Assessing the Impacts of Chloride and Sulfate Ions on Macroinvertebrate Communities in Ohio Streams
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water Article Assessing the Impacts of Chloride and Sulfate Ions on Macroinvertebrate Communities in Ohio Streams Robert Miltner Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Columbus, OH 43216-1049, USA; [email protected] Abstract: Salinization of freshwaters is a growing concern, especially in urban catchments. Existing aquatic life criteria for chloride (230 mg/L; a US standard) or total dissolved solids (1500 mg/L; specific to Ohio) do not protect sensitive species, and standards for sulfate have yet to be promulgated on the national level. To help identify water quality thresholds for protection and restoration, species sensitivity distributions were compiled for chloride and sulfate based on field observations of macroinvertebrate communities co-located with water quality samples obtained from rivers and streams throughout Ohio. Additionally, attainment of biological benchmarks for macroinvertebrate communities found in headwater streams were modeled against chloride and sulfate using Bayesian logistic regression. The hazard concentration based on statewide data for chloride was 52 mg/L. The hazard concentration for sulfate based on data from the Western Allegheny Plateau ecoregion was 152 mg/L. The median effect levels from logistic regression for chloride and sulfate varied by ecoregion. Mayfly taxa were disproportionately represented in taxa comprising the lower 5th percentile of the species sensitivity distributions for chloride. However, logistic regression models of individual taxa response (as presence/absence) revealed that some taxa considered sensitive to pollution in general were highly tolerant of chloride. For 166 taxa showing directional response to chloride, 91 decreased and 75 increased. For the 97 individual taxa showing directional responses to sulfate, 81 decreased. Of the 16 taxa showing an increase, 6 are considered tolerant of pollution, 9 facultative and 1 moderately intolerant, the latter being taxa in the dipteran family Tipulidae. The Citation: Miltner, R. Assessing the hazard concentrations are useful as protective thresholds for existing high-quality waters. The logistic Impacts of Chloride and Sulfate Ions regression model of attainment can be used to inform management goals conditional on site-specific on Macroinvertebrate Communities information. in Ohio Streams. Water 2021, 13, 1815. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131815 Keywords: chloride; sulfate; salinization; macroinvertebrates; rivers; Bayesian Academic Editor: Christopher Nietch Received: 18 May 2021 1. Introduction Accepted: 28 June 2021 Published: 30 June 2021 Dissolved ions in freshwater environments are often collectively expressed as to- tal dissolved solids (TDS mg/L) or measured as specific conductance (SC uS/cm, spe- ◦ Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral cific to 25 C). Typical ranges for relatively undisturbed freshwater streams in Ohio are µ with regard to jurisdictional claims in 160–660 mg/L TDS, and 206–960 S/cm. Because freshwater organisms are internally published maps and institutional affil- saltier than the water they live in, they must actively maintain their internal ionic con- iations. centrations and ionic compositions through osmoregulation. Most freshwater organisms are facultative with respect to external osmotic pressure as an adaptation to natural sea- sonal variations in external concentrations, but this requires time to acclimate. However, some macroinvertebrates, notably mayflies [1], are particularly sensitive to increases in dissolved ions, and rapid variations in concentration are more stressful compared to slow Copyright: © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. concentration changes [2]. This article is an open access article Anthropogenic salinization also alters ionic composition [3]. The mode of ion toxicity distributed under the terms and action to aquatic macroinvertebrates is uncertain [4] but appears less related to direct conditions of the Creative Commons disruption of osmoregulation [2,5], and more related to the actions of specific ions [6,7]. Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// The apparent toxicity of a specific ion, however, is mediated by the presence of other creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ ions [8–10], resulting in wide ranges in effect levels for a given ion in toxicity tests. Ad- 4.0/). ditionally, although disruption of osmoregulation may not be a direct cause of mortality, Water 2021, 13, 1815. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131815 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/water Water 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 23 Water 2021, 13, 1815 10], resulting in wide ranges in effect levels for a given ion in toxicity tests. Additionally,2 of 21 although disruption of osmoregulation may not be a direct cause of mortality, the energy cost needed to regulate internal ionic balance has been demonstrated to have sublethal effects at concentrations below chronic endpoints [11–13], and consequential at the assem- blagethe level energy [14]. cost needed to regulate internal ionic balance has been demonstrated to have sublethalThe natural effects background at concentrations concentration below chronicand composition endpoints [of11 dissolved–13], and consequentialions in rivers at andthe streams assemblage is largely level governed [14]. by the geology of the catchment area. In Ohio, streams drainingThe the natural Western background Allegheny concentrationPlateau (WAP) and tend composition to average of100–200 dissolved SC units ions inlower rivers and streams is largely governed by the geology of the catchment area. In Ohio, streams than streams draining ecoregions in the glaciated portion of the state (Figure 1), and tend draining the Western Allegheny Plateau (WAP) tend to average 100–200 SC units lower to have sulfate as the dominant anion. However, across all ecoregions, agriculture, min- than streams draining ecoregions in the glaciated portion of the state (Figure1), and tend ing, impervious cover, and wastewater loadings increase the concentrations of dissolved to have sulfate as the dominant anion. However, across all ecoregions, agriculture, mining, ions. Of these sources, loadings from impervious cover and mining are the most threaten- impervious cover, and wastewater loadings increase the concentrations of dissolved ions. ing, as those come in either high pulses [15], or steady high doses [16]. Ecoregions com- Of these sources, loadings from impervious cover and mining are the most threatening, as prising the glaciated portion of the state are the Huron-Erie Lake Plain (HELP); the Erie- those come in either high pulses [15], or steady high doses [16]. Ecoregions comprising the Ontario Lake Plain (EOLP); the Eastern Corn Belt Plains (ECBP); and the Interior Plateau glaciated portion of the state are the Huron-Erie Lake Plain (HELP); the Erie-Ontario Lake (IP). Plain (EOLP); the Eastern Corn Belt Plains (ECBP); and the Interior Plateau (IP). Figure 1. Figure 1. LevelLevel III ecoregions III ecoregions of Ohio. of Ohio. Traditional laboratory toxicology tests focusing on lethality, or mesocosm experiments Traditional laboratory toxicology tests focusing on lethality, or mesocosm experi- on the toxicity of TDS or specific ions (i.e., chloride or sulfate), have resulted in conditional ments on the toxicity of TDS or specific ions (i.e., chloride or sulfate), have resulted in endpoints. That is, endpoints are conditioned on various factors such as acclimation, ionic conditional endpoints. That is, endpoints are conditioned on various factors such as accli- composition, synergistic effects with other toxicants (e.g., metals), and secondary effects. Additionally, many laboratory test organisms show efficient osmoregulation, as evidenced by lethal endpoints near isotonic concentrations. In the net, the results from laboratory and mesocosm studies with lethal endpoints can be interpreted as maximum thresholds not to exceed. However, mesocosm studies that account for sublethal [12] and assemblage- Water 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 23 mation, ionic composition, synergistic effects with other toxicants (e.g., metals), and sec- ondary effects. Additionally, many laboratory test organisms show efficient osmoregula- tion, as evidenced by lethal endpoints near isotonic concentrations. In the net, the results Water 2021, 13, 1815 from laboratory and mesocosm studies with lethal endpoints can be interpreted as maxi-3 of 21 mum thresholds not to exceed. However, mesocosm studies that account for sublethal [12] and assemblage-level effects [14] have produced protective endpoints in line with obser- levelvations effects from [14 field] have studies produced [17], and protective that are endpoints an order inof line magnitude with observations less than laboratory- from field studiesderived [ 17endpoints.], and that are an order of magnitude less than laboratory-derived endpoints. SpeciesSpecies sensitivity distributions distributions (SSDs) (SSDs) can can be be generated generated from from field field collections collections by ob- by observingserving the the occurrence occurrence of ofspecies species or or taxa taxa over over a aspecific specific stressor stressor gradient. gradient. For For example, example, a afield field data data set set that that has has matching matching biological biological and and chemical chemical observations observations (of (ofchloride, chloride, for forex- example)ample) can can be bearrayed arrayed by incr by increasingeasing chloride chloride concentration concentration for each for eachtaxon, taxon, and the and corre- the correspondingsponding 95th 95thpercentile