Impact of student-induced disturbance on stream macroinvertebrates differs among habitat types

Authors: BOSSLEY, JON - Mount Vernon Nazarene University; Smiley, Peter - Rocky

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2018
Publication Date: 2/5/2019
Citation: Bossley, J.P., Smiley, P.C. 2019. Impact of student-induced disturbance on stream macroinvertebrates differs among habitat types. Scientific Reports. 9(1):1447. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38210-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38210-1

Interpretive Summary: There is only a limited amount of information on the impacts of educational outreach efforts held within agricultural streams to teach students about water quality and to promote the conservation of agricultural watersheds. Student instream activity during these educational outreach efforts in agricultural streams may cause substrate disruption and decrease the abundance and diversity of stream macroinvertebrates. We evaluated the impact of stream classes on stream classes in an agricultural stream by sampling macroinvertebrates monthly for one year from a riffle, runs, and pools in a class site and site unused by stream classes. Macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity was reduced in riffles at the class site during periods with student activity and no differences between site types during periods without student activity. Our results are novel because they represent the first documentation that the impact of stream classes differs among habitat types within agricultural streams. Our results suggest that stakeholders should not repetitively use the same site for their educational outreach efforts to avoid reductions of macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity. Our results will assist state agencies, federal agencies, non-profit groups, and consulting agencies involved with conservation and management of agricultural watersheds.

Technical Abstract: Environmental impacts from ecotourism and outdoor recreation activities on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are well-reported in the literature, but less is known regarding the impacts of outdoor environmental education activities. Student activity during stream classes may cause substrate disruption and localized impacts on stream macroinvertebrates. We hypothesized that student activity would negatively impact macroinvertebrate community structure in riffles, runs, and pools within a site regularly used for stream classes while no impact from student activity would occur in riffles, runs, and pools within an unused site. We addressed our hypothesis by sampling macroinvertebrates monthly for one year from a riffle, runs, and pools in a class site and site unused by stream classes within a fourth order stream in central Ohio. We documented reduced macroinvertebrate abundance and richness in riffles at the class site during periods with student activity and no differences between site types during periods without student activity. No impacts of stream classes on macroinvertebrate communities were observed in runs or pools. Our results suggest that environmental education organizations should not repetitively use the same site for their stream classes to avoid reductions of macroinvertebrate abundance and taxa richness that can impact the student’s educational experience.