Survival of Mayfly Larvae Under Mine Acid Conditions

✍ Scribed by Mr Stanley Napier Jr.; Dr. William D. Hummon

• Book ID: 102285514
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1976
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 398 KB
• Volume: 61
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1434-2944
• DOI: 10.1002/iroh.3510610512

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Mayfly larvae were abundant and diverse in riffle zones of three control streams in southeastern Ohio. But none were found in such zones of three streams having current or past histories of mine acid pollution, despite vegetative recovery of reclaimed land bordering two of the streams.

Laboratory studies showed stepwise increases in non‐predatory mortality of mayfly larvae with increased mine acidity. Dragonfly larvae predation on mayfly larvae was constant at pH 8.1–4.1, but decreased at pH 3.1 despite tolerance of dragonfly larvae to low pH conditions. Extensive acid mine pollution thus may threaten aquatic biota through removal of food sources or reduced feeding rates as well as through direct mortality.