The effect of acid mine drainage on the hatching success of branchiopod crustaceans from selected South African pans

M.Sc. (Zoology)Pans are endorheic wetlands, and are abundant in South Africa in a band from the western Free State into Mpumalanga. The pan environment experiences daily and seasonal fluctuations in physico-chemical conditions. The physico-chemical variables are influenced by the local climatological and hydrological conditions, and are all inter-related. An imbalance of one variable can have countless effects on the others. The physico-chemical composition of the water ultimately determines the existence of the biota in such wetlands. Branchiopod crustaceans are a unique group of fauna which have various morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations which enable them to survive in these variable environments. One such adaptation is the production of dormant egg banks. These eggs reside within the sediment through the dry phase and hatch during a following wet phase when conditions are favourable. Due to the endorheic nature of pans they are more vulnerable to anthropogenic stress. Anthropogenic activities are having profound effects on the integrity of these ecosystems. Agricultural and mining activities have some of the largest influences. The impacts that the following activities have include: the over utilisation of water, decreased periods of inundation, erosion and sedimentation, effluent discharge and direct habitat destruction. Many wetlands as a result are experiencing a rapid loss in biodiversity. Mining activities are on the increase especially in the Highveld region of southern Africa. Many of these wetlands are already (and will be in the future) affected by mining activities, making the effect of acid mine drainage (AMD) on the biota a priority concern. In conjunction with the uniqueness and vulnerability of pan ecosystems it is necessary to find new ways of monitoring such environmental impacts in the shortest time possible with minimal efforts, for the benefit of both the environment and researchers involved. This study therefore aimed to assess the diversity of branchiopod crustaceans hatching from egg banks of selected pans and obtain a reference community structure. It also aimed to assess the impacts AMD could have on the hatching success of branchiopods from these egg banks with the objective to determine whether these egg banks are still viable after exposure. To achieve the stated aims and objectives, sediment samples were collected from selected pans in mining regions of the country. Regions selected included Chrissiesmeer in the Mpumalanga province, Wesselsbron in the Free State province and Delareyville in the North West province. The sediment was used for hatching experiments in the laboratory. Pan sediment was exposed to three different treatments which included two salt solutions (1000 mg/l and 1500 mg/l respectively) and AMD. The salt solutions served as controls while the AMD served as an exposure. The number of nauplii hatching was counted in the controls and compared to the number of nauplii hatching in the AMD. The diversity of nauplii was also assessed and compared between controls and the AMD. The recovery potential of eggs exposed to AMD was also assessed by exposing the sediment treated with AMD to distilled water after its removal to get a better understanding on the effects of AMD at the community level. Results from the control treatments indicated that most pans have a range of taxa hatching that follow patterns of pan succession. Between the 1000 mg/l and 1500 mg/l controls there was no treatment that proved superior to the other. Representatives of all four orders of branchiopoda hatched from the experiments. The North West and Free State pans were the most diverse and had had the greatest abundances of individuals hatching. Spatially all three provinces differed in the diversity of individuals hatching from pans, as there were distinct differences in the taxonomic compositions. Although taxonomic composition of pans grouped together per province, pans from just a single province were largely dissimilar. Results from the AMD treatments indicated that AMD has a negative effect on the hatching ability of branchiopod crustacean eggs. Eggs that were initially exposed to AMD were unable to hatch in its presence. The recovery experiments indicated that recovery after exposure is limited as recovery only occurred in a few pans. The taxonomic composition of nauplii in the pans where recovery took place was altered and less diverse than the taxonomic composition found in the respective control treatments. Overall it was found that hatching experiments can be used as a monitoring tool in lieu of field sampling. Hatching experiments showed that AMD is detrimental to the branchiopod egg banks, inhibiting the ability of eggs to hatch in its presence. Recovery can take place but the recovery potential is low. Since the recovery potential of the egg banks is low, pans which are affected by AMD could experience extinction of the entire branchiopod community in years to come. As branchiopod communities are unique among pans, and serve as an important food source for many aquatic bird species, their extinction will bring about further losses in biodiversity