c/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Research
Laboratory
Corvallis OR 97330
EPA 600 3-79-099
'79
Res
jpment
Effects of Forest
Fertilization with
Urea on Major
Biological
Components of
Small Cascade
Streams, Oregon
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RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
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This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
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EPA-600/3-79-099
September 1979
EFFECTS OF FOREST FERTILIZATION WITH UREA ON MAJOR BIOLOGICAL
COMPONENTS OF SMALL CASCADE STREAMS, OREGON
by
F. S. Stay, A. Katko, K. W. Malueg,
M. R. Crouse, S. E. Dominguez, R. E. Austin
Freshwater Division
Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory
Corvallis, Oregon 97330
This study was conducted
in cooperation with
U.S. Forest Service
Oakridge, OR 97492
CORVALLIS ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
CORVALLIS, OR 97330
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Corvallis Environmental Research
Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publica-
tion. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
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FOREWORD
Effective regulatory and enforcement actions by the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency would be virtually impossible without sound scientific data on
pollutants and their impact on environmental stability and human health.
Responsibility for building this data base has been assigned to EPA's Office
of Research and Development and its 15 major field installations, one of which
is the Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory (CERL).
The primary mission of the Corvallis Laboratory is research on the ef-
fects of environmental pollutants on terrestrial, freshwater, and marine
ecosystems; the behavior, effects and control of pollutants in lake and stream
systems; and the development of predictive models on the movement of pollu-
tants in the biosphere.
This report evaluates the impact of forest fertilization with urea on
major chemical and biological components of stream ecosystems.
Thomas A. Murphy
Director, CERL
i i i
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ABSTRACT
During April, 1976, 1.9 x 103 ha of second growth Douglas fir, located in
the Willamette National Forest of Oregon, were fertilized with 224 kg
urea-N/ha. Unfertilized buffer strips of 60 and 90 m were maintained along
all second and third order streams, respectively. Sharp increases in urea
concentrations (maximum of 12 mg/1) during the fertilization phase were due to
the unintentional, direct application to the streams. Immediately following
fertilization all nitrogen species returned to near background levels. The
Second year following fertilization only N03-N02 appeared to be slightly
elevated due to fertilization. Two-month fish bioassays using Salmo gairdneri
showed no mortalities which could be attributed to by-products or contaminants
of urea. Algal assays using Selenastrum capricornutum, and chlorophyll a and
ATP-biomass of periphyton from glass slide samplers showed low supporting
capacity and generally no significant increase in biomass resulting from
fertilization. Decomposition experiments using dialysis chambers suggested
little difference between a fertilized and unfertilized station. Analysis of
benthic and drifting invertebrates suggested that little change in community
structure could be related to fertilization. A record drought the first year
following fertilization may have resulted in reduced nitrogen loss to the
stream system. This report covers a period from April, 1976 to July, 1977 and
was completed as of June, 1979.
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CONTENTS
Foreword » 1]1
Abstract iv
Figures v^
Tables vii
Acknowledgment V111
1. Introduction 1
2. Conclusions 3
3. Materials and Methods 5
Site Description 5
Fertilization 5
Physical Chemical Methods 8
Biological Methods 9
Sample Collection Regimen 12
4. Results and Discussion ^
Precipitation and Streamflow ^
Stream Chemical Composition ^
Fish Bioassays ^
Algal Growth Potential ^
Periphyton Growth ^°
Decomposition .• ^
Stream Benthic Communities and Invertebrate Drift 41
Cfi
References n
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FIGURES
Number Page
1. Map of fertilized sub-areas, buffer zones, and sample stations .... 6
2. Opaque plexiglass box and dialysis chamber used to measure
decomposition 11
3. Flow at experimental and control stations before, during, and after
fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 16
4. Urea-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations
before, during, and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 20
5. Ammonia-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations
before, during and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 23
6. Nitrate-nitrite-N concentrations at experimental and control stream
stations before, during and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats . 25
7. Total Kjeldahl-N concentrations at experimental and control stream
stations before, during, and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 28
8. Urea-N loadings following fertilization in Huckleberry, Fifth, Sixth,
Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Creeks 31
9. Ammonia-N loadings following fertilization in Huckleberry, Fifth,
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Creeks 32
10. Nitrate-nitrite loadings following fertilization in Huckleberry, Fifth,
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Creeks 33
11. Algal assay growth yields for untreated streamwater; 1.0 mg/1
nitrogen addition; 0.05 mg/1 phosphorus addition; micronutrient
addition; and 1.0 mg/1 nitrogen plus 0.05 ml/1 phosphorus addition . . 34
12. Chlorophyll a and viable biomass concentrations of periphyton on
glass slides~exposed in control and experimental streams for 4 and 8
week periods 37
13. Numbers of benthic organisms in predominant orders at control and
experimental stations 42
vi
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14. Dendrogram developed from cluster analysis of a Bray-Curtis
dissimilarity matrix of benthic invertebrates collected from control
and experimental stations before and after fertilization of
Huckleberry Flats 46
15. Dendrogram developed from cluster analysis of a Bray-Curtis
dissimilarity matrix of drifting invertebrates before and during
fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 51
16. Dendrogram developed from cluster analysis of a Bray-Curtis
dissimilarity matrix of drifting invertebrates before, during and
after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 52
TABLES
Number Page
1. Collection, location and frequency of parameters analyzed for
evaluation of forest fertilization at Huckleberry Flats 13
2. Precipitation at Huckleberry Flats and a proximate NOAA site 14
3. Average stream chemical composition in experimental and control
streams before, during, and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats . 18
4. Fish Bioassay; percent survival of rainbow trout, Sal mo gairdneri,
for a 2 month period during and after fertilization of Huckleberry
Flats 35
5. Periphyton; mean chlorophyll a and mean biomass concentrations at all
stations for each sample collection date and for all sample
collection dates at each station following fertilization of
Huckleberry Flats 38
6. Heterotrophic Decomposition; percent decomposition and processing
coefficients of Douglas fir, £. menziesii, and red alder, A. rubra,
substrates in Devils Canyon Creek and Seventh Creek 40
7. Total number of organisms, number of taxa, and Shannon-Wiener Diversity
Index (SWDI) for invertebrate drift before, during, and after
fertilization of Huckleberry Flats 48
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are grateful to personnel of the Oakridge District of the
Willamette National Forest for their cooperation during the study, to the
students of Linn-Benton Community College who assisted in the sampling, to
Peter Klingeman and his staff at Oregon State University (OSU) for their
assistance in gaging the streams, to Thomas Dudley and Peter Lattin of OSU who
assisted in the invertebrate enumeration and identification, to Kenneth Harris
of CERL and his co-workers for the chemical analyses conducted in this study,
to Howard Mercier and William Faus of CERL for their computer programming and
contributions, and to Charles Powers of CERL, Marvin Allum of CERL and Duane
Moore of the Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experimental Station for their
technical reviews.
viii
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SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
A worldwide reduction in the land base available for silviculture coupled
with increasing timber demand have stimulated the development of improved
management methods to increase timber growth rate (Baule, 1975; Schultz, 1975;
Haines, 1975; Hansen, 1975). Forest fertilization is one technique for in-
creasing timber yield which is gaining increased acceptance.
Groman (1972) and Baule (1975) have reviewed the global extent of forest
fertilization and predict a rapid expansion of its use. Baule1s review pre-
dicts that by 1980, 0.20-0.25% of the world's forest will have been fertilized
at least once. While this is a relatively modest fraction, on a world scale
it will involve the use of a prodigious quantity of fertilizer. And it will
be concentrated in a few, highly developed nations.
A rapid increase in forest fertilization in the United States is ex-
pected. Fertilizers applied include N, P, and K alone or in various combina-
tions. In the Southeast United States, about 100,000 ha of forest had been
fertilized by 1973; this is expected to increase greatly (Haines, 1975).
Schultz (1974) has estimated that in United States about 2 million ha/yr could
be fertilized. In the Pacific Northwest, about 250,000 ha of forest had been
fertilized with urea by 1974, with the annual rate approaching 120,000 ha/yr
(Moore, 1975a). The combined fertilization potential in Oregon and Washington
alone is estimated to be about one million ha/yr by 1985 (Hansen, 1974).
Growth of major coniferous timber species in the Pacific Northwest is
generally limited by nitrogen (Gessel, 1969). Growth rate increases of up to
30% have been sustained for 5-7 year periods by single applications of nitro-
gen fertilizer (Anderson, 1969). In a review of nitrogen dynamics in forest
soils, Wollum and Davey (1975) predicted that modern management techniques
will place much higher demands on soil nitrogen supplies because faster growth
rates mean shorter rotation times and higher nitrogen removal rates. A doubl-
ing of nitrogen demands is conceivable for conifers which store a high propor-
tion of their mature nitrogen content early in life. Logging practices such
as whole-tree utilization and in-woods chipping will also result in increased
nitrogen removal.
Because of the rapid spread of this silvicultural practice, there is
growing concern over possible adverse side effects (Atkinson and Morison,
1975; Safford, 1973). Laboratory and field studies on disposition of applied
urea nitrogen within forest soils have revealed little likelihood of signifi-
cant nitrogen transport into groundwater (Cole and Gessel, 1963; 1975; Cole
et a]_. 1975; Knowles, 1975). These studies have shown that the ammonium ion,
the hydrolysis product of urea, is quickly immobilized by soil cation exchange
sites and biota. Significant losses of fertilizer nitrogen have resulted from
1
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ammonia volatilization (Watkins et aJL 1972; Chin and Kroontje, 1963; Bernier
et al. 1969; Mahendrappa, 1975) and leaching to surface waters. High volatil-
ization losses have been noted under conditions of high pH which is due to the
greater proportion of non-ionized ammonia. Volatilization losses as high as
46% have been observed from forest soils in laboratory studies (Watkins et al.
1972).
Leaching of fertilizer nitrogen within forest soils has been observed
mainly after oxidation of ammonium to nitrate. Heilman (1974) found that the
nitrification rate in Pacific Northwestern forest soils was variable, but
generally low before and immediately after fertilization. However, nitrifi-
cation was much more rapid in both untreated and re-fertilized soils taken
from sites which had been fertilized some years previously. It appears that
initial fertilization has a "priming" effect on nitrifying organisms, which
may lead to much higher rates of nitrate leaching with time and with repeated
urea treatments.
Urea fertilization also increases nitrogen leaching through mobilization
of organic N. Salonius (1972) noted that application of urea increased the
rate of decomposition of forest humus, and Ogner (1972a,b) found greatly
increased leaching of organic N to the 40 cm depth after surface application
of urea.
Cole and Gessel (1974) noted that three-fourths of the usable water
supply in the United States originates in the forested one-third of the coun-
try. As a result, forest fertilization practices have an inherent potential
to affect a large proportion of the nation's water supply. For this reason,
there have been many recent studies on streamwater contamination in fertilized
watersheds.
Nitrogen losses to surface waters represent a very small fraction when
expressed as percent of nitrogen applied; however, relatively high concentra-
tions have been found. Early losses usually range from 2 to 3% of applied
nitrogen for streams not buffered by unfertilized zones (Moore, 1975b) and
about 0.5% for streams with buffer zones. Such losses may be significant
(Werner, 1973) since they impact headwater streams which average 1 km2 water-
shed per 1.4 km of stream (Leopold et al_. 1964). In watersheds fertilized at
the standard rate of 224 kg N/ha, a leaching loss of only 1% per year trans-
lates to a stream loading rate of 161 kg/km/yr. Consequences of the impact of
this enrichment upon the biota of streams and lakes have not been determined.
The only previous work of which we are aware involved two streams draining
fertilized clearcuts in Alaska (Meehan et al_. 1975), which showed that changes
in periphyton or benthic biomass due to fertilization could not be disting-
uished from natural variation. Clearly, more work is needed to ascertain bio-
logical effects of forest fertilization on the large variety of stream systems
which may be affected.
The present study was undertaken in response to this need. The objective
of this study was to determine the impact of aerial forest fertilization with
urea on major components of the aquatic ecosystem. These components included
streamwater chemical composition, fish (bioassay), algal growth potential
(algal assay), jji situ periphyton growth, heterotrophic decomposition, benthic
community structure, and invertebrate drift composition.
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SECTION 2
CONCLUSIONS
The chemical parameters, other than the forms of nitrogen, demonstrated
no change which could be attributed to fertilization. The nitrogen species
measured in this study included urea, NH3, NOs-NO^, and total Kjeldahl nitro-
gen. Urea increased sharply during the fertilization period when unfertilized
buffer strips along the streams were violated. Due to the possible addition
of NH3 by red alder symbionts, very little could be concluded about fertiliza-
tion-ammonia relationships. Nitrate-nitrite-N, however, did not appear af-
fected by this source and increased slightly during and following fertiliza-
tion. The year following fertilization, the only nitrogen species which
appeared to be elevated due to fertilization was N03-N02.
The results of this study suggest that fertilization slightly increased
stream nitrogen concentrations. Streams with higher flows and those that had
45 m buffer strips had lower nitrogen concentrations than streams with lower
flows and 30 m strips. Also, the lack of buffer strips on the smaller head-
water tributaries resulted in elevated nitrogen concentrations even though the
remainder of the stream was buffered. Nitrogen concentrations in an unbuf-
fered stream, fertilized at an application rate of about one-third to two-
thirds that used for the other watersheds, were the highest of all streams
studied.
Nitrogen loadings calculated for the experimental streams were low and
possibly negative on occasion. Higher N03-N02 loadings the second year appear
to be the residual effects of fertilization. Although nitrogen concentrations
were less in comparable streams buffered by 45 m strips (Station 11) than
those buffered by 30 m strips (Stations 23 and 24), loading differences were
too small to be measured.
Two-month fish bioassays showed no increased fish mortality which could
be attributed to by-products or contaminants of the urea fertilizer.
Algal assays conducted on water from the fertilized and control streams
suggested low growth potential changed only slightly, if at all, after fertil-
ization. Fertilization did not shift the limiting nutrient status of the
water to phosphorus. The experiments did indicate that nitrogen and phos-
phorus co-limited algal growth.
The periphyton studies also revealed low growth potential. However, a
slight but significant (0.05) difference in chlorophyll a was noted between
control and selected experimental slides exposed for 8 weeks. Slides exposed
for 4 weeks showed no significant difference, and biomass in the control and
experimental stations was not significantly different for either 4 or 8 week
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exposures. This indicates that fertilization may have increased autotrophic
growth, although the combined autotrophic-heterotrophic supporting capacity
did not change.
The heterotrophic decomposition of Douglas fir needles and red alder
leaves also suggested a low supporting capacity for the heterotrophic compo-
nent of the stream biocoenosis. Fertilization caused no measurable difference
in decomposition between the control and experimental streams.
Benthos and invertebrate drift components of the aquatic ecosystem also
showed no change which could be attributed to fertilization with urea. The
changes which did occur in benthic community structure and invertebrate drift
composition appeared more dependent upon emergence, flow, and season than any
other factors.
Violation of buffer zones resulted in temporary high nitrogen concentra-
tions, and the lack of any buffer zone along streams resulted in the highest
nitrogen concentrations. Also, fertilization of unbuffered headwater tribu-
taries appeared to partially nullify benefits gained by buffering the main
stream channel. Although nitrogen species were sometimes slightly elevated
following fertilization, other chemical and biological parameters, except for
periphyton, showed no change which could be attributed to fertilization.
Although fertilization appeared to cause a slight enhancement of auto-
trophic growth, the autotrophic-heterotrophic biomass supported by the streams
was not altered. Possible changes in supporting capacity which might have
occurred in response to the slightly increased nitrogen concentrations were
probably mediated by co-limitation of phosphorus. Had phosphorus not been
co-limiting, or had this additional nitrogen been transported to a nitrogen-
limited stream, increased growth may have resulted.
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SECTION 3
MATERIALS AND METHODS
SITE DESCRIPTION
The study site (Figure 1) was a 1920 ha stand of second-growth Douglas
fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) on Huckleberry Flats and adjacent areas located on
the west slopes of the Cascade Mountains in westcentral Oregon. This stand
had been harvested by clearcutting in the 1930s. Ground vegetation was pre-
dominantly salal Gaultheria sp_; vine maple, Acer circinatum; Oregon grape,
Berberis sp; and Rhododendron sp. Cottonwood, Populus sp, and red alder,
Alnus rubra, were found in riparian areas.
Huckleberry Flats is classified primarily as land type 14 (Legard and
Meyer, 1973) with very deep, slightly plastic to plastic soils derived from
residual and colluvial materials. Surface soils are thin sandy loams and silt
loams. Subsoils consist of thick silt loams, silty clay loams, and clay
loams. Drainage is rapid in the surface soils and moderate to slow in the
subsoils. In general the land type on Huckleberry Flats is typical of flats,
benches, and terraces found in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon.
Elevation of the project area ranges from 800 m to 1100 m. The eastern
edge has a mean slope of about 30% and the Flats area has a mean slope of
about 10%.
Prior to the selection of areas to be fertilized, University of Washing-
ton personnel of the Regional Forest Nutrition Research Program initiated
studies in 1969 to determine the growth response of Douglas fir to nitrogen
fertilization in western Oregon and Washington. With information developed
over four growing seasons (University of Washington, 1972; 1976), the United
States Forest Service (USFS) identified Huckleberry Flats and Christy Flats as
two major areas to be fertilized. Huckleberry Flats was selected for this
study because it was large enough to incorporate the major portions of several
perennial first, second, and third order streams draining the watershed, and
had two streams proximate to the fertilized area which could be used as con-
trols.
FERTILIZATION
The fertilization of Huckleberry Flats was conducted by the USFS, Willam-
ette National Forest, Oakridge District during April, 1976. Agricultural
grade urea prills, small pellets 1-2 mm diameter, were applied to the forest
with a gondola-spreader carried by a helicopter. The application rate was 224
kg N/ha.
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on Devils Conyon Cr
Roowvelt Cr) 2 Mi
FOREST FERTILIZATION PROJECT
Sampling Site
Limits and Date of Subareas
Fertilized
Approximate Drainage Area
Divide
119051
^^*~ Road
Figure!. Map of fertilized sub-areas, dates of urea application, buffer
zones, and sample stations.
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During fertilization, sub-areas distinguishable from the air were fertil-
ized individually with known amounts of urea to achieve the most accurate and
uniform application to the total project area. Sub-areas, dates of urea appli-
cations, buffer strips, and sampling station locations are shown in Fig. 1.
Unfertilized buffer strips were maintained along each side of the major
streams in the fertilized area. Width of the buffer strips was 45 m for the
two largest streams, Huckleberry Creek and Seventh Creek, and 30 m for Fifth,
Sixth, Salal, Eighth and Ninth Creeks. Fertilization was originally scheduled
to begin 1 April 1976 but was postponed until 14 April because of heavy snow
cover. Fertilization was intermittent during 14-28 April because of heavy
rain and snow storms. Sampling stations were located on the upper and lower
reaches of each stream in the fertilized area except for Eighth Creek, Ninth
Creek, and Seventh Creek where access was not possible. The only access
points for Stations 2 and 3 were located 0.3 km inside the fertilized area,
and therefore could not be used as upstream controls.
Control streams originally selected for this study were Devils Canyon
Creek, Station 25; upper Huckleberry Creek, Station 15; and Fourth Creek,
Stations 1 and 4. Devils Canyon Creek was selected because it was similar in
size to Huckleberry Creek and its watershed was completely separated from the
fertilized area, reducing the possibility of contamination during fertiliza-
tion.
Upper Huckleberry Creek, Station 15, was considered representative of
Huckleberry Creek, Stations 8 and 13. This station was contaminated once by
direct fall during fertilization; however, because the area affected was very
small, and the effects short-term, Station 15 continued as a control. Fourth
Creek, Stations 1 and 4, adjoins the fertilized area and was selected as a
control because of its similarity to the smaller tributaries: Fifth, Sixth,
and Salal Creeks. Unfortunately, during the fertilization of a plot south of
Huckleberry Flats on 13 April, the area between Road 1905 and some point below
Station 4 was uniformly contaminated; consequently, Station 4 could not be
used as a control. On 14 April, Station 1 was contaminated and the effects
persisted for an extended period of time. Because of uniform contamination
above Station 4, it was used as an example of an unbuffered stream. Visual
observations of prill density in this area suggested an application rate of
one-third to two-thirds that used in the fertilized area. Because of this
lower rate of application, the magnitude of effects found was considered equal
to or less than that which might have occurred at the rate of 224 kg N/ha
applied to the fertilized area.
Although it was not possible to obtain extensive antecedent characteriza-
tion of the relationship between the control and the experimental streams,
comprehensive characterization the month prior to the treatment suggested no
major differences in streamwater chemistry.
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PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL METHODS
Flow and Precipitation
Flow measurements were made with weirs and staff gages at each station.
Weirs were calibrated by measuring flows with a pigmy-gurly meter at 8 widely
different stage heights. With this information, rating functions were devel-
oped to calculate flow from observed stage heights at times of sample collec-
tion.
Precipitation was measured with 3 rain gages placed on the higher eastern
edge of the project area and with 5 gages in the lower Flats area. Because
vandals destroyed some of the gages during the study period, average values
for the Flats area and higher slopes were not always based on the same number
of samples.
Chemical Methods
Water samples were analyzed in the field for conductivity, pH, dissolved
oxygen, and alkalinity. Subsamples were preserved with 4 mg HgCl2/l, 25 ml
concentrated HN03/1, or by cooling to 4°C (depending on the analytical re-
quirements, APHA, 1975), and shipped to the Con/all is Environmental Research
Laboratory for additional chemical analyses. United States Environmental
Protection Agency methods (USEPA, 1974) were used for all chemical analyses
except urea. Urea was hydrolyzed to ammonia by a modification of the Lienado
and Rechnitz (1974) method, and the resultant ammonia was analyzed by conven-
tional methods. The urea concentrations were calculated by subtracting the
ammonia-N concentration before hydrolysis from the ammonia-N concentration
after hydrolysis.
Periphyton samples were analyzed for chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, and ATP.
Chlorophyll a and phaeophytin were determined using a modified method of
Strickland and Parsons (1965) developed by Lorenzen (1967). Absorbance was
measured with a dual beam scanning spectrophotometer at 750 and at 663 nm
before and after acidification with two drops of IN HC1. Absorbance values at
663 nm before (663) and after acidification (663 a) were corrected for absorb-
ance at 750 nm and then used to calculate chlorophyll a and phaeophytin with
the equations of Lorenzen. Because the chlorophyll was from a periphyton
community these equations were modified to present results as weight/unit
area:
rhiA-nnhwii a mn/m2 - 26.73 [(663)-(663 a)]-Extract volume (L)
Chlorophyll a, mg/m* - slide Area (m58)-Cuvette Path Length (cm)
Phaormhu+i-n mn/m2 - 26.73 [1.7 (663 a)-(663)]• Extract volume (L)
Phaeophytm, mg/m* - glide Area (m^)-Cuvette Path Length (cm)
Interferences resulting from a shift in the fucoxanthin absorption spec-
trum upon over-acidification have been noted for this method (Riemann, 1978).
However, inspection of our sample absorption spectra, and the lower solvent
molarity used (about 8 x 10-3 M HC1), suggests that interference from this
carotenoid did not occur.
8
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Samples for ATP analysis were extracted in the field within 2 hours after
collection. Samples were first filtered through a 0.45 urn membrane filter,
then immediately extracted with 10 ml of boiling Tris buffer, pH 7.75 (Cheer
et al_. 1974; Holm-Hansen and Booth, 1966). The extract was frozen with dry
ice and stored at -25°C until analyzed. A refined luciferin-luciferase enzyme
was used in the analysis. Emitted light was integrated for 1 minute with a
commercial ATP photometer. Purified disodium ATP standard was used to prepare
calibration curves each day ATP analyses were conducted. Standards were
analyzed every 10 to 15 samples to detect any change in efficiency occurring
during the period of analysis. ATP concentration in the extracts was con-
verted to biomass by assuming an ATP content of 2.4 mg ATP/g dry weight or-
ganic matter (Weber, 1973). This method estimates the mass of viable organism
only and values derived by this method are usually much lower than biomass
estimates derived from gravimetric methods.
BIOLOGICAL METHODS
Fish Bioassay
Acute toxicity experiments were conducted using fingerling rainbow trout,
Sal mo gairdneri, from the Metolius Fish Hatchery, Camp Sherman, Oregon. Fish
were placed in holding boxes, at Station 4 on Fourth Creek, after adjusting
tank water to stream temperature. After a 24 hr acclimation in the holding
boxes, 20 fingerlings about 8 to 10 cm long were placed in each of 2 test
chambers located at each of the 10 stations selected for bioassays. The fish
were then allowed to acclimate to the individual streams for two weeks prior
to fertilization. They were fed trout pellets periodically throughout the
experiment.
Hacroi nvertebrates
Three individual benthic samples of 0.09 m2 were collected with a Surber
sampler and composited (Hynes, 1970; USGS, 1977; USEPA, 1973). The sampling
location at each station was changed each trip to avoid areas previously
sampled. Sample material retained on a #30 mesh (0.5 mm) sieve was preserved
in buffered 10% formalin. Invertebrates were sorted from the debris by hand
picking, then preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol for counting and identification.
Drifting macroinvertebrates were collected with 0.30 m x 0.30 m x 1 m,
363 urn mesh Nitex nets. When possible the entire stream volume was passed
through the nets. Drifting organisms were collected for 24 hrs to eliminate
the effect of diurnal variations in numbers (Allan, 1978; Waters, 1972; Elliot,
1970). Samples removed from the nets were processed by the same procedures
used for benthic samples. Organisms were enumerated and identified to the
lowest taxonomic unit possible, usually genus or species. Organisms which
could not be identified to this level were considered a unique bit of infor-
mation during the calculation of species diversity.
Algal Assays
Algal assays were conducted according to the Algal Assay Bottle Test
(USEPA, 1971). Water samples were collected in 4 1 plastic bottles and stored
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at 4°C. Samples were autoclaved and filtered, then cultured in triplicate
sets as follows: streamwater without nutrient addition (control); 0.05 mg
P/l; 1.0 mg N/l; 1.0 mg N/l + 0.05 mg P/l; and a micronutrient spike, IX (AAM)
medium concentration. Selenastrum capricornutum was used as the test alga.
Periphyton
Periphyton samples were collected from glass slides held in a floating
acrylic plastic rack (Sladeckova, 1962; Hohn and Hellerman, 1963). Duplicate
sets of racks were placed at each station for 4 and 8 week exposure periods.
Four slides from each duplicate rack were collected per exposure period and
duplicate slides were placed in each of two wide-mouth bottles containing
streamwater. Growth on two of the four slides from each rack was removed,
filtered with 0.45 pm membrane filters and extracted in boiling Tris for ATP.
Growth on the other two slides was analyzed for chlorophyll a.
Decomposition
Decomposition of red alder leaves and Douglas fir needles was measured in
duplicate at Stations 6 and 25 twice during the study. Dialysis chambers
(McFeters and Stuart, 1972) with 8 |jm membrane pore size (Figure 2) were used
to isolate the substrate from the stream biota. Both red alder leaves and
Douglas fir needles were collected from the study area during the fall season,
dried at 35°C, and ground in a Wiley mill to pass through a #40 screen. Known
amounts of substrate were then sealed in each dialysis chamber. Before being
placed in the stream, each chamber was inoculated with 100 ml of streamwater
taken with a 50 ml syringe from interstitial spaces of the top 2 cm of the
bottom gravel. It was assumed that the heterotrophic population contained in
this water and that which naturally occurred on the leaves would be of suffic-
ient diversity and density to initiate a decomposer population within the
chambers.
The chambers were placed in flow-through opaque plexiglas boxes to pre-
vent algal growth (Figure 2). These boxes were then completely submerged,
anchored to the stream bottom, and aligned so that the stream flow would force
water continuously through the boxes. After two months the chambers were
removed from the stream and the remaining residue collected. Within two
hours, ATP was extracted from duplicate subsamples of the residue. The re-
mainder of the residue was stored at 4°C until another set of duplicate sub-
samples could be filtered, dried at 105°C, and weighed. This information was
used to determine total weight loss of the substrate and biomass of the heter-
otrophic population at time of collection.
Leaching experiments were also conducted on the same stock leaf material
used in the decomposition study. Two grams of leaf substrate were placed in
200 ml of distilled water and allowed to stand at about 20°C for 24 hours.
Subsamples were then filtered, dried at 105°C for 24 hr, and weighed to deter-
mine weight loss due to leaching. Weight loss due to decomposition was esti-
mated by subtracting the estimated leaching loss from the total weight loss in
each chamber. Because only initial and final weights could be measured in
these experiments, it was assumed that weight loss conformed to the following
exponential model (Petersen and Cummins, 1974):
10
-------
Figure 2. Opaque plexiglass box and dialysis chamber used to measure decompo-
sition.
-------
W = W e
t o
W. = Weight remaining at time (t)
W - Initial weight
k = Processing coefficient
Processing coefficients were calculated with the following equation:
W,
SAMPLE COLLECTION REGIMEN
log (rj)/t = -k
e W
Sample collection frequencies and locations for all parameters measured
are presented in Table 1, A and B. Each asterisk in Section B represents a
sample collection event at stations listed in Section A.
12
-------
TABLE 1. COLLECTION, LOCATION AND FREQUENCY OF PARAMETERS ANALYZED FOR EVALUATION OF FOREST FERTILIZATION AT HUCKLEBERRY FLATS
A Location of Parameters Sampled
Parameters
Chemistry & Streamflow
Algal Assay
Periphyton
Macroinvertebrates
Fish Bioassay
Decomposition
Stations Sampled
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, 25
1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 25
1, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 25
1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 25
1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
6, 25
B Frequency of Parameters Sampled
Feb Mar
Parameters , ,
Apr
Hay
June
-4-H
July
Auq
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
CO
1976
CTTemistry &
Streamflow
Algal Assay
Periphyton
Macroinvertebrates
Fish Bioassay
Decomposition
* •* ^
* '*•/', *
* •*,* * * * *
* * **.**'**** * ** *** *** * *****
* * * * * *'*. *****************************
****
****
* * * ^X
"***,
* *** •***
* * *** •*>*'
* * * * * * *
*********
1977
Chemistry &
Streamflow
Periphyton
Macroinvertebrates
Decomposition
Feb
Mar
h
Apr
May
H
June
**** * ***** **** ** *
*_ * * * *
*
Fertilization per i od, 14-28 April. 1976. is indicated by the shaded area
-------
SECTION 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
PRECIPITATION AND STREAMFLOW
Precipitation data for Huckleberry Flats, adjacent slopes, and a NOAA
weather station at the Oakridge Salmon Hatchery (USDC, 1976; 1977) 13 km
southeast are presented in Table 2. Generally, the rainy season for the
Pacific Northwest begins about October-November and lasts until early June.
After June very little rainfall occurs until autumn. However during the
1976-1977 winter, there was a severe Drought and precipitation was well below
normal.
TABLE 2. PRECIPITATION AT HUCKLEBERRY FLATS AND A PROXIMATE NOAA SITE.
Month
Jan. 1976
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan. 1977
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
Lower
Flats Area
(cm)
ND
ND
ND
1.7
4.6
0.6
4.3
4.3
1.1
1.0
0.0
ND
NO
2.7
22.3
5.3
19.6
2.0
Upper
Slopes Area
(cm)
ND
ND
ND
3.2
6.6
1.0
4.6
5.1
1.0
1.1
0.0
ND
ND
2.2
28.7
4.8
23.0
2.3
NOAA*
Site
(cm)
20.1
13.2
13.9
9.6
3.1
1.5
3.8
11.9
1.2
4.3
3.6
3.1
5.0
5.0
14.3
4.1
13.7
0.7
% of Monthly
Mean NOAA Site
(%)
117
107
112
116
49
26
317
900
35
62
23
17
28
40
117
50
216
12
* Oakridge Salmon Hatchery Located 13 km S.E. of Huckleberry Flats.
Elevation = Lower Flats Area ~ 800 m
Upper Slope Area ^ 1100 m
Salmon Hatchery ~ 600 m
ND = no data available.
14
-------
Although precipitation at the NOAA site was quite different than that at
Huckleberry Flats, it is included in Table 2 to compare the 1976-1977 winter
to an average winter derived from a long-term data base. During September-
February 1976, when precipitation is usually highest, rainfall was 29% of the
mean at the NOAA site and 76% of the mean for the total study period.
Although extensive antecedent precipitation information at Huckleberry
Flats is not available for comparison, trends were similar to those at the
NOAA site. Rainfall at Huckleberry Flats declined during the spring, in-
creased during July and August, and then remained very low to the end of the
study except for short periods in March and May.
Stream flow (Figure 3) reflected the extent of the drought at all sta-
tions measured. Flow declined from the start of the study through the 1976-
1977 winter, then increased sharply. Surface flow at Stations 2 and 10 com-
pletely stopped from late summer through winter. Although there was generally
a declining hydrograph throughout the first year, flows did increase during
periods of higher precipitation. Flows were higher the second year during
March to June and peak values corresponded to increased rainfall.
These data suggest that the streams evaluated for this study fall into
three general groups. Huckleberry Creek, Stations 8, 13, 15, and Devils
Canyon Creek consistently exhibited the highest flows (102 to 103 I/sec).
Huckleberry Creek was unique because a very high proportion of its flow orig-
inated above the fertilized portion of the watershed. Seventh Creek, Stations
6, 11; Eighth Creek, Station 24; and Ninth Creek, Station 23; had lower and
more variable flows (10° to 102 I/sec) than did Huckleberry Creek and Devils
Canyon Creek. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Sal a! Creeks generally had the lowest
flows ranging from 0 to 102 I/sec.
STREAM CHEMICAL COMPOSITIOON
Average chemical composition of the streams before, during and after
fertilization is presented in Table 3. The "before" average represents about
one month prior to fertilization and comprises the smallest number of samples.
The "during" average represents all data collected during and two weeks after
the last date of fertilization in the upstream watershed. These data include
the effect of direct application of urea to the stream surface and riparian
area. The "after" average is derived from samples collected during the re-
maining period of the study.
In general the streams were typical pristine Cascade mountain streams
(Fredriksen et a_K 1975) characterized by soft waters with low concentrations
of dissolved materials. Although the buffering capacity of these waters was
low as indicated by the alkalinity, the pH varied little throughout this
study. Values in Table 3 were determined_by first converting pH to hydrogen
ion concentrations, calculating the mean (H) then converting this to pH. Mean
values of pH were similar for all stations and periods, and did not appear to
be affected by fertilization.
15
-------
10
o
LU
to
10
10'
iir1
HBMJJ«SONOJFMBMJ
1976 1977
10
o »»'
UJ
in
10
10'
Id-1
HSMJJRSONOJFMSMJ
1976 1977
10 '
o
LJ
LO
10 '
10'
STATION 15
MBMJJftSONOJFMflMJ
1976 1977
10 •
o 10'
LU
10
CT1
10'
If1
STATION 6
FLOW
MOMJJRSONDJFMftMJ
1976 1977
10
o 10
UJ
in
10
-I 10°
STATION 11
"—• FLOW
MftMJJOSONDJFMftMJ
1976 1977
o
LU
LD
10
10
10'
1976
STATION 25
FLOU
1977
o '<>'
LJ
in
iO
10'
KT1
STATION 23
•—• FLOU
10
o
LU
in
10
10
10-'
STATION 24
•—• PLOW
MBMJJBSCNOJFH-4HJ MRMJJASONDJFHftHJ
1976 1977 1976 1977
Figure 3. Flow at experimental and control stations before, during, and after fertilization of Huckle-
berry Flats.
-------
o
Ul
10
-I 10°
10-'
STATION 9
FLOU
MflMJJflSONDJFMBHJ
1976 1977
STATION 2
•—• FLOU
1IT1
MfiMJJBSONOJFMflHJ
1976 1977
o
u
ID-
-1 10°
if1
STATION 1
•—• FLOW
HftMJJASONDJFMAMJ
197B 1977
10
o
Ul
in
10
10'
STATION 10
•—• FLOW
10 •
MAMJJASONOJFMAHJ
1976 1977
o
in
10
10'
If"
STATION 3
FLOW
MftMJJASONOJFMftMJ
1976 1977
MRMJjnSONOJFMAHJ
10
o
Ul
id
10'
STATION 12
—• FLOW
10 •
HAMJJASONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
Figure 3. (Continued)
o
LJ
in
10 •
10'
10'
STATION 14
•—• FLOW
MAMJJASONOvlFNAMJ
1976 1977
-------
TABLE 3. AVERAGE STREAM CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL STREAMS BEFORE, CURING, AND AFTER FERTILIZATION OF HUCKLEBERRY FLATS
Devils Huckleberry Creek Salal Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth
Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek Creek
Station #
Spec. Conductance
(umnos/cm)
Total Hardness
(ng CaC03/l)
Alkalinity (mg CaC03/l)
Total Inorganic -C
(rag C/l)
Total Organic -C
(mg C/l)
Total Kjeldahl -N
(rag N/l)
Ammonia (mg N/l)
Nitrate-Nitrite
(mg N/l)
Urea (rag N/l)
PH
Total Phosphate (mg P/l)
Orthoptiosphate (mg P/l)
Calcium (mg Ca/1)
Sodium (mg Na/1)
Potassium (mg K/l)
Magnesium (mg Mg/1)
Total Cation* (mg/1)
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
Before
During
After
25 8 13 15 12 14 4 1 9 2 10 3 6 11 24 23
27.5 27.2 32.6 31.4 15.4 16.3 19.2 20.2 18.0 19.5 28.9 29.7 32.5 18.9 18.8 16.8
26.0 25.0 28.1 31.2 14.9 18.9 20.7 21.2 18.4 19.8 27.3 30.2 21.5 19.1 18.1 16.5
28.0 36.9 37.2 37.6 28.0 25.0 29.3 28.5 27.6 25.2 36.8 34.1 30.6 27.0 23.8 22.6
10.4 9.5 11.6 12.4 5.3 6.0 5.6 5.2 5.2 6.3 10.0 11.0 7.0 5.4 6.0 6.2
9.7 11.5 11.4 11.8 5.7 6.8 5.9 5.8 5.5 6.3 10.4 10.8 6.9 6.5 6.9 6.4
13.0 15.3 16.3 16.0 12.8 8.7 9.7 8.5 10.0 8.6 14.7 10.8 10.5 9.5 10.3 10.1
12.7 11.9 13.7 15.1 7.1 7.4 6.9 8.4 7.4 8.3 13.2 13.4 8.7 7.7 7.8 6.8
12.1 14.9 15.3 6.4 7.8 8.4 8.7 8.2 8.3 13.5 13.8 9.3 9.3
14.1 16.7 16.7 18.4 13.6 12.1 12.4 11.9 12.2 12.1 17.0 14.6 13.5 12.3 15.1 12.7
1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 .9 .9 1.0 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.4 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0
.7 .8 .9 .8 .8 .6 .7 .7 .8 .8 .9 1.1 .8 .8 .8 .8
1.0 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 1,0 1.0 1.0
.2 .3 .3 .2 .2 .2 .9 .8 .5 .2 .5 .5 .6 .2 .6 .9
.6 .5 .8 .6 .7 .5 .9 1.0 .7 .3 .9 .7 .5 .5 2.1 1.7
.7 .8 1.0 .8 .8 .6 1.9 1.6 1.5 .8 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.4 1.4
.087 .077 .047 .050 .054 .161 .100 .053 .050 .075 .063 .075 .067 .050 .050 .063
.063 .095 .472 2.379 .474 .704 .167 .086 .092 .205 .299 .296 .119 .298 .696 .056
.087 .066 .064 .065 .066 .077 .120 .091 .084 .084 .072 .085 .089 .077 .146 .080
.005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .007 .006 .005 .007 .006 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005
.005 .005 .006 .005 .006 .007 .007 .005 .005 .007 .006 .011 .005 .010 .005 .005
.012 .006 .006 .006 .008 .010 .011 .008 .009 .007 .008 .008 .008 .008 .011 .009
.006 .005 .005 .005 .306 .006 .011 .013 .007 .005 .006 .005 .006 .005 .005 .005
.005 .007 .013 .005 .014 .010 .026 .009 .007 .008 .010 .007 .006 .007 .011 .005
.007 .008 .010 .006 .007 .020 .032 .015 ,009 .017 .011 .016 .008 .007 .019 .019
ND ND NO ND NO NO NO ND ND NO NO NO NO NO NO ND
.020 .059 .414 1.427 .565 .940 .091 .020 .047 .129 .347 .218 .066 .361 .187 .117
.020 .020 .020 .020 .020 .020 .033 .025 .023 .022 .025 .023 .020 .020 .024 .020
6.7 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.5 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.7 6.3 5.9 6.3 5.8
6.3 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.1 6.1 6.0 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.2 6.0 6.3 6.0
6.5 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.3 6.5 6.6 6.2 6.3 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.3 6.3
.014 .010 .015 .013 .011 .010 .010 .010 .010 .010 .010 .010 .010 .014 .012 .013
.010 .011 .010 .011 .010 .010 .012 .013 .011 .012 .011 .013 .013 .010 .010 .010
.012 .013 .011 .010 .011 .010 .011 .012 .014 .012 .011 .013 .016 .012 .011 .012
.008 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .007 .005 .005 .006 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005
.005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .006 .005 .005 .006 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005
.006 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .006 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005
3.1 2.9 3.5 4.0 1.5 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.4 1.6 2.8 3.0 1.8 1.6 1.6 1.3
2.9 2.9 3.5 3.6 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.6 3.0 3.1 1.9 1.7 1.7 2.0
3.7 4.7 5.0 5.0 4.0 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.1 4.0 2.8 2.6 2.3 2.6 2.6
1.5 1.7 1.9 1.9 1.1 1.1 1.7 2.0 1.3 1.3 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.3 1.6 1.0
1.5 1 6 1.8 1.7 1.0 1.1 1.6 1.8 1.3 1.2 1.8 1.9 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.2
2.1 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.0 1.6 2.4 2.7 1.9 2.0 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.1 1.9 1.8
.2 .3 .2 .3 .2 .2 .5 .6 .4 .4 .4 .5 .4 .3 .3 .3
.2 .2 .2 .2 .1 .2 .4 .4 .3 .2 .4 .3 .3 .3 .3 .2
.3 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .4 .4 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3 .3
.6 .7 .6 .6 .5 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .8 .8 .7 .6 .5 .6
.6 .7 .6 .6 .5 .6 .5 .5 .7 .7 .9 .fi .7 .5 .6 .8
.9 8 8 8 .8 .8 .9 .7 .9 .9 1.1 .9 .9 .8 .8 .9
5.6 5.8 6.4 6.9 3.4 3.7 4.7 5.2 3.9 4.1 6.0 6.1 4.6 4.1 4.1 3.3
52 55 63 62 31 3.5 4.2 4.4 4.0 3.9 6.2 6.2 4.6 4.2 3.9 4.5
7.1 8.3 8.6 8.7 7.4 5.1 6.2 6.3 5.7 5.3 8.2 6.4 6.1 5.7 5.8 5.9
* Total Cation = The sum of the Ca, Na, K, and Mg concentrations.
-------
Average total cation concentrations were higher in the "after fertiliza-
tion" period in the controls as well as the experimental stations, suggesting
that the increase was not due to cation exchange caused by fertilization, as
noted by others (Aubertin et al. 1973; Cole and Gessel, 1963), but was prob-
ably due to other factors.
Nutrient concentrations in the streams remained low throughout the study.
Average total phosphorus for all streams ranged between the analytical limit
(0.010 mg P/l) and 0.016 mg P/l. Orthophosphorus remained at or near analyti-
cal limits at all stations with average values of 0.005-0.008 mg P/l. Average
urea and Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) were higher during the fertilization phase at
all experimental stations, when average urea-N and TKN ranges were 0.020-1.429
and 0.056-2.370 mg N/l, respectively. The high nitrogen concentrations at
Station 15 during fertilization were due to direct contamination of the stream
at the time of one sample collection. If the results of this sample are omit-
ted, average urea-N and TKN are very near the analytical limits of 0.022 and
0.100 mg/1, respectively.
Average nitrate-nitrite and ammonia-nitrogen were at or near analytical
limits during all three periods at both the control and experimental stations.
In medium to low flow streams, average nitrate-nitrite nitrogen was slightly
higher in the "during" and "after" fertilization periods than "before."
Detailed information on urea, ammonia, nitrate-nitrite, and TKN is pre-
sented in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Urea concentrations (Figure 4) were below analytical limits at all sta-
tions just prior to fertilization and from November 1976 through June 1977.
During fertilization all experimental stations had short periods of increased
urea concentration. These high values were the result of inadvertant urea
application to the stream proper and proximate riparian areas.
During fertilization, two of the control streams, upper Huckleberry and
Fourth Creeks, were contaminated. Because the impact at Station 15 was mini-
mal, it was retained as a control. Fourth Creek was contaminated to a much
greater extent and could not be used as a control, but was used as an example
of a stream without buffer strips because urea contamination was uniform
throughout its watershed. Also, because the application rate was only one-
third to two-thirds the 224 kg N/ha applied to the fertilized area, the magni-
tude of effects was considered equal to or less than those which might have
occurred at the higher application rate.
Following fertilization, urea concentrations at Huckleberry Creek Sta-
tions 13 and 8 generally remained below analytical limits. However, Seventh
Creek Station 11, also buffered by 45 m strips, showed extended periods of
increased urea concentrations during the post-fertilization period. This
difference was probably due to a combination of the direct fertilization of
the headwater streams of Seventh Creek, which are mainly located in the fer-
tilized area, and the greater proportion of flow in Huckleberry Creek origin-
ating outside the fertilized area. Because the number and extent of buffer
zone violations were similar in both streams, as shown by urea peaks during
19
-------
10
to'
u
O
l(T3
STATION 8
•— • UREA
I
ff
I
'* I
IllP- Jl P
10°
or
UJ
h—
^JUT1
o
s: if2
If3
STATION 13
•— • UREA
Jl I *
10 -
10°
ct
UJ
(-
o
3
,
STATION 15
•— • UREft
MftMJJASONDJFMOMJ
1976 1977
MFIMJJOSONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJdSONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
10 •
10'
o:
UJ
ID'1
ro
o
197B
STATION 6
•—• UREA
1977
10
10
o:
LU
l(T
STATION 11
•—• UREA
t J»*M-fc-.
ID
10
(T
LJ
if
LIT3
STATION 25
*—• UREA
MftMJJflSONOJF M«MJ
1976 1977
MflMJJRSONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
10
tr
ID'
Id"3
STATION 23
•—• UREA
JL
10
10
o:
LJ
id"1
ID"
If3
STATION 24
•—• UREA
H O H J ,J O S 0 N 0 J F M ft H J
MftMJJOSONOjFMFlMJ
1976 1977 1976 1977
Figure 4. Urea-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations before, during, and after
fertilization of Huckleberry Flats.
-------
10
cr
LIT1
o
1(T3
STATION 9
—• UREA
i .
10
L0
cr
UJ
* ur2:
STATION 2
•—• UREA
10
10
cc
LJ
O'
STATION 1
UREA
MflMJJflSONDJFMftMJ
MflMJJfiSONDJFMflMJ
1976
1977
1976
1977
MflMJJ«SONDJFMP»MJ
1976 1977
10
10
cr
ro
STATION 10
•—• UREA
to
10".
cr
UJ
icr1
o
UT2
STATION 3
•—• UREA
.LJlA
10
10
CE
UJ
^ICT1
0
id"
!CT
STATION 4
UREA
JLA,
MBMJJfiSONOJFMPIMO
MAMJJ(!|SONOJFMflMJ
1976
1977
1976
1977
MAMJJASONDjFMflM.J
1976 1977
to
10'
cr
LJ
10-2
STATION 12
•—• UREA
JJfl
1976 1977
Figure 4. (Continued)
10 •
10'
cr
LJ
« id"1
o
If3
STATION 14
•—• UREA
MSHJJFiSONDJFMBMJ
1976 1977
-------
the fertilization period, it is unlikely that these violations were responsi-
ble for differences which occurred between these two streams.
Urea concentrations in streams buffered by 30 m unfertilized strips were
generally higher for more extended periods than were Seventh or Huckleberry
Creeks. The flows at Eighth and Ninth Creeks were similar to those at Station
11 and were the highest of the streams buffered by 30 m strips. Urea concen-
trations in these two streams were elevated for more extended periods than
those at Station 11 and were less than those in Fifth and Sixth Creeks. Lower
Salal Creek Station 12 had the lowest urea concentrations of streams with 30 m
buffer strips. Higher urea concentrations found in streams buffered by 30 m
strips appear to be the result of narrower buffer zones and lower dilution
and, again, not due to the number and extent of buffer zone violations.
Fourth Creek Station 4 had higher urea concentrations for more extended peri-
ods than all other stations even though loadings were less than 224 kg/ha.
This was 'due to the absence of buffer strips to restrict the transport of
nitrogen to the streams (Fredriksen et al. 1975).
Ammonia N increased at all experimental stations except 23 and 24 during
the fertilization period (Figure 5). Ammonia concentrations in the controls
generally remained low during and following fertilization; however, concentra-
tions in Devils Canyon Creek were generally higher than those in Huckleberry
Creek. These higher values may have been due to decomposition of tissue
sloughed from the nitrogen-fixing symbionts associated with riparian red alder
(Moore, 1975a, b; Franklin et al. 1968) which were common near Station 25, but
not as numerous along Huckleberry Creek. Urea contamination is unlikely
because the drainage basin of Devils Canyon Creek is well removed from the
fertilized area. Because of this additional ammonia source and its varia-
bility among stations, no conclusions can be drawn about the effect of fertil-
ization on ammonia concentrations in the experimental streams. In general,
concentrations were greatest at all stations during June-November 1976, and
increased slightly again during May-June, 1977.
Nitrate-nitrite concentrations increased sharply at all experimental
stations during the fertilization period (Figure 6), as did urea, apparently
as a result of buffer zone violations. In both control stations, N03-N02
generally remained below analytical limits throughout the study. This sug-
gests that nitrogen input from the red alder did not significantly affect
N03-N02 concentrations, and the increased concentrations found in the experi-
mental streams were the result of fertilization.
During the 1976 post-fertilization period, N03-N02 concentrations in
Huckleberry Creek were similar to those in the controls and less than all
other experimental stations. Nitrate-nitrite concentrations in Seventh Creek,
which was also buffered by 45 m strips, were greater than those in Huckleberry
Cr.eek and less than most stations with 30 m buffer zones. Concentrations in
streams buffered by 30 m strips were elevated for extended periods and were
similar to each other. Nitrate-nitrite concentrations were highest for more
extended periods in Fourth Creek than in all other creeks studied. This,
again, is a response to the lack of unfertilized buffer zones to impede the
transport of nitrogen to the stream.
22
-------
10
10'
If1
0
if2
LIT3
STATION 8
AMMONIA
*
10
cr
u
C5
i(T
if-
STATION 13
•—• AMMONIA
10
ct
LJ
If1
0
i(Tz
HT3
STATION 15
•—• AMMONIA
MflMJJflSONDJFMOMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJASONDJFMOMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJOSONOJFMflMJ
1976 1977
IB1
cr
no
CO
if
icr-
STATION 6
•—• AMMONIA
ID
10
Ct
LJ
^UT1
3: id"2
1(T-
STATION 11
•—• AMMONIA
10 '
10 u
LJ
5*
0
2: if2
If3
STATION 25
AMMONIA
MfiMJJftSONQjFMSMJ
197B 1977
HAHJJASONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJOSONDJF MBMJ
1976 1977
10
10
CE
LJ
o
If'
STATION 23
•—• AMMONIA
10
10
!*•
If3
STATION 24
•—• AMMONIA
MANJJftSONOJFMftMJ HAMJJA50NDJFHANJ
1976 1977 1976 1977
Figure 5. Ammonia-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations before, during and after
fertilization of Huckleberry Flats.
-------
10
10°
tr
~ if1
Iff 2
l(T
STATION 9
•—• AMMONIA
10
10
BE
LJ
0
LIT
STATION 2
•—• AMMONIA
A.
to
10
tt
LJ
MflMJJftSONDJFMOMJ
197B 1977
l(T
1CT
STATION 1
•—• AMMONIA
M«MJJ«SONDJFHflMJ
1976 1977
MAMJJOSONOJFMOMJ
1976 1977
tr
LJ
*
O
LIT
STATION 10
•—• AMMONIA
10
CC
LJ
(—
-! if1
0
ID'3
STATION 3
•—• AMMONIA
MAMJJRSONDJFMBMJ
1976 1977
HflMJJClSONDJFMfiMJ
1976 1977
10
cc
LJ
ID'1
0
l(T3
STATION A
•—• AMMONIA
MflMJJflSONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
10
10
tr
UJ
0
1(T3
STATION 12
•—• AMMONIA
A
10
cr
UJ
tr3
STATION 14
•—• AMMONIA
MftMJJASONOJFMCiMJ
1976 1977
MfiMJjnSONDJFMflHJ
1976 1977
Figure 5. (Continued)
-------
10°
tr
Ul
^
^>
T ifl-2
If3
to1
10°
PC
UJ
1-
^.
no
en
l(T3
10 S
10".
cc
Ul
3 Id"1
o
if3
STATION 8
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
1
,
IP XU 11 /!
\L
MftMJJftSONDJFMftMJ
1976 1977
STATION 6
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
-i^JllLL-VA
MRMJJflSONOJFMftMJ
1976 1977
STATION 23
— • NITRATE+NITRITE
h I
i flMjlk /I
-
10°
or
Ul
3 if1
o
10 l
10 «
tr
Ul
(-
X.
o
if3
10 »
10°
e
Ul
5 «r*
l(T3
STATION 13
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
|
I.I II
MBMJJOSONOJFHOM.J
1976 1977
STATION 11
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
J-JIlL 1
HfiHJJASONOJFHAMJ
1976 1977
STATION 24
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
1
IL. t
_jJiA Ik. /i
10 °
a
Ul
"if1
0
Z If2
ir3
w5
10°
cc
Ul
H
_J
^
o
2 if
if^
STATION 15
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
.1 A. 1 f\
MAMJjnSONOJFMAMJ
1976 1977
STATION 25
•— • NITRATE+NITRITE
L_U - All
HAMJJASONOJFMHMJ
1976 1977
MAHJJASONOJFHAHJ
MAMJJASONOJFMAMJ
1976 1977 1976 1977
Figure 6. Nitrate-nitrite-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations before, during
and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats.
-------
10
10
tr
LJ
C5
STATION 9
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
if3! , ,
to
10
cr
Q
**
O
z
If
STATION 2
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
MAMJJASONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
MBMJJBSONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
STATION 1
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
iir
10
cr
ui
**•
FN3 Z ,0-2
MT3
STATION 10
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
I ^»ll llll
10
MAMJJASONDJFMAMJ
1976 1977
10
tr
Ul
if3
STATION 3
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
MAMJslASONOJFMBMJ
1976
1977
cr
Ul
id"1
id"
STATION 4
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
MflMJJftSONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
10
cr
ui
Stri
STATION 12
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
tfl-3l . .
MflMJJflSONOJFMAMJ
1976 1977
Figure 6. (Continued)
10
10
cr
U
Z ,8-2
to-3
STATION 14
•—• NITRATE+NITRITE
MAMJJASONDJFHAHJ
1976 1977
-------
During the second year, N03-N02 was the predominant inorganic nitrogen
form in the stream. Similar results have been found by others in the Pacific
Northwest (Moore, 1975b; Fredriksen et al_. 1975).
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations in Seventh Creek and all 30 m
buffered streams were similar to one another and greater than those in Huckle-
berry Creek (Figure 7). Highest TKN concentrations occurred during fertiliza-
tion and were due to the increased urea concentrations. Following fertiliza-
tion, TKN decreased at all experimental stations. After August, it consisted
primarily of organic compounds other than urea. Differences between concen-
trations upstream and downstream stations as well as between control and
experimental stations were not great enough to suggest the increased leaching
of organic nitrogen which Ogner (1972a; 1973) observed following fertiliza-
tion.
These data suggest that fertilization did increase the nitrogen content
in the experimental streams, and that the 45 m unfertilized buffer strips
combined with the high dilution factor were effective in maintaining low
nitrogen concentrations in Huckleberry Creek. The combination of unbuffered
headwater streams and lower dilution reduced the effectiveness of the 45 m
buffer strips at Seventh Creek Station 11. The 30 m buffer strips, although
not as effective as was the 45 m zone for Seventh Creek, were more effective
than no buffer strips, as demonstrated at Fourth Creek. Similar results have
been found by others (Malueg et al_. 1972; Aubertin et al. 1973; Moore, 1975b;
Thut, 1970).
The relatively large number of buffer zone violations suggests that
modifications in the urea application procedure are needed to reduce unneces-
sary nutrient loading to the stream systems.
Urea, NH3 and N03-N02 loadings for seven stream sections following fer-
tilization are presented in Figures 8, 9 and 10, respectively. The loadings
presented are the difference between the upstream and downstream station and
are represent!ve loadings for only that portion of the watershed between the
two stations. Because many of the concentrations used in calculating loads
were below analytical limits, upper and lower limits of the range which con-
tained the actual loading value were defined and presented in the figures as
two separate curves. Therefore when defining the limits, four possible com-
binations could occur:
Concentrations Station Loadings Watershed Loading Range
1) Cj^A, C2£A LX = Q1C1 L2 = Q2C2 D = QjCi - Q2C2
2) Cj^A, C2£A O^LiiQjA L2 = Q2C2 -Q2C2SDSQiA - Q2C2
27
-------
10
cr
LJ
11T2
if3
STATION 8
KJELDAHL N
v|lA_Uj_Jbl
JL
U
1(T2
i(T3
STATION 13
•— • KJELDAHL N
fl
-fcJLr^^—j*JlT\
1976
1977
1976
1977
10
10
a
UJ
if1
o
If2
icr-
STATION 15
•— • KJELDAHL N
M ft M J 0 «
1976
S 0 N 0 ,.) f M
1977
cr
LJ
o
itr2
CO
itr3
STATION 6
•— • KJELDAHL N
Nb^yA-----^^
UJ
l(T3
STATION 11
•— • KJELDAHL N
cr
U)
if-
STATION 25
•— • KJELDAHL M
MAMJJOSONDJFMfiMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJflSONOJFMOMJ
1976 1977
MBMJJfiSONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
a
UJ
o
if2
If-
STATION 23
•—• KJELDAHL N
to
cr
UJ
I If2
If3
STATION 24
KJELDAHL N
MflMJJBSONDjfMBMJ
1976 1977 1976 1977
Figure 7. Total Kjeldahl-N concentrations at experimental and control stream stations before, during,
and after fertilization of Huckleberry Flats.
-------
a:
LJ
ID'1
1CT3
STATION 9
•—• KJELDAHL N
tr
LJ
CD
icr3
STATION 2
•—• KJELOAHL N
LJ
If1
if2
STATION 1
•—• KJELDAHL
MSMJjaSONDJFMOMJ
1976 1977
MflMJJOSOIVDJFMftMJ
197B 1977
MSMJJASONDJFMflMJ
1976 1977
cr
LJ
If1
ro
10
iff3
STATION 10
•—• KJELDftHL N
cc
LJ
icr2
if3
STATION 3
•—• KJELDAHL N
cr
LJ
o
ur
STATION 4
•—• KJELDAHL N
MflMJJfiSONOJFMfiHJ
1976
1977
MftMJJflSONOJFMBMJ
1976 1977
MftMJJfiSONDJFMOMJ
1976 1977
10-
cr
LJ
•-; ur1
o
1
\
STATION 12
•— • KJELDAHL N
K tflHi »i^ . ^
10°
cr
LJ
"if1
•*v
x «r2
«
STATION 14
if •— • KJELDAHL N
JiuAuLA j\ Jm
1976 1977
Figure 7. (Continued)
-------
Where:
Q! and Q2 = Flow at the lower and upper stations, respectively
Cj and C2 = Concentration at lower and upper stations, respectively
LI and L2 = Loadings (flow times concentrations) at lower and upper
stations, respectively
D = Loadings (Lx - L2) for watershed between stations
A = Analytical limits; urea = 0.020 mg N/l; NH3 = 0.005
mg N/l; N03-N02 = 0.005 mg N/l.
The ranges resulting from these calculations are the most accurate esti-
mate that can be made of the actual loading values.
Urea loadings for all sections ranged about the 0 g N/ha/day loading
level (Figure 8) with a wider range at higher flows. No discernible differ-
ences between streams buffered by 30 m and 45 m strips were noted. During
1976, urea loadings in Fourth and Salal Creeks were slightly higher than those
in Fifth and Sixth Creeks. During 1977, ranges found at all stations over-
lapped and no differences could be defined.
Ammonia also generally ranged about the 0 g N/ha/day loading level (Fig-
ure 9). Again, the wider loading ranges found in Huckleberry Creek sections
bracketed ranges found at all other stations and no differences could be
defined.
Nitrate-nitrite loading ranges in all stream sections were higher in 1977
than in 1976 except in Fourth Creek (Figure 10). The highest loading values
in Fourth Creek occurred during the spring of 1976.
In general, these loading data suggest that urea and ammonia losses were
low, generally less than 1 g/ha/day, and on some occasions were negative.
Nitrate-nitrite loadings in 1977 were higher and more variable than in 1976
probably representing the residual effects of fertilization. Differences in
loading levels between streams buffered by 30 m, 45 m and 0 m strips were too
small to be measured. The negative N loading values found for Fourth Creek,
which had no buffer zone, were due to a strong negative hydraulic budget
rather than decreased nitrogen concentrations.
FISH BIOASSAYS
Fish bioassays using rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, were conducted to
determine possible fish mortality due to fertilization effects (Perna, 1971).
The experiment was originally designed to compare survival in a control stream,
Fourth Creek, with survival in experimental streams. Because Fourth Creek was
contaminated, no reference can be made to an untreated control. Comparisons
between treated stations, however, are possible and informative.
Percent survival of the trout for a 2 month period during and after
fertilization is presented in Table 4. Generally, survival was high at all
stations. Survival in the smaller streams was very high, 90 to 100%, whereas
survival in the largest stream—Huckleberry Creek at Station 8 and 13—was 78
and 82% respectively.
30
-------
STATION 8-12-13
UREA
-
-------
o
CO
IN3
STATION 8-12-1
AMMONIA
o
-5
STATION 13-15
AMMONIA
M«MJJ«50NDJF MflMJ
1976 1977
MftMJJflSONDJFMBMJ
1976 1977
STATION 9-2
AMMONIA
STATION 10-13
o
AMMONIA
5
4
3
z
1
U
-1
-2
-3
-4
l^_^___~v--~-_^-WV
ibcAvw "^Ar
V
5
4
3
-------
STATION B-12-13
O
NITRATE+NITRITE STATION 13-15
NITRATES-NITRITE
O
MfiMJJOSONOJFMAH.i
1976 1977
MOMJJflSONOJFMHMJ
1976 1977
STATION 6-9-10-11 NITRATE+NITRITE STATION 9-2
CO
GO
5
«
3
>- _
-------
I 12 >5 14 15
-
--
0.25
!
0.25
0.50r
0.25
-
* 0.25
10
i a
d '
trO
40
20
I
»
12 21 13 25
MAR MAR APR APR
28
JUN AUG SEP
9 10 1
0.72
I
12 21 13 25 28 4 21
MAR MAR APR APR JUN AUG SEP
I 1 «
• a
iWUk
in
12 21 ' 13 ' 25 28 4 21
MAR MAR APR APR AUG JUN SEP
Figure 11. Algal assay growth yields for untreated streamwater; 1.0 mg/1 nitrogen addition; 0.05 mg/1
phosphorus addition; micronutrient addition; and 1.0 mg/1 nitrogen plus 0.05 ml/1 phosphorus
addition.
-------
TABLE 4. FISH BIOASSAY; PERCENT SURVIVAL OF RAINBOW TROUT, Sal mo gairdneri.
FOR A 2 MONTH PERIOD DURING AND AFTER FERTILIZATION OF HUCKLEBERRY
FLATS
Station Percent Survival*
1 93
4 93
9 93
10 98
11 100
12 90
14 95
6 95
8 82t
13 78ft
* Exposure period was 13 April - 13 June, 1976.
t 12.5 % Mortality before fertilization of upstream watershed.
tt 10.0 % Mortality before fertilization of upstream watershed.
A large portion of mortalities at these two stations occurred prior to
fertilization of their upstream watershed. The chemical composition of these
two stations was affected the least by fertilization, suggesting that factors
other than fertilization were responsible for the higher mortality. One
possible explanation is stress caused by higher flow velocities at these two
stations.
The results of these studies suggest that percent mortality due to fer-
tilization-related processes was too low to be isolated from nonrelated causes
such as high flow velocity. These results are in agreement with the level of
mortality that would be expected considering the low ammonia concentrations
and near neutral pH values found during the study (USEPA, 1976).
ALGAL GROWTH POTENTIAL
The algal assay results (Figure 11) show the algal growth potential of
the stream water using Selenastrum capricornutum under laboratory conditions.
These data do not necessarily reflect a response of the indigenous algal
populations which may have been mediated by other environmental factors, e.g.
light and temperature. They do, however, represent the comparative growth
potential of these samples with the test alga.
Assays of samples without nutrient spikes (untreated streamwater) all
demonstrated very low growth yields (Miller et ah 1974; Maloney et al. 1972).
They showed no increase in yield after fertilization in comparison wrth the 12
March 1976 sampling prior to fertilization, or with the unfertilized controls,
Stations 15 and 25. Only minor variations in yield throughout the sampling
35
-------
period were observed, and significant differences between stations were not
apparent.
The addition of a combined micronutrient spike produced no significant
growth increase over that of the controls. This indicated that a micronutri-
ent deficiency did not exist, and would not mask the effect of increased
nitrogen by limiting growth.
Streamwater from nitrogen-poor watersheds, such as those in the study
area, theoretically would be nitrogen limited. However, the nitrogen addi-
tions did not indicate nitrogen limitation prior to fertilization due to the
co-limiting effect of low, ambient phosphorus concentrations (Table 3).
Orthophosphorus concentrations were generally less than 5 ug/1.
Another indication of an effect of increased nitrogen would be a change
in the nutrient limiting growth. The lack of growth response to phosphorus
additions suggests that a shift to phosphorus limitation did not occur imme-
diately after fertilization. At Stations 9, 10, 1, and 4, slight phosphorus
limitation occurred later in August, but did not persist into September even
though inorganic nitrogen and orthophosphorus concentrations were similar to
August values (Figure 11). However, the higher urea concentrations occurring
at these stations on 4 October (Figure 4) would not be reflected in the inor-
ganic nitrogen values and may have been the nitrogen source causing the slight
shift to phosphorus limitation.
Co-limitation is positively indicated by higher yields obtained from
samples spiked with both nitrogen and phosphorus. This conclusion is consis-
tant with the generally low concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus found in
the streams during the study period and the general lack of response to singu-
lar nitrogen or phosphorus spikes. Although the yields were sufficient to
eliminate primary limitation by micronutrients, the variation in yields among
the stations suggests that micronutrients may have been secondary limiting
factors.
These results strongly indicate that fertilization did not increase the
algal growth potential and, in general, did not change the limiting nutrient
status of the stream water. A slight shift to phosphorus limitation occurred
only on one date in the streams which generally had the higher nitrogen con-
centrations (Figure 4).
PERIPHYTON GROWTH
Assessment of periphyton growth was used to integrate possible low rate
or non-steady-state nutrient loading which may or may not have been apparent
in the periodic grab samples for chemical analyses.
Chlorophyll a concentrations and biomass as estimated by ATP concentra-
tions in periphyton collected from glass slides which had been exposed for 4
and 8 week periods are presented in Figure 12. In comparison to other studies
presently being conducted in the Pacific Northwest, periphyton biomass was low
throughout the study period with maximum chlorophyll a and biomass values of
36
-------
CO
2.5
^ 2.0
^% 1.5
ul ^ ^
% § 0.5
V)
o o
—
-
-
—
r^j-H~k_ Jl rfl
\
I — i
\ J
|
689 1112 13 15 25
-i-
T~
^-n
$ S 9 II 12 IJ 15 25
31 MAY 77
r-
1
-f
1
-
6
\
e
«
n
T
9 II
-fl
~
r-i
~ —
—
-i r
-
-
~i -
~i —
t2l! 1525 6 t J 1112 13 15 25
PI7B.3 n
^_^
-
—
rftlnJln-
1 9 II 12 13 IS 21 1 « 8 9 It IZ 13 1525
4
MAY 77 2 JUN 77
—
}
—
_
"h,-
1 6 8 9 II 12 131529
—
—
1>T
~ _
~] -
—
—
6 i 9 II 12 13 K 25
2 JUN 77
Figure 12. Chlorophyll a and viable biomass concentrations of periphyton on glass slides exposed in
control and experimental streams for 4 and 8 week periods.
-------
2.5 and 178 mg/m2, respectively, for the 4 week exposure period and 8.5 and
70.8 mg/m2, respectively, for the 8 week exposure period.
From 27 October 1976 to 2 March 1977, growth at all stations was very
low. After this period growth began to increase, and most stations reached a
maximum sometime during March to May. During May to June, growth was probably
slowed by the reduction in light resulting from leaf-out and development of
the riparian canopy.
These changes through time are also shown by the mean chlorophyll a and
biomass concentrations of all stations for each 4 and 8 week exposure period
presented in Table 5A. The variation among stations can also be seen by
comparing means of all samples collected during the study period for each
station (Table 5B).
TABLE 5. PERIPHYTON; MEAN CHLOROPHYLL A AND MEAN BIOMASS CONCENTRATIONS AT
ALL STATIONS FOR EACH SAMPLE COLLECTION DATE AND FOR ALL SAMPLE
COLLECTION DATES AT EACH STATION FOLLOWING FERTILIZATION OF HUCKLE-
BERRY FLATS
A. Means of all stations for each sampling date.
4 week exposure
8 week exposure
Date
27 Oct 1976
6 Dec 1976
2 Mar 1977
31 Mar 1977
4 May 1977
2 Jun 1977
Chlorophyll a
(mg/m2)
0.14
0.20
0.38
1.03
1.33
1.20
Biomass
(mg/m2)
4.1
6.8
-
48.4
60.2
24.2
Chlorophyll a
(mg/m2)
0.38
3.40
1.82
Biomass
(mg/m2)
12.5
76.3
48.2
B. Means of all dates for each station
Station
1
6
8
9
11
12
13
15
25
Chlorophyll a
(mg/m2)
0.81
0.66
0.96
0.34
0.62
1.03
0.77
0.65
0.43
Biomass
(mg/m2)
6.5
10.5
26.0
4.4
24.6
7.7
41.0
40.0
55.1
Chlorophyll a
(mg/m2)
1.62
2.36
2.90
0.34
3.83
2.55
1.90
0.82
0.51
Biomass
(mg/m2)
32.3
11.5
12.1
41.0
50.8
36.3
86.5
84.5
56.0
38
-------
To determine if a significant difference (0.05) occurred between fertil-
ized and non-fertilized stations, the sum of squares was partitioned (Snedecor
and Cochran, 1967) and F-test evaluated for experimental Stations 6, 8, 11,
and 13 and control Stations 15 and 25. These experimental stations were
selected on the basis of their physical similarity to the control streams.
Differences between the control and fertilized stations were significant for
chlorophyll a for the 8 week exposure period. Differences in chlorophyll a
for the 4 week period were not significant. When comparing the mean chloro-
phyll a values for the 8 week exposure, fertilized stations consistently had
higher chlorophyll a values than controls. The only exception was Station 9
which was located in an area heavily shaded with a dense coniferous canopy.
Biomass, which includes both autotrophs and heterotrophs, was not signifi-
cantly different in control and experimental streams for either the 4 or 8
week exposure periods.
These data suggest that although there was a slight shift to a more
autotrophic biomass, as shown by chlorophyll a, the overall biomass was not
changed by fertilization.
DECOMPOSITION
The results of the decomposition experiments conducted at Stations 6 and
25 are summarized in Table 6. With the exception of Station 6, 1 April-2 June
1977 decomposition and processing coefficients for Douglas fir were very
similar for the two test periods at both the control (25) and experimental (6)
stations. Decomposition and processing coefficients for Station 6, 1 April,
were about one-half of those for all other Douglas fir experiments and total
weight loss was less than estimated leaching losses. Biomass for these samp-
les, however, was similar to the other samples which indicates these low
values cannot be attributed to a high decomposer biomass. A second analysis
was conducted on all samples collected on that date after having been frozen
for several months. These results showed Station 6 to be similar to Station
25 and weight losses for all samples collected on that date were 15 to 20%
higher after cold storage. These data suggest that the values presented for
Station 6, 1 April-2 June, are low, and the true values were probably similar
to those of Station 25. However, because the samples may have changed, the
data can only be used for relative comparisons among stations.
Decomposition and processing coefficients for red alder were generally
higher than those for Douglas fir, probably due to the higher food quality of
red alder substrate (Petersen and Cummins, 1974; Triska et a]_. 1975). Decomp-
osition of red alder was marginally but consistently higher at the control
(25) than at the experimental (6) station.
Processing coefficients for Douglas fir (0.0055 to 0.0064) and red alder
(0.0072 to 0.0089) measured in these experiments were similar to those found
for leaf packs (0.0049 to 0.0057 and 0.0077 to 0.0099, respectively) in three
replicate experimental Cascade streams by Triska and Sedell (1976). These
streams uniquely lacked an invertebrate leaf-shredder population and thus
closely represented microbial decomposition processes as did the dialysis
chamber. The investigators also found no discernible difference in leaf pack
39
-------
TABLE 6. HETEROTROPHIC DECOMPOSITION; PERCENT DECOMPOSITION AND PROCESSING
COEFFICIENTS OF DOUGLAS FIR, P. menziesii, AND RED ALDER, A. rubra,
SUBSTRATES IN DEVILS CANYON CREEK AND SEVENTH CREEK
Incubation Processingt Decomposition? Biomass
Location Period Coefficient (%) (mg/g residue)
(k)
Douglas fir Substrate
Seventh Cr.
Devils
Canyon Cr.
Seventh Cr.
Devils
Canyon Cr.
22 Aug-7 Dec 1976
22 Aug-7 Dec 1976
1 April -2 June 1977
1 April -2 June 1977
.0058
.0058
.0034
.0055
.0062
.0062
.0034
.0064
4 9
4 6
-10 -10
4 0
.103
.037
.057
.066
.086
.021
.178
.106
Alder Substrate
Seventh Cr.
Devils
Canyon Cr.
Seventh Cr.
Devils
Canyon Cr.
22 Aug-7 Dec 1976
22 Aug-7 Dec 1976
1 April -2 June 1977
1 April -2 June 1977
.0072
.0074
.0074
.0082
.0089
.0074
.0082
14 —
15 21
12 12
15 15
.139
.273
.033
.143
—
.089
.006
— — —
t Conformance of decomposition to an experimental model was assumed and K was
calculated from , ,Wtv + _ .
Loge W * ' "k
I Decomposition equals total weight lost minus an estimated leaching loss of
29% for Douglas fir, and 25% for Red Alder.
decomposition in these three replicate streams which differed only in mean N03
concentrations (0.037, 0.059, and 0.138 mg N/l).
In our study, the maximum range of available nitrogen (N03-N02 and NH3)
among all stations was 0.010-0.038, and for Stations 6 and 25 was 0.010-0.019
mg N/l. These values suggest that no discernible difference in decomposition
would be expected among both control and experimental stations. The lack of
significant differences in processing coefficients at Stations 6 and 25 con-
firmed this assumption. Biomass values, as estimated from the ATP concentra-
tion at the end of each experiment, were all low, ranging between 0.006 and
40
-------
0.273 mg dry weight biomass/g residue. Although comparable biomass data were
not available in the literature, a range of reported ATP values was converted
to biomass units for comparison. The range of substrates and viable biomass
included marine sediments at 130 mg/g (Ernst, 1970), decomposing marine angio-
sperm disks at 22.8 mg/g (Knauer and Ayers, 1977), and mixed liquor volatile
solids from an activated sludge unit at 330 mg/g (Patterson et aL 1970).
The decomposing marine angiosperm, although quite different, is probably
the most similar of the three to the substrates used in these experiments and
is approximately a factor of 80 greater than our highest value. An explana-
tion for these low biomass values may be that both red alder and Douglas fir
substrates were initially nutrient limited and after leaching became even more
so (Triska et a_K 1975). This condition forces the decomposers to remove
nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from the water phase in order to
continue using leaf substrate as a carbon source (Triska and Sedell, 1976;
Triska et a]_. 1975; Hynes and Kaushik, 1969). The low decomposer biomass
found in these chambers is in agreement with the nutrient-poor condition found
in the water phase of these streams (Table 3) and the low supporting capacity
of these waters for periphyton and S^ capricornutum in the algal assay.
The results of these decomposition experiments suggest that both the
control and experimental streams supported a low heterotrophic biomass and
exhibited low processing coefficients as a result of their oligotrophic condi-
tion. These data also suggest that fertilization did not cause a detectable
change in the decomposer biomass or processing rate.
STREAM BENTHIC COMMUNITIES AND INVERTEBRATE DRIFT
The numbers of benthic invertebrates found at sampling stations and the
Shannon-Wiener diversity index (SWDI) are presented in Figure 13. The predom-
inant organisms collected in the Surber samples from all stations throughout
the study belonged to the orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stone-
flies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies). Dipterans (true flies) were abundant
during the spring at Stations 6, 8, 10, and 11; however, their numbers de-
creased during the summer. Coleoptera (beetles), Zygoptera (damselflies),
Megoloptera (alderflies and dobsonflies), and Oligochaeta (segmented worms)
were represented by only a few individuals. A variety of ephemeropterans and
Plecopterans were present before and after fertilization. Cinygmula sp,
Paraleptophlebia sp, Ironodes nitidus, and Baetis bicaudatus were the most
commonly encountered ephemeropterans and exemplify the variety of the mayfly
community. The plecopterans were not as numerous nor as well represented in
number of taxa as the mayflies. The more notable were Alloperla sp_, Pelto-
perla sp, and Nemoura sp, which occurred both before and after fertilization.
Trichopterans were also collected before and after fertilization and were
fewer in both numbers and kinds than the plecopterans. The pattern of occur-
rence of the trichopterans was similar to that of the ephemeropterans and
plecopterans with Wormaldia SQ, Micrasema SJD, and Rhyacophila sp_ occurring
most often. There appeared to be no consistent pattern or difference in
species composition of the benthic communities sampled that could be attrib-
uted to forest fertilization.
41
-------
ro
600
g 500
U 400.
P
U-
1
APR
1976
3.87
E
P
Z
D
E
P
1
Z
STATION
Z
0
JJ
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1
8
p
ct
T
E
T
J
to
500.
400
300
200
100
0
12 APR 21 APR 29 APR 3 MAY 5 AUG 28 OCT
1976
3.72
1976 1976 1976
3.15
1976 1976
3.03 3.07
STATION
1
B
E
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Z
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tfl Jl
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500
400
300
200
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2 APR 13 APR 3 MAY 30 JUN 5 AUG 24 SEP I APR
1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1977
SUOI 3.53
SUOI * SHANNON-UIENER DIVERSITY INDEX
STATION 15
j
t
E
Pel T
30JUN
1976
a? O _k.
d^^^M^o^
urn
z
z
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15 AUG 23 SEP 27 OCT
1976 1976 1976
PT
DC
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1 APR
1977
3.67
3.82
500
400
300
200
100
0
STATION 24
Z
P
#1
z
z
£T
fll
P
ocrf 1 rf
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p
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T
2 APR 13 APR 3 MAY 30JUN 5 AUG 24 SEP I APR
1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1977
Figure 13. Numbers of benthic organisms in predominant orders at control and experimental stations.
-------
K 500
ui
ac.
o) 300
jfl 200
.
«> 200
o 100
0 X
606 1097
L .
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STATION 10
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II MAR 12 APR
1976 1976
F
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2 MAY 1 APR
1976 1976
500
400
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200
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o
STATION 9
0 X
7!
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. .
CP E
T
>0
.
X
0 X
E X p
r ^ P^ |
II MAR 12 APR 3 MAY 1 APR
1976 I97S 1976 1977
SUDI s SHANNON-UIENER DIVERSITY INDEX
Figure 13. (Continued)
-------
Rnn
£ 500.
LJ
z
til 400
O
m 300
**
U)
jUj 200
z
<£
(t
o 100
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STATION 1
£
E
DPJ
M
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1 APR
1976
£
E
>PT
ell
ill
£
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Df
ll
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9b||E
13 APR 3 MAR 5 AUG 28 OCT
1976 1976 1976 1976
x
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|c| 1
31 MAR
1977
SUOI 3.62 3.76 3.35 4.26
600
a 500
LJ
LJ
Z
U 400
cc.
-------
The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (SWDI) was calculated only for samples
identified to the lowest taxon possible, usually genus. The lowest indices
1.25 and 0.83 occurred on 12 April 1976 before fertilization at Stations 6 and
11 respectively. These low values were due to the extreme dominance of the
blackfly, Prosimuliurn sg, rather than a reduction in the number of species
present. Generally, the diversity index values for all stations before and
after fertilization ranged between 0.83 and 4.48 with no trend which would
suggest that fertilization affected community diversity.
In an attempt to discriminate between natural, temporal, and spatial
variation in the benthic community and those variations related to fertiliza-
tion, a clustering method (Swartz, 1978; Boesch, 1977; Walker, 1974) was
applied to a Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix developed for all stations and
dates. The results are presented as a dendrogram in Figure 14.
If fertilization had a measurable effect on the benthic community it
would be expected that samples collected before fertilization and from control
stations would form different clusters than stations affected by fertiliza-
tion, and clusters resulting from differences in natural stream habitats would
appear separately for non-fertilized and fertilized stations.
The dendrogram shows no separation of fertilized and unfertilized samp-
les. Cluster I contains predominantly samples from streams with higher flows
and from stations at higher elevations with steeper slopes. The flows for
most of these stations at the time of collection • were around 102 I/sec.
Within this main cluster there are three sub-clusters with higher intrafaunal
homogeneity. The sub-cluster farthest to the left contains samples collected
from the larger streams during the low flow summer-fall period and from smaller
streams during the spring when flows were relatively high. The other two
sub-clusters predominantly contained samples collected during the spring from
larger streams.
Samples clustered in Group II were mostly collected during summer-fall
from stations with flows of 102 I/sec or less. Group III contains samp.les
collected from mostly medium to small streams during the spring when flows
were relatively high, about 102 I/sec. Samples clustered in IV were all
collected during early spring when flows were the highest, generally in the
102 to 103 I/sec range, from stations located in the Flats area.
In general, flow and season appeared to be the factors most common to the
samples contained within the major clusters. The presence or absence of a
fertilized upstream watershed was not a common factor for any cluster. Al-
though Group IV had only one post-fertilization sample, the samples contained
within this cluster were all collected during early spring when flows were the
highest. All other groups contained samples from both control and fertilized
stations or from "before" and "after" fertilization periods suggesting that
fertilization had no effect separable from natural causes.
Drifting invertebrates were collected from Salal, Huckleberry, Fifth,
Sixth, Seventh, and Fourth Creeks. As previously mentioned, Fourth Creek was
originally intended as a control stream but was heavily contaminated during
fertilization. The predominant drift organisms collected in Fourth Creek were
45
-------
en
t — tnif>OJO — flDKOOtf><» — 0>0> (0^OOtf> —*TIO —IOlOK>lf}K>CVOJ»OO»—IOK>€M q-^OOtOOJOlO — CVJtO— rtlrtCJ — tflrt — fOlOCDf>tf»—— IftlOlO — C^WCSJffiKOtpPO^^i^i^^f' loioroioiov ooo''*'^^' ^^'f^^o^o^oco^rvoco^'^" OOK) uico^^'foto^'ioioo''- — - ___ _._, ,_._....__ ...._ .
MUlN I I LO—OOOOOO—— — OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO—OOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO —OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
STATIC N —C w ^-_— PJCJ
-------
Baetis bicaudatus and Proslmulium sp_. Other organisms of significance in the
drift included the ephemeropterans Paraleptophlebia s_£, Ameletus sp_, and
Ironodes sp; and the plecopteran Nemoura sp.
Organisms collected from Fifth and Sixth Creeks were identified only to
order; however, dipterans and ephemeropterans were also predominant in these
drift samples.
Seventh Creek was also predominated by Prosimulium s£ and B. bicaudatus.
The plecopteran Peltoperla s_p_ was prominant during early spring. Other organ-
isms captured in significant numbers from Seventh Creek were the ephemeropter-
ans Paraleptophlebia sjp and Ameletus sjr, the plecopterans Nemoura sj>, Isoperla
sj> and Pteronarcella sj); and the trichopterans Wormaldia sp and Rhyacophila
S£.
Drift in lower Huckleberry Creek was dominated by Prosimuiurn s£, B.
bicaudatus and Ironodes m'tidus whereas upper Huckleberry Creek was dominated
by B. bicaudatus. Other organisms which were numerous on occasion in upper
Huckleberry Creek were !_. nitidus, Prosimulium sp, Nemoura sp_, Peltoperla sp,
Rhyacophila sp, and Micrasema sp.
Drift in Salal Creek differed from the other streams in that the plecop-
teran Nemoura sj) rather than B. bicaudatus shared dominance with the blackfly,
Prosimulium sp. Because of the frequent occurrence and high numbers of Ne-
moura sj) in Salal Creek, this organism appeared to be characteristic of this
stream.
In general, the predominant organisms drifting in all streams except
Salal Creek were the dipteran Prosimulium sj>, and the ephemeropteran B_. bicau-
datus.
Total numbers of drifting organisms, number of taxa, and Shannon-Weiner
diversity index (SWDI) are presented in Table 7. Drift samples collected from
Stations 9 and 10 were analyzed to order only and therefore a diversity was
not calculated. Highest drift occurred in early spring during the pre-fertil-
ization and fertilization phases when flows were high. Following this period,
drift decreased as did flow (Figure 3). Peak drift rates which occurred
during the study were usually due to high numbers of Prosimulium S£ and B_._
bicaudatus.
Index values for drift in the larger streams, Seventh and Huckleberry
Creeks, were higher than those in the smaller streams, Fourth and Salal Creeks.
The lower values in these two smaller streams were due to large numbers of a
few species drifting and low evenness (Table 7), rather than a reduction in
diversity of taxa present.
These data suggest that community structure with respect to diversity,
richness, and types of organisms present was independent of fertilization
dates and resultant nitrogen concentrations. Variations which did occur
appeared more dependent on season, flow, and possibly emergence period of
Prosimulium sp_ and B. bicaudatus.
47
-------
TABLE 7. TOTAL NUMBER OF ORGANISMS, NUMBER OF TAXA,
FERTILIZATION OF HUCKLEBERRY FLATS
AND SHANNON-WIENER DIVERSITY INDEX (SWDI) FOR INVERTEBRATE DRIFT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER
00
Station
Date
26 March
13 April
14 April
15 April
16 April
17 April
18 April
19 April
20 April
21 April
22 April
23 April
24 April
03 May
14 May
01 June
29 June
05 August
23 September
28 October
Total
350
255
605
388
360
150
99
148
207
86
124
162
30
160
128
193
34
39
Taxa
38
25
43
45
35
26
25
26
30
28
30
13
26
31
40
6
SWDI
3.46
3.11
3.75
3.96
3.55
3.59
3.47
3.77
3.76
4.36
4.37
3.21
3.60
4.42
4.43
Station 11
Total
1192
100
419
296
118
633
260
117
147
262
92
50
67
Taxa
28
29
32
25
39
28
26
13
37
14
8
21
SWDI
2.43
3.77
4.12
4.12
3.62
4.04
4.11
3.14
4.37
3.05
2.13
3.72
Station
Total
103
567
271
180
167
286
329
213
194
190
102
205
305
243
228
43
Taxa
27
40
30
27
24
31
32
25
32
28
28
20
37
36
34
8
SWDI
3.82
3.04
3.12
3.36
3.25
3.58
3.39
3.50
4.02
3.80
4.27
3.55
4.52
4.48
4.49
Station 13
Total Taxa SWDI
208 33 3.51
410 35 2.79
129 26 3.94
216 23 2.65
272 30 3.08
348 29 2.69
403 29 2.52
180 26 2.85
342 37 3.43
192 38 3.95
17
34
Station 9
Total
1438
1286
919
379
653
594
250
239
246
390
123
425
62
20
5
42
Station 10
Total Taxa SWDI
73
77 16 3.18
146
90 20 3.60
88
44
15
18
15
22
366
94
41
Station 12
Total
2972
1793
4042
2051
4682
1708
1891
1049
1069
753
763
1696
140
79
13
Taxa
20
24
26
16
27
24
24
23
32
13
20
9
17
7
SWDI
1.54
1.83
1.40
1.24
2.07
1.89
2.13
2.51
2.92
0.65
1.01
2.01
3.29
2.50
(continued)
-------
TABLE 7 (cont.)
Station
Date
26 March
13 April
14 April
15 April
16 April
17 April
18 April
19 April
20 April
21 April
jg 22 April
23 April
24 April
03 May
14 May
01 June
29 June
Total
1716
2782
629
948
1778
980
2988
1108
2232
1078
32
533
26
14
Taxa SWDI
14
17
10
10
12
13
4
33
15
10
13
7
1.18
1.23
0.99
0.69
1.10
0.76
0.72
1.31
1.21
2.55
1.20
2.38
Station 1
Total Taxa SWOI
400 40 4. 28
658 28 1 . 59
530
458 27 1.61
595 28 3.18
441 28 1 . 78
42 13 2.77
121 27 3.91
905 36 2.07
286 24 2.15
515 32 1.88
54 21 3.60
111 26 3.48
Station 4
Total Taxa SWOI
74 12
587
191
311 27
151 22
84 25
66 25
95 24
189 28
220
69 18
375 30
90 22
3.05
3.55
3.64
3.99
4.11
3.86
3.89
3.07
3.17
3.80
05 August
23 September
28 October
12
71
29
-------
Cluster analysis was conducted on these data. Because the data base was
greater than the capacity of the computer program (Keniston, 1978), two matri-
cies were developed. One included data from the "before" and "during" fertil-
ization periods (Figure 15), and the other included "before" and "after" as
well as every third day during the fertilization period (Figure 16). The
dendrogram for the fertilization period (Figure 16) appears to have about five
main collection clusters with a high degree of dissimilarity and which contain
subgroups of high intra-group fauna! homogeneity.
Lower Huckleberry, lower Seventh and lower Fourth Creeks generally exhib-
ited a higher faunal homogeneity. Upper Fourth Creek appears to be similar to
upper Huckleberry Creek, and Fifth Creek collection dates are separated into
two distinct periods, an early fertilization and a late fertilization period.
Salal Creek, as mentioned earlier, was unique and predominated Group V which
was also most dissimilar to all other groups.
Within these subgroups of high faunal homogenity are stations with fer-
tilized and unfertilized watersheds, or pre-fertilization and post-fertiliza-
tion dates for the same stations, or both.
In general the data suggest that drift populations in the Flats area are
dissimilar to those found on the steeper slopes, and that Salal Creek was
somewhat unique. This analysis procedure, however, does not demonstrate any
grouping of fertilized or nonfertilized dates, suggesting that application of
the fertilizer had no measurable effects.
The dendrogram for the combined fertilization and post-fertilization
periods is presented in Figure 16. There are five main clusters which are
very dissimilar. The subgroups formed within these main clusters generally
separate larger streams from smaller streams for spring, summer, and fall.
Due to the contamination of Fourth Creek (a control) few comparisons can be
made to stations with no unfertilized upstream watersheds. The main comparison
which can be made is among stations which were exposed to different nitrogen
concentrations. Stations on Huckleberry Creek generally had the lowest nitro-
gen concentrations and, following fertilization, were similar to the controls.
Seventh Creek and its tributaries were higher; and Fourth Creek Stations 1 and
4 had the highest nitrogen concentrations (Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7).
In general, stations with high nitrogen concentrations, as well as those
with low concentrations, were grouped together. Also, each cluster contains
pre-fertilization dates. Groupings, however, appear to include similar size
streams or flows during similar seasons. Cluster la is composed mainly of
summer Huckleberry Creek samples. The samples from smaller streams contained
in this group were generally collected in spring when flows were higher.
Cluster Ib generally contained samples taken from the smaller streams during
early spring. Cluster Ha consisted mainly of spring samples collected from
Seventh Creek whereas lib contained summer samples from both Seventh and
Fourth Creeks. Cluster III lacked a high degree of intrafaunal homogeneity
and primarily contains Fourth Creek samples collected during early spring.
Samples from both large and small streams collected mainly during the summer
and fall periods are contained in Cluster IV. Salal Creek again appeared to
be unique and was the predominate station in Cluster V.
50
-------
l.0r
0.9-
YEAR
DAY
MONTH—[
STATION-[
p-OflDW ^ UJ »OCD ^ — PO
— — — — cj — CJ — ?j — — — KJNCJ —OJ&CM eg w C>J — —*«J — NCJ P4
oooooooooooooOooooooooOoooooooooOoooooooooooooooooooOoooOoooooooooooooSoooooooooSSoooooooo
*6=I976
Figure 15. Dendrogram developd from cluster analysis of a Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix of drifting
invertebrates before and during fertilization of Huckleberry Flats.
-------
I.Or
0.9
0.8
cr
^ 0.5
In
5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.
V F A R *
' TY7
DAY '
fl
fll
m
nr
n
xj — MO — --- w — — — Oesjcsj — CM ---- OJff»rO«CMoorOce>H^* fOrowootfiirt^Kiioc^r-mfOrtfOKjf-iorOf-fOV^ioiOwpoto
OcjevjRjOOOevi --- O --- OO^OcviOevJ— c^
-------
It appears that stream size, flow, and season were factors most common to
each cluster. Although there were pre-fertilization samples contained in each
major cluster, it is not possible to separate the long-term effects of the
various degrees of contamination and stream size on the drift population.
However, because each cluster of high faunal homogeneity contained samples
from streams which were exposed to both low and high levels of nitrogen con-
tamination, as well as samples collected prior to fertilization, it appears
unlikely that fertilization had a major effect on invertebrate drift during
the study period.
53
-------
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American Public Health Association. 1975. Standard Methods for the Examina-
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59
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-60Q/3-79-099
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Effects of Forest Fertilization with Urea on Major
Biological Components of Small Cascade Streams, Oregon
5. REPORT DATE
September 1979
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
F. S. Stay, A. Katko, K. W. Malueg, M. R. Grouse,
S. E. Dominguez, R. E. Austin
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory
U. S. EPA Office of Research and Development
200 S. W. 35th St.
Con/all is, OR 97330
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
1BA820
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
same
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
inhouse. 1976-77
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/02
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
This study was conducted in cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service, Oakridge
District Office, Oakridge, OR., 97492.
16. ABSTRACT
During April, 1976, 1.9 x 10 ha of second growth Douglas fir, located in the Willa-
mette National Forest of Oregon, were fertilized with 224 kg urea-N/ha. Unfertilized
buffer strips of 60 and 90m were maintained along all second and third order streams,
respectively. Sharp increases in urea concentrations (maximum of 12 mg/1) during
the fertilization phase were due to the unintentional, direct application to the
streams. Immediately following fertilization all nitrogen species returned to near
background levels. The second year following fertilization only N03-N02 appeared to
be slightly elevated due to fertilization. Two-month fish bioassays using Salmo
gairdneri showed no mortalities which could be attributed to by-products or contami-
nants of urea. Algal assays using Selenastrum capricornutum, and chlorophyll a_ and
ATP-biomass of periphyton from glass slide samplers showed low supporting capacity
and generally no significant increase in biomass resulting from fertilization. Decom-
position experiments using dialysis chambers suggested little difference between a
fertilized and unfertilized station. Analysis of benthic and drifting invertebrates
suggested that little change in community structure could be related to fertilization.
A record drought the first year following fertilization may have resulted in reduced
nitrogen loss to the stream system. This report covers a period from April, 1976 to
July, 1977 and was completed as of June, 1979.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COSATI Field/Croup
Biological/Envir-
onmental Biology
=6F
Chemistry/Inorgan
ic Chemistry =7B
Urea, Fertilizer, Nitrate, Ammonia, Nutri-
ents, Invertebrate, Algae, Potential,
Periphyton, Decomposition, Benthos, Fish
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release Unlimited
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
unclassified
21. NO. OF PAGES
20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (Rev. 4-77)
PREVIOUS EDITION IS OBSOLETt.
60
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