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ALGAL DISTRIBUTION IN A SMALL, INTERMITTENT STREAM RECEIVING ACID MINE‐DRAINAGE 1
Author(s) -
Lampkin Andrew J.,
Sommerfeld Milton R.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1982.tb03173.x
Subject(s) - tributary , petroleum seep , acid mine drainage , flora (microbiology) , streams , biology , abundance (ecology) , species richness , drainage , ecology , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental chemistry , geology , chemistry , computer network , genetics , cartography , geotechnical engineering , methane , bacteria , computer science , geography
Lynx Creek, a small intermittent creek in the Bradshaw Mountains of Arizona, is subjected to drainage from an abandoned copper mine. The mine‐drainage decreases the pH of the Creek about three units and greatly increases sulfate and heavy metal concentrations. Chemical recovery of the Creek occurs downstream through precipitation of metal hydroxides and dilution by tributaries. Changes in Creek chemistry are accompanied by changes in algal flora. Above the mine and downstream after substantial recovery, the flora is dominated by Tribonema affine 4 , Achnanthes spp., and Synedra ulna and several zygnematacean species. In the mine seep entering the Creek and in the Creek just below the seep the flora is reduced in species richness and dominated in abundance by Microthamnion kuetzingianum and Eunotia tenella .