2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/23/2019 | 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM | STREAM ALGAL RESPONSES TO NATURAL GAS ACTIVITY IN AN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN ARKANSAS | 151 ABC

STREAM ALGAL RESPONSES TO NATURAL GAS ACTIVITY IN AN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE IN ARKANSAS

Resource extraction activity by hydrologic fracturing and horizontal drilling increased rapidly in the Arkansas River Valley and Boston Mountains between 2005-2011. This activity can contribute sediments, salts, and nutrients to fresh water ecosystems that can affect aquatic life. We examined benthic algal responses to natural gas activity metrics, nutrients, and salinization using a combination of field and greenhouse studies over the last 10 years. Field correlational studies found some positive relationships between algal and a broad gradient of landscape natural gas metrics that were not observed in a before-after-impact-control study where low-to-moderate natural gas activity occurred. Natural gas activity in the state was embedded in an agricultural landscape that made mechanisms for algal responses more difficult to identify. In-stream salt and nutrient diffusing substrata experiments suggested that positive responses could be due to increasing nitrogen, as opposed to salt availability in streams with high natural gas activity. Greenhouse experiments suggest that sodium salts may alter benthic algal metabolism, but not algal sodium content at low concentrations (3-64 mg NaCl/L). Future research will further examine pathways by which freshwater salinization can influence stream benthic algal community structure and production.

Algae
Algae
Algae

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Presenters/Authors

Michelle Evans-White (), University of Arkansas, mevanswh@uark.edu;