Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants
In Canada, the Athabasca oil sands deposits are a source of bitumen-derived contaminants, reaching the aquatic environment via various natural and anthropogenic pathways. The ecological effects of these contaminants are under debate. To quantify the effects of bitumen-derived contaminants we monitor...
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ftunivalberta:oai:era.library.ualberta.ca:b66c32a6-5e26-4ac0-a00f-56338a895236 2024-06-23T07:51:00+00:00 Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants Nadine V. Gerner, Macoura Koné, Matthew S. Ross, Alberto Pereira, Ania C. Ulrich, Jonathan W. Martin, Matthias Liess 2017-01-01 https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/b66c32a6-5e26-4ac0-a00f-56338a895236 https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 English eng https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/b66c32a6-5e26-4ac0-a00f-56338a895236 doi:10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Invertebrate monitoring Athabasca oil sands Article (Published) 2017 ftunivalberta https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 2024-06-03T03:09:00Z In Canada, the Athabasca oil sands deposits are a source of bitumen-derived contaminants, reaching the aquatic environment via various natural and anthropogenic pathways. The ecological effects of these contaminants are under debate. To quantify the effects of bitumen-derived contaminants we monitored the aquatic exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and naphthenic acids as well as the invertebrate community in the Athabasca River and its tributaries. PAH concentrations over 3 consecutive years were related to discharge and were highest in the year with high autumn rainfall. In the year with the highest PAH concentrations, these were linked with adverse effects on the aquatic invertebrate communities. We observed relative effects of the composition and concentration of contaminants on the invertebrate fauna. This is reflected by the composition and abundance of invertebrate species via the use of the species' traits “physiological sensitivity” and “generation time”. Applying the SPEAR approach we observed alterations of community structure in terms of an increased physiological sensitivity and a decrease of generation time for the average species. These effects were apparent at concentrations 100 times below the acute sensitivity of the standard test organism Daphnia magna. To rapidly identify oil sands related effects in the field we designed a biological indicator system, SPEAR oil, applicable for future routine monitoring. Article in Journal/Newspaper Athabasca River University of Alberta: Era - Education and Research Archive Athabasca River Canada |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Alberta: Era - Education and Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivalberta |
language |
English |
topic |
Invertebrate monitoring Athabasca oil sands |
spellingShingle |
Invertebrate monitoring Athabasca oil sands Nadine V. Gerner, Macoura Koné, Matthew S. Ross, Alberto Pereira, Ania C. Ulrich, Jonathan W. Martin, Matthias Liess Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
topic_facet |
Invertebrate monitoring Athabasca oil sands |
description |
In Canada, the Athabasca oil sands deposits are a source of bitumen-derived contaminants, reaching the aquatic environment via various natural and anthropogenic pathways. The ecological effects of these contaminants are under debate. To quantify the effects of bitumen-derived contaminants we monitored the aquatic exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and naphthenic acids as well as the invertebrate community in the Athabasca River and its tributaries. PAH concentrations over 3 consecutive years were related to discharge and were highest in the year with high autumn rainfall. In the year with the highest PAH concentrations, these were linked with adverse effects on the aquatic invertebrate communities. We observed relative effects of the composition and concentration of contaminants on the invertebrate fauna. This is reflected by the composition and abundance of invertebrate species via the use of the species' traits “physiological sensitivity” and “generation time”. Applying the SPEAR approach we observed alterations of community structure in terms of an increased physiological sensitivity and a decrease of generation time for the average species. These effects were apparent at concentrations 100 times below the acute sensitivity of the standard test organism Daphnia magna. To rapidly identify oil sands related effects in the field we designed a biological indicator system, SPEAR oil, applicable for future routine monitoring. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nadine V. Gerner, Macoura Koné, Matthew S. Ross, Alberto Pereira, Ania C. Ulrich, Jonathan W. Martin, Matthias Liess |
author_facet |
Nadine V. Gerner, Macoura Koné, Matthew S. Ross, Alberto Pereira, Ania C. Ulrich, Jonathan W. Martin, Matthias Liess |
author_sort |
Nadine V. Gerner, Macoura Koné, Matthew S. Ross, Alberto Pereira, Ania C. Ulrich, Jonathan W. Martin, Matthias Liess |
title |
Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
title_short |
Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
title_full |
Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
title_fullStr |
Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stream invertebrate community structure at Canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
title_sort |
stream invertebrate community structure at canadian oil sands development is linked to concentration of bitumen-derived contaminants |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/b66c32a6-5e26-4ac0-a00f-56338a895236 https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 |
geographic |
Athabasca River Canada |
geographic_facet |
Athabasca River Canada |
genre |
Athabasca River |
genre_facet |
Athabasca River |
op_relation |
https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/b66c32a6-5e26-4ac0-a00f-56338a895236 doi:10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-g5je-jg39 |
_version_ |
1802642000920444928 |