Effect of spatial variation on salinity tolerance of macroinvertebrates in Eastern Australia and implications for ecosystem protection trigger values

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 151; no. 3; pp. 621 - 630
• Main Authors: Dunlop, Jason E., Horrigan, Nelli, McGregor, Glenn, Kefford, Ben J., Choy, Satish, Prasad, Rajesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Australia; Biological and medical sciences; biological assessment; Conductivity; Conservation of Natural Resources; Ecosystem; ecosystem management; ecosystems; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; environmental assessment; environmental factors; environmental impact; Fresh Water; freshwater; freshwater aquaculture; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; hydrochemistry; Invertebrates - drug effects; laws and regulations; limnology; local government; Macroinvertebrates; Salinisation; salinity; Salinity impacts; Salinity risk; Salinity tolerance; sampling; Sodium Chloride - toxicity; spatial variation; Synecology; Toxicity Tests, Acute; water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; water quality; water salinization; Australia; Conductivity; Salinity risk; Salinity impacts; Salinity tolerance; Macroinvertebrates; Salinisation; Tolerance; Environmental factor; Risk; Spatial variation; Salinity; Pollution; Ecosystem; Environment; Invertebrata; Protection
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2007.03.020

Salinisation of freshwater has been identified as a serious environmental issue in Australia and around the world. Protective concentrations (trigger values) for salinity can be used to manage salinity impacts, though require locally relevant salinity tolerance information. 72-h acute salinity tolerance values were determined for 102 macroinvertebrates collected from 11 locations in four biologically distinct freshwater bio-regions in Northeast Australia and compared with sensitivities observed in Southeast Australia. The salinity tolerance of individual taxa was consistent across Northeast Australia and between Northeast and Southeast Australia. However, two distinct communities were identified in Northeast Australia using distributions of the acute tolerance values and a calculated index of salinity sensitivity. Salinity trigger values should therefore be representative of local or regionally relevant communities and may be adequately calculated using sensitivity values from throughout Eastern Australia. The results presented provide a basis for assessing salinity risk and determining trigger values for salinity in freshwater ecosystems at local and regional scales in Eastern Australia. Salinity tolerance of macroinvertebrate communities vary in Eastern Australia hence water quality guidelines should be developed at a local or regional scale.