Stream Dynamics I:

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Stream Dynamics I Biological Significance of
Degraded Water Quality
Doug Novinger Missouri Department of
Conservation Doug.Novinger_at_mdc.mo.gov 573-882-9880
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Key Ecological Components of Stream Ecosystems
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Water quality characteristics of water relevant
to supporting life chemical state,
suspended/dissolved material Flow regime
timing, rate, and amount of water moving through
the system Physical habitat the structural
environment Energy sources nourishment
providing the basis for aquatic life Food web
dynamics the complex transfer of energy via
ecological relationships among species Productivi
ty and biodiversity abundance, complexity, and
persistence of aquatic life
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Large-scale impacts to water quality
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Small-scale impacts
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Temporal scale affects the biological
significance of degraded WQ
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Scale Matters

• Spatial Scale
• geographic extent
• magnitude
• location
• Temporal Scale
• duration
• timing/frequency

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Key Ecological Components of Stream Ecosystems
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• Negative Impacts to WQ
• Excess Sediment
• Excess Nutrients (N P)
• waste treatment
• ag urban runoff
• Temperature, DO, pH
• extremes
• Agrochemicals
• pesticides
• herbicides
• fertilizers
• Urban/Industrial chemicals byproducts pharmaceuti
  cals

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How does WQ interact with flow regime? Transport
frequency timing concentration
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Bristly cave crayfish
Ozark cavefish
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How does WQ interact with habitat? Structural
composition and complexity.
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Large woody debris benefits aquatic communities
Credit D. Warren
Credit F. Marston
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River chub (eastern U.S.)
Credit C.E. Johnston
Hornyhead chub (MO)
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Nest-building by longear sunfish
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How does WQ interact with energy sources?
Regulates types of internal and external sources
and rates of production.
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caddisfly
damselfly
mayfly
caddisfly in case
hellgrammite
stonefly
Aquatic insect larvae are highly specialized in
feeding anatomy and behavior.
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The River Continuum Concept
Stream Size (order)
From Vannote et al. 1980
Relative Channel Width
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How does WQ interact with food webs?
Regulates complexity, paths, and rates of energy
flow.
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A simple food web
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Food web dynamics
Hey, lego! Cant you tell Ive been eating
contaminated detritus??!
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Biomagnification
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Bioaccumulation
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Key Ecological Components of Stream Ecosystems
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• Loss of Productivity and Biodiversity leads to
  the homogenization of aquatic species
  communities
• Replacement of species intolerant of
  degradation with fewer tolerant species
• Replacement of native species with exotic
  pioneer species
• Loss of ecosystem function