Fracked ecology: Response of aquatic trophic structure and mercury biomagnification dynamics in the Marcellus Shale Formation
Fracked ecology: Response of aquatic trophic structure and mercury biomagnification dynamics in the Marcellus Shale Formation
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DOI：
10.1007/s10646-016-1717-8
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发表时间：
2016-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Stanton, Mitchell R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Grant, Christopher James;Lutz, Allison K.;Stanton, Mitchell R.
由于全球能源需求，非常规天然气开发和水力压裂实践（压裂）在全球范围内不断增加。研究最近才开始评估水力压裂对周围环境的影响，很少有研究旨在确定对水生生物多样性和污染物生物放大作用的影响。2012年和2013年6月和7月期间，对宾夕法尼亚州马塞勒斯页岩盆地的27条偏远溪流进行了采样。在每个流，流物理化学特性，营养生物多样性，结构和汞含量进行了评估。我们使用三角洲15 N，三角洲13 C和甲基汞，以确定甲基汞生物放大作用的变化是否与发生在溪流流域内的水力压裂有关。虽然我们没有观察到与流域内水力压裂活动相关的生物放大率有差异，但我们确实观察到甲基汞浓度升高，这受到河流pH值降低、溶解河水汞值升高、大型无脊椎动物生物完整性指数评分降低以及在流域内发生水力压裂的河流站点蜉蝣目、鳞翅目和毛翅目大型无脊椎动物丰富度降低的影响。我们记录了损失的刮削器从流与最高的井密度，没有鱼或没有鱼的多样性与记录frackwater流体泄漏流。我们的研究结果表明，水力压裂有可能改变水生生物多样性和食物网底部的甲基汞浓度。
Unconventional natural gas development and hydraulic fracturing practices (fracking) are increasing worldwide due to global energy demands. Research has only recently begun to assess fracking impacts to surrounding environments, and very little research is aimed at determining effects on aquatic biodiversity and contaminant biomagnification. Twenty-seven remotely-located streams in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale basin were sampled during June and July of 2012 and 2013. At each stream, stream physiochemical properties, trophic biodiversity, and structure and mercury levels were assessed. We used delta 15N, delta 13C, and methyl mercury to determine whether changes in methyl mercury biomagnification were related to the fracking occurring within the streams' watersheds. While we observed no difference in rates of biomagnificaion related to within-watershed fracking activities, we did observe elevated methyl mercury concentrations that were influenced by decreased stream pH, elevated dissolved stream water Hg values, decreased macroinvertebrate Index for Biotic Integrity scores, and lower Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera macroinvertebrate richness at stream sites where fracking had occurred within their watershed. We documented the loss of scrapers from streams with the highest well densities, and no fish or no fish diversity at streams with documented frackwater fluid spills. Our results suggest fracking has the potential to alter aquatic biodiversity and methyl mercury concentrations at the base of food webs.