Comparative Assessment of the Upper Flathead and Elk Rivers: Responses of Macroinvertebrate Communities to Coal Mine Disturbance
Willacker JJ. 2006. Comparative Assessment of the Upper Flathead and Elk Rivers: Responses of Macroinvertebrate Communities to Coal Mine Disturbance. 2006 REU Internship. University of Montana, Missoula MT
Mining operations can have potentially serious impacts on the physical chemical and biotic characteristics of adjacent waterways. Because of these impacts, there has been an increasing need for accurate assessments of the biological integrity of these waterways. Because of their sensitivity to environmental conditions, aquatic macroinvertebrates are an increasingly useful tool for these assessments. Macroinvertebrate samples were taken from two watersheds in British Columbia, one heavily influenced by an adjacent coal mining operation (Michel Creek) and the other nearly pristine but under the threat of development (North Fork Flathead River), and compared to determine any differences in the communities that may have resulted from the coal mining operation. Michel creek had higher total abundances than the North Fork and higher proportions of taxa tolerant of poor environmental quality, both due to increased abundance of Chironomidae. Michel Creek also had significantly higher Ephemeroptera abundances, primarily due to the families Baetidae and Heptageniidae, and lower abundances of Plecoptera. Michel Creek had a higher proportion of the collector and grazer functional feeding groups than the North Fork samples due largely to increased abundance of Heptageniidae, which are utilizing the increased algal production resulting from the mining operation.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Willacker, James
- Date of Issue
- 2006-08
- Publisher
- 2006 REU Internship
- Units
- GLAC
- Keywords
- Chironomidae, Coal Mine disturbance, Elk River, Ephemeroptera, Flathead Lake Biological Station, Flathead River, Heptageniidae, Macroinvertebrates, Michel Creek, North Fork Flathead River, REU