Abstract

During recent years, increasing incidences of summer droughts - likely driven by climate change - reduced the dilution potential of low-order streams for secondary treated wastewater also in temperate Europe. Despite the potential risks to ecosystem integrity, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the effects of different wastewater dilution potentials on ecosystem functions. The present study investigated the implications of secondary treated wastewater released into a third-order stream (Queich, southwest Germany) during a season with low dilution potential (summer; similar to 90% wastewater) as compared to a season with high dilution potential (winter; similar to 35% wastewater) in terms of leaf litter decomposition and macroinvertebrate communities. Adverse effects in macroinvertebrate mediated leaf mass loss (similar to 65%), gammarids' feeding rate (similar to 80%), leaf associated fungal biomass (>40%) and shifts in macroinvertebrate community structure were apparent up to 100 and 300 m (partially 500 m) downstream of the wastewater treatment plant effluent during winter and summer, respectively. In addition, a Gammarus fossarum laboratory feeding trial demonstrated the potential of powdered activated carbon to reduce the ecotoxicity of released wastewater. These results urge the development and evaluation of adequate management strategies, e.g. the application of advanced wastewater treatment technologies, to protect the integrity of freshwater ecosystems, which is required by the European Water Framework Directive - also considering decreasing dilution potential of streams as projected by climate change scenarios. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Ecosystem functions; Leaf decomposition; In situ; Micropollutants; Gammarus; Powdered activated carbon

Published in

Science of the Total Environment
2013, Volume: 454-455, pages: 401-410
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU Authors

• Bundschuh, Mirco

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Koblenz-Landau

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Biological Topics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.03.025

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/50480