatom-based indices of water quality.     

Measuring the responses of macroinvertebrate communities to water pollution: a comparison of multivariate approaches, biotic and diversity indices

The responses of macroinvertebrate communities to pollution by sewage effluent in the River Trent system (UK) were investigated using a variety of multivariate approaches, biotic indices and diversity indices. It was found that multivariate analyses clearly illuminated the change of community structure along the pollution gradient. CY Dissimilarity Measure (CYD)-based Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) appeared to perform better than DCA and clustering. Species richness, the BMWP, BMWP-ASPT, the Chandler Score, Chandler-ASPT could detect the effects of major pollution. However, these indices showed varying sensitivity to different ranges of pollution, for example, Chandler-ASPT and BMWP-ASPT are more sensitive to the change in clean/slightly polluted range than in the moderate/very polluted range. The diversity indices were the least informative. The advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches were discussed.