Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative: nutrients and dissolved oxygen - issues and impacts

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
P A ChambersLeigh Noton

Abstract

Anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and oxygen-consuming material to aquatic ecosystems can change nutrient dynamics, deplete oxygen, and change abundance and diversity of aquatic plants and animals. The Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative required a research and assessment program to establish the contribution of pulp mill and sewage discharges to eutrophication and depressions in dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Athabasca and Wapiti rivers of northern Alberta, Canada and examine the adequacy of existing guidelines for protecting these systems. Analysis of long-term data showed that total N (TN) and total P (TP) concentrations in exposed river reaches exceeded concentrations in reference reaches by < or = 2 times for the Athabasca River, and by 9.6 (TP) and 2.6 (TN) times for the Wapiti River. Results from nutrient limitation experiments conducted in situ and in mesocosms showed that benthic algal production was nutrient sufficient downstream of pulp mill discharges but constrained in upper river reaches by insufficient P (Athabasca River) or N + P (Wapiti River). Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in both rivers declined during winter such that median concentrations in the Athabasca River 945 km downstream of ...Continue Reading

References

Oct 20, 1998·Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B, Critical Reviews·K R MunkittrickG J Van Der Kraak
Jan 10, 2004·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Joseph M CulpRobert B Brua

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Citations

Feb 28, 2006·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·M E McMasterL M Hewitt
Mar 16, 2013·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Kathryn E ThomasGarry J Scrimgeour
Apr 27, 2013·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Graham MerringtonKenneth M Y Leung
Sep 24, 2013·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Etienne YergeauCharles W Greer
Sep 26, 2015·Environmental Management·Douglas B McLaughlin, Camille A Flinders
Nov 1, 2011·The Science of the Total Environment·M J BowesA C Singer

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