Influence of Open Space on Water Quality in an Urban Stream
| Autor: | Christopher P. Freimuth, Mary Ann Cunningham, David P. Gillikin, A. Marshall Pregnall, Kelsey C. Smith, Pinar Batur, Stuart Belli, Kirsten M. Menking, Mark A. Schlessman |
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| Rok vydání: | 2010 |
| Předmět: |
Hydrology
Atmospheric Science geography geography.geographical_feature_category Urban stream fungi STREAMS Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Impervious surface General Earth and Planetary Sciences Environmental science Water quality Surface runoff Nonpoint source pollution General Environmental Science Biotic index Riparian zone |
| Zdroj: | Physical Geography. 31:336-356 |
| ISSN: | 1930-0557 0272-3646 |
| DOI: | 10.2747/0272-3646.31.4.336 |
| Popis: | Much attention has been given to the impairment of streams in urban areas and to the value of green space in preventing degradation. However, few studies have examined whether green space can remediate water quality downstream of contaminant sources. To assess the degree to which an ecological preserve was able to ameliorate upstream water quality impairments, we examined changes in conductivity, total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), and a family biotic index (FBI) for benthic macroinvertebrates in a partially urbanized stream in eastern New York state, USA. We expected conductivity, which results mainly from road de-icing salt, to decrease in the green space due to dilution from low- conductivity surface runoff. We also expected TIN and FBI to indicate stream improvements in response to increased vegetative cover in the green space. Contrary to expectations, conductivity did not improve in the ecological preserve, although TIN and FBI values did improve. Differences in scales of response explain this contrast in recovery/conductivity responded to basin-wide percentage impervious surface cover (ISC), while TIN and FBI responded to riparian-scale ISC, which declined sharply in the ecological preserve. Con- serving riparian green space can aid natural recovery of TIN and FBI. In contrast, control |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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