Barry P. Baldigo, Gregory B. Lawrence, Robert W. Bode, Howard A. Simonin, Karen M.

Roy, Alexander J. Smith,

Impacts of acidification on macroinvertebrate communities in streams of the western
Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA,
Ecological Indicators,
Volume 9, Issue 2,
2009,
Pages 226-239,
ISSN 1470-160X,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.04.004.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X08000484)
Abstract: Limited stream chemistry and macroinvertebrate data indicate that acidic
deposition has adversely affected benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in numerous
headwater streams of the western Adirondack Mountains of New York. No studies,
however, have quantified the effects that acidic deposition and acidification may
have had on resident fish and macroinvertebrate communities in streams of the
region. As part of the Western Adirondack Stream Survey, water chemistry from 200
streams was sampled five times and macroinvertebrate communities were surveyed once
from a subset of 36 streams in the Oswegatchie and Black River Basins during 2003–
2005 and evaluated to: (a) document the effects that chronic and episodic
acidification have on macroinvertebrate communities across the region, (b) define
the relations between acidification and the health of affected species assemblages,
and (c) assess indicators and thresholds of biological effects. Concentrations of
inorganic Al in 66% of the 200 streams periodically reached concentrations toxic to
acid-tolerant biota. A new acid biological assessment profile (acidBAP) index for
macroinvertebrates, derived from percent mayfly richness and percent acid-tolerant
taxa, was strongly correlated (R2 values range from 0.58 to 0.76) with
concentrations of inorganic Al, pH, ANC, and base cation surplus (BCS). The BCS and
acidBAP index helped remove confounding influences of natural organic acidity and
to redefine acidification-effect thresholds and biological-impact categories.
AcidBAP scores indicated that macroinvertebrate communities were moderately or
severely impacted by acidification in 44–56% of 36 study streams, however,
additional data from randomly selected streams is needed to accurately estimate the
true percentage of streams in which macroinvertebrate communities are adversely
affected in this, or other, regions. As biologically relevant measures of impacts
caused by acidification, both BCS and acidBAP may be useful indicators of ecosystem
effects and potential recovery at the local and regional scale.
Keywords: Stream acidification; Macroinvertebrates; Inorganic aluminum; Base cation
surplus; acidBAP; Adirondacks