Overcoming water quality effects in biological monitoring: a case study of amphipod in situ exposures in Ontario agricultural streams.

ABSTRACT: Bioindicators add valuable understanding of biological impacts to contaminant monitoring programs. However, attributing effects (e.g., mortality and growth impairment) to contaminant exposures is challenging because of potential confounding by environmental variables. We assessed the influence of four water quality variables (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductivity) on contaminant effects assessments during in situ exposures of the amphipod Hyalella azteca in six agricultural and urban watersheds in southern Ontario, Canada (2005-06, 2008-10). We further tested whether sampling in specific months of the growing season would minimize confounding effects. While high toxicity from organophosphate and carbamate pesticides increased mortality and reduced growth in caged amphipods, w

SUBMITTER: Hammond M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11794351 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature