Effects of sediment and contaminated sediment on structural and functional components of experimental stream ecosystems

Three experimental stream ecosystems were used to determine the effects of sediment and contaminated sediment: one stream received 1.7 g L^?1 uncontaminated sediment for 2 hr each week for 6 wk; one stream received 1.7 g L^?1 contaminated sediment (50 to 1600 ppm triphenyl phosphate applied in increasing doses each week) for 2 hr each week for 6 wk; and the third stream was maintained as a control. Each stream was monitored for changes in nutrient dynamics, leaf decomposition, primary production, and invertebrate dynamics. Both sediment and sediment/triphenyl phosphate altered the drift dynamics of benthic invertebrates. Invertebrates in the sediment treatment exhibited delayed nocturnal drift, while those in the sediment/triphenyl phosphate treatment drifted immediately once a threshold of toxicity was reached. Both sediment and sediment/triphenyl phosphate decreased the percent similarity of benthic invertebrates, reduced the drift of filamentous algae, increased the production of rooted flora, and increased net nutrient retention. However, neither treatment altered leaf decomposition rates, nor affected benthic invertebrate dynamics (total number, number of species, or diversity) or insect emergence.