The influence of lithology on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of headwater streams in the Feniak Lake region, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska.
Flinn MB, Bowden W, Peterson BJ, Larouche JR, Allen AR. 2009. The influence of lithology on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of headwater streams in the Feniak Lake region, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska.. National Park Service Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program. Murray, KY
In 2006, we sampled a set of 16 streams in the cen tral Noatak River Basi n in northwest Alaska, USA as part of an effort to develop a freshwater monitoring program for the Arctic Network (ARCN) in the National Park Service (NPS). Ou r sampling framework used lithology as a basis to stratify the sampling effort, on the prem ise that lithology would introduce variation in measured indicators that might obscure real tren ds detected in a future monitoring program. The Feniak Lake area of the Noatak National Preser ve is characterized by contrasting lithologies including ultramafic (UM), non-carbonate (NC) , and complex sedimentary (CS) formations. Important physical, chemical, and biological ch aracteristics of streams arising on these lithologies differed significantly, consistent with a priori hypotheses. Chlorophyll a concentrations were variable within and between lithologies and not significantly different, but patterns suggested highest production in NC waters heds. Concentrations of N and P were very low across all streams. Total dissolved P (TDP ) was not significantly different among streams but total dissolved N (TDN) was 2x higher in NC streams than in the other stream types. Significantly higher ( P <0.05) amounts of metals (Fe, Ni , Si (3x)), base cations (Mg ++ , Ca ++ ), dissolved organic carbon (4x), and benthic orga nic matter (~2x) were found in NC versus UM streams. Analysis of macroinvertebrate communiti es revealed similar trends with significantly ( P <0.01) higher abundance (2x), biomass (5x), taxa richness (4/3x), Shannon’s diversity (2x) and ratios of collector-filterer (3/2 ) and scraper (4x) functional feed ing groups in NC streams versus those streams of ultramafic origin. Streams ar ising from complex sedimentary watersheds had variable characteristics that were intermediate with respect to the other two lithologies. These data (and similar data from 2005) suggest that lithol ogy is an important variab le that can be used to direct future surveys of freshwater resour ces in the Noatak River basin and may provide guidance for sampling in other high la titude stream ecosystem studies.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Flinn, Michael; Bowden, William; Peterson, Bruce; Larouche, Julia; Allen, Angela
- Date of Issue
- 2009
- Publisher
- National Park Service Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program
- Units
- ARCN , GAAR , NOAT
- Keywords
- Alaska, Biodiversity, Chemistry, Lithology, Macroinvertebrate, Noatak, Richness, River, Stream, Water
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry