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Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential use of diatoms as
biological monitors of environmental quality in aquatic systems. Epilithic and epiphytic
diatoms were sampled at 14 sites within the Cheboygan River catchment area. These
samples were cleaned using standard techniques and mounted on slides, and 300 diatoms
were identified to species and counted for each slide. We found that monitoring diatom
assemblages provided a more sensitive assessment of environmental quality than
traditional water chemistry measurements. We also found more diverse diatom
assemblages in wetland areas and locations with more well-lighted surface area.
Introduction
The Cheboygan River is a medium-sized
river system flowing into Lake Huron
with a catchment area that includes
Mullet Lake to the southwest, and the
Black River and Black Lake to the
southeast. There is a large amount of
development and other human-generated
disturbance that occurs throughout the
watershed, which contributes a great
deal of nutrients and organic pollution to
begin with. In addition, Cheboygan's
wastewater treatment facility, which is
located near the river's
mouth,
contributes a large amount of treated
sewage to an already nutrient-rich
ecosystem. Certainly this process has
long-term effects not only near the
source of organic pollution, but on other
aquatic systems downstream of it. There
are many different methods that could be
employed to assess the impact of human
activity on the Cheboygan River.
However, numerous studies conducted
over the past several decades have
shown that investigating the species
composition of diatom communities is
one of the most effective ways to assess
the health of aquatic ecosystems when
Results
Table 1. A listing of the 14 locations in the Cheboygan River watershed with general
descriptions
Site #
Location
General Description
Substrate
Mullet Lake
Silt wl small
boulders
Mullet Lake
Thomas Dr,
Cheboygan R
Lincoln Rd,
Cheboygan R
Cheboygan
Marina
Cheboygan R
Mouth
Turnaround
Point
Disturbed habitat
Cheboygan
Wastewater
Treatment
Facility
Cheboygan
Beach
Cheboygan
Marsh
Concrete pool
containing treated
sewage that had yet to
be de-chlorinated
Public beach
12
Cheboygan
Marsh
Relatively undisturbed
wetland habitat, filled
with pieces of wood
from sawmill
Silt wl boulders
and driftwood
13
Black River
Silt wl cobble
14
Black River
Residential riverfront
property, construction
nearby
Relatively undisturbed
riverfront
10
11
Silt wl boulders
Chara spp.
Silt wl small
boulders
Boulders
Silt WIboulders
Silt wl concrete
Myriophyllum spicatum,
Silt WIconcrete
and larger
boulders
Silt with
concrete and
large boulders
NIA
Myriophyllum spp.
Sand wl large
boulders
Silt wl cobble
Sand wl
boulders
pH
8.08
Specific
Conductivity (ps)
339.2
Dissolved 0,
(mgtl)
Water Temp
7.80
23.3
("a
Table 4. Significant taxa, their spectral ranges, and their maximum relative abundance
on rock substrates. Among the total diatom valves counted, 34 genera and 117 species
were identified and recorded. The predominant taxa include Cocconeis placentula
(22.807%), Cocconeis pediculus (1 1.188%), and Tabellaria fenestrata (8.236%).
No.
Abbreviation
Achmln
Achsp
A~PP=J
Amp\ J
Bra\.ll
Cocpal
Cocph
Clccom
Cycopc
Cymnll
Cymgra
Cymlun
Cymm~c
Cymmln
Cympn,
Dcntuc
Dcnicn
Dlavul
Enccur
Eunrho
Eunsp
FrJCap
Fr~uon
Gnmacu
Gomgn
Gomint
Gommln
Gompar
Gomsp
Gomgnll
Gomlru
M~rlmi
Navgr~
Navr~d
Nwsp
Ntwmp
Klldcn
Nltpll
Nllr:
Nlbp
Rhtcun
Rhtsp
Rhug~b
Synuln
Tabl'cn
Taxon name
Nutrient Spectrum
Ollgotmphic
Oligotrophlc
Eutrophic
Oligotrophlc - eutrophic
Eutrophic
Eutrophlc
Eutrophic
Eutrophic
Eutrophlc
Eutmphtc
Eutrophlc
Eutrophic
Eutroph~c
Eutrophic/ pollution tolerant
Eutrophic/ pollution tolerant
Eutroph~c/pollution tolerant
Eutrophic/ pollut~ontolerant
Eutmphld pollut~ontolerant
Eutrophic
Eutrophlc
Eutrophic
Eutrophlc
Eutmphtc
Mar (%)
Table 5. Sampling Sites and Maximum Species Occurrences. Notice that Cocconeis
dominates assemblages at upstream locations (Mullet Lake and the Black River), whereas
pollution-tolerant Nitzschia is prevalent at locations closer to Lake Huron.
No.
Abbreviation
Site
Mlakel
Gotnphonema minutum
Cocconeisplucentulu
2 1.42
9.80
Mlake2
Cocconeisplucentulu
Cocconeis pediculus
50.3 1
19.31
ThomDr
Thomas Drive
32.7 1
20.25
M2733
Gotnphonemu
intricutum
Gomphonemu minuturn
Cocconeis plucenlulu
Cocconeis pediculus
LincRd
Lincoln Road
29.59
20.79
CRvMar
Cheboygan
River Marina
Cocconeispediculus
Achanthidium
tninutissimum
Nitzschia palea
Synedru ulna
CRvMou
Cheboygan
River Mouth
Cocconeis plucentula
Synedra ulnu
43.3
15.19
Turnpt
Turnaround
Point
Cocconeis plucentula
Cyrnbellu microcephulu
2 1.79
16.41
Wtreat
Wastewater
Treatment
Nuviculu sp.
Nit:.schiu palea
58.31
20.84
10
Beach
Cheboygan
Public Beach
Cymbellu microcephala
Brachysiru vitreu
23.43
12.26
11
CMsh1
Cheboygan
Marsh (I)
Frugiluria cupucinu
Synedru ulna
25.7 1
10.98
12
CMsh2
Cheboygan
Marsh (2)
Cyrnbellu microcephulu
Frugiluriu cupucinu
27.69
11.34
13
BlkRv 1
Cocconeisp1ucmtulu
Cocconeis pediculus
41.07
25.36
14
BlkRv2
Cocconeispediculus
Cocconeis pediculus
33.12
20.88
42.74
13.86
21.05
12.69
Light
QBeach
Temp
!
1 ;
* DO
PH
T.
I
-0.6
0.8
Discussion
Based on the data we collected, it is safe
to infer that a relationship does exist
between diatom assemblages and
environmental quality, and that
monitoring these communities can
provide a more precise indication of
water quality than more traditional
monitoring approaches. Tables 2 and 3
list all of the water chemistry
measurements we took at each of our
sampling locations. Notice that with the
exception of the wastewater treatment
sample, which was anomalous in almost
all respects, there is not a large amount
of variation in nutrient levels as we
progressed downstream. Nevertheless,
there is an observable difference in the
level of disturbance between more
pristine habitats such as Cheboygan
Marsh, as opposed to a concrete boat
ramp in the middle of downtown
Journal Publications
DE LA RAY, P.A. "Determining the
possible application value of diatoms as
indicators of general water quality: A
comparison with SASS 5". Water SA, Vol.
30, No. 3, July 2004.
FORE, LESKA S. "Using diatoms to assess
the biological condition of large rivers in
Idaho (USA)". Freshwater Biology, Vol. 47,
p. 201 5, Oct. 2002.
Acknowledgements
Bob Pillsbury, J. Pat Kociolek, Jared Rubenstein, and Anne St. Louis for their
educational assistance and technical support
Gary Good for allowing us access to the Cheboygan Wastewater Treatment
Faci 1 i ty
Site
Figure 6. Simpson Diversity Indices for all 14 sites. Notice that there is a higher D-1
value for wetland sites (striped),and that the lowest is found at the wastewater treatment
facility.
1
2
5
3
3
3
4
3
1
2
5
5
4
3