Running head: TURBIDITY EFFECTS ON MACROINVERTEBRATE HEALTH 1

The Effect of Sediment Levels and Turbidity on the Type and Population

Levels of the Macroinvertebrates Communities

Sidd S. Rangavajjula, Tanishk Govil, Jawand Singh, Clara H. Kim

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

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The Effect of Sediment Levels and Turbidity on the Type and Population

Levels of the Macroinvertebrates Communities

Sediment arrives into freshwater streams in various ways ranging from point-source

pollutants like nearby construction sites to non-point source pollution from erosion. An increase

of sediment in freshwater streams may lead to dangerous effects on the benthic

macroinvertebrates’ population/richness and food webs (“Turbidity, Total Suspended,” 2014).

There are numerous studies and experiments that tested the correlation between turbidity

and macroinvertebrates. A study done in southwestern Australia explores this connection in

great detail and shows how vegetated banks moderate the flow of sediment in the stream, as well

as keep the environment stable. Researchers added sediment to various streams and measured the

abundance and richness of the macroinvertebrate communities. The results concluded that

without vegetation on the banks, the streams became more turbid. This ultimately led to a decline

in macroinvertebrate populations and diversity (Armstrong, Storey, & Davies, 2005). Moreover,

experiments conducted in the North Branch Park River watershed in Connecticut concluded that

when construction was present along a stream, there was an increase of turbidity in the stream by

60.9%. Meanwhile, the benthic macroinvertebrate richness decreased by around 29% in the area.

The rise of turbidity in the stream almost caused pollution-intolerant macroinvertebrate species

to disappear from unhealthy exposure to sediment (Zhu et al., 2018).

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Design Table:

Title: The Effects of Turbidity and Sedimentation on the Type and Population of the

Macroinvertebrate Community

Null Hypothesis: There is no correlation between changes in sedimentation and turbidity and

the type and population of the macroinvertebrate community.

Experimental Hypotheses:

If the levels of turbidity and sedimentation increase from stream to stream, then we will see a

negative change in population and type of benthic macroinvertebrates, likely with an

observable pattern.

Independent Variables (IV):

- The level of sedimentation

- The level of turbidity

Levels of IV Levels for Sedimentation:

Healthy Moderate Unhealthy

Levels for Macroinvertebrates:

Tolerant Semi-Tolerant Intolerant

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Levels for Turbidity:

Extremely Cloudy Clear Extremely Clear

Repeated 22 data sets from 22 different groups.

trials

Dependent Variable (DV): Type and population of macroinvertebrates

Constants:

- The equipment used

- Testing methods

- Organization of data

Our proposal consists of five key steps. (1) Establish what levels of sedimentation and

turbidity are healthy for a stream. (2) Look for patterns between changes in turbidity and

sedimentation, and the type and population of macroinvertebrates. (3) Turn those patterns into a

correlation between turbidity/sedimentation and the type/population of macroinvertebrate

communities. (4) Examine other variables that might influence our conclusions, and decide what

macroinvertebrates indicate healthy streams. (5)Turn our final conclusions into a resource usable

by future researchers, for example, a chart displaying our conclusions.

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Clean water is vital for the health of communities. In our observational study, we will

collect information on Fairfax County’s macroinvertebrates’ type and population, including their

relationship to turbidity and sediment. Our study will also build on previous studies, such as one

done in Southern Nigeria which has already proved a correlation between sedimentation and

turbidity and macroinvertebrates (Ogbeibu, Arazu, Nzei, & Igho, 2010). Our proposal will add

insight into the impacts of human activity on our streams. It will show how runoff and erosion

from several sources directly shape the biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems. We will get one

step closer to healthy water for us all to enjoy.

References

Armstrong, K. N., Storey, A. W., & Davies, P. M. (2005). Effects of catchment clearing and

sedimentation on macroinvertebrate communities of cobble habitat in freshwater streams

of southwestern Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 88, 1-11.

Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/762208748?accountid=34939

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2018.10.014
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Fondriest Environmental, Inc. (2014). Turbidity, total suspended solids & water clarity.

Fundamentals of Environmental Measurements, 1-9. Retrieved from

https://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/turbidi

ty-total-suspended-solids-water-clarity/

Ogbeibu, A. E., Arazu, V. N., Nzei, N., & Igho, R. (2010). Impact of dredging on the water

quality and macrobenthic invertebrate fauna of the Ikpoba River in southern Nigeria.

Tropical Freshwater Biology, 19(1), 59-78. Retrieved from

https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tfb/article/view/73120

Zhu, B., Smith, D. S., Benaquista, A. P., Rossi, D. M., Kadapuram, B. M., Yu, M. L., . . . Burtch,

N. R. (2018). Water quality impacts of small-scale hydromodification in an urban stream

in Connecticut, USA. Ecological Processes, 7(1), 1-11.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-018-0122-z