Agricultural practices alter function and structure of macroinvertebrate communities in Patagonian piedmont streams
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PRIMARY RESEARCH PAPER
Agricultural practices alter function and structure of macroinvertebrate communities in Patagonian piedmont streams Cristina Natalia Horak . Yanina Andrea Assef . Marta Gladys Grech . Marı´a Laura Miserendino
Received: 26 December 2019 / Revised: 6 August 2020 / Accepted: 19 August 2020 Ó Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract The intensification of agricultural practices is impacting on Piedmont streams in Patagonia and concern exists regarding the integrity of aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated changes in water quality, habitat and riparian condition, and macroinvertebrate community attributes at three small streams during high- and low-water periods. The upper reaches of streams consisted of well-conserved riparian forest where agricultural impact was minimal, while different production systems affected lower stream-reaches. Significant changes in water quality were indicated by increases in nutrient levels, conductivity, total
Handling editor: Marcelo S. Moretti
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04390-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. C. N. Horak (&) Y. A. Assef M. G. Grech M. L. Miserendino Centro de Investigacio´n Esquel de Montan˜a y Estepa Patago´nica (CIEMEP, CONICET-UNPSJB), Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Ecologı´a y Sistema´tica Animal Roca 780 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina-Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, 9200 Esquel, Chubut, Argentina e-mail: [email protected] Y. A. Assef M. G. Grech M. L. Miserendino Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Ruta 259, km 16.4, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
suspended solids, and bacteria (E. coli) at spatial scale. These were mostly associated with livestock, pasture, and horticulture production, though the most severe impacts on in-stream habitat and riparian ecosystem occurred at sites with livestock productions. A gradient of disturbance was highlighted by Canonical Community Ordination and macroinvertebrates were grouped accordingly. Among the metrics measured, EPT richness, number of insect families, density of tolerant taxa, abundance of collectorgatherers, and total invertebrate density displayed significant responses to water quality. The overriding stressor explaining community changes with regard to intolerant taxa (EPT) was ammonium. Mitigation measures should be directed towards reducing livestock intrusion on streams and riparian areas, maintenance and restoration of buffer zones, and regulation of application of fertilizers. Keywords Livestock Pastures Horticulture Water quality Bioindicator
Introduction Scientists have warned for the ecological consequences faced by freshwater ecosystems as a result of changes in land-use practices or inadequate management (Allan, 2004). Through numerous pathways, different land-use practices conducted in a basin or
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