The use of WHAM-FTOX, parameterized with laboratory data, to simulate zooplankton species richness in acid- and metal- contaminated lakes

The WHAM-F-TOX model quantifies cation toxicity towards freshwater organisms, assuming an additive toxic response to the amounts of protons and metals accumulated by an organism. We combined a parameterization of the model, using data from multi-species laboratory toxicity tests, with a fitted field species sensitivity distribution, to simulate the species richness (n(sp)) of crustacean zooplankton in acid- and metal-contaminated lakes near Sudbury, Ontario over several decades, and also in reference (uncontaminated) lakes. A good description of variation in toxic response among the zooplankton species was achieved with a log-normal distribution of a new parameter, beta, which characterizes an organism's intrinsic sensitivity towards toxic cations; the greater is beta, the more sensitive is the species. The use of beta assumes that while species vary in their sensitivity, the relative toxicities of different metals are the same for each species (common relative sensitivity). Unbiased agreements between simulated and observed n(sp) were obtained with a high correlation (r(2) = 0.81, p < 0.0001, n = 217). Variations in zooplankton species richness in the Sudbury lakes are calculated to be dominated by toxic responses to H, Al, Cu and Ni, with a small contribution from Zn, and negligible effects of Cd, Hg and Pb. According to the model, some of the Sudbury lakes were affected predominantly by acidification (H and Al), while others were most influenced by toxic heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Zn); for lakes in the latter category, the relative importance of heavy metals, compared to H and Al, has increased over time. The results suggest that, if common relative sensitivity operates, n(sp) can be modelled on the basis of a single set of parameters characterizing the average toxic effects of different cations, together with a species sensitivity distribution.

Automated summary

The WHAM-F-TOX model was used to quantify cation toxicity towards freshwater organisms, showing that species richness of crustacean zooplankton in lakes near Sudbury was primarily influenced by H, Al, Cu, and Ni. The model revealed that some lakes were affected by acidification, while others were influenced by toxic heavy metals, with varying degrees of impact over time. This study suggests that species richness can be modeled based on average toxic effects of different cations and a species sensitivity distribution, assuming common relative sensitivity among species.