Identification of diatoms in a healthy Pennsylvania stream compared to three downstream sites impacted by Abandoned Mine Drainage

Abstract

Life in a healthy stream can be severely impacted by changes in pH and other water quality parameters. This study reveals differences in diatom diversity and water quality characteristics in a central Pennsylvania stream. One healthy site was compared to three nearby sites affected by abandoned mine drainage during a July sampling in 2013. Permanent slides were made and microscopically assessed for diatom identification. The healthy stream contained eleven diatom genera while the site most impacted by mine drainage showed only one diatom, Eunotia exigua. Data were analyzed for Shannon diversity index and species richness. Water samples showed differences in pH, aluminum, sulfate, and iron. This work demonstrates the use of diatoms as bioindicators of stream health.