Ecological Effects of Road De-icing Salt on Adirondack Forests and Headwater Streams
Item
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Title
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Ecological Effects of Road De-icing Salt on Adirondack Forests and Headwater Streams
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:67b8795ef892:11760
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identifier
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12378
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Creator
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Tiwari, Athena,
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Contributor
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Joseph W. Rachlin
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Date
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2013
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Biology | Ecology | Environmental studies | Adirondacks | balsam | benthic | chloride | Ephemeroptera | road salt
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Abstract
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Water samples from upstream and downstream sites on eighteen study streams in the Adirondacks, New York State, were collected over three years and analyzed for the presence of road salt runoff as measured by chloride ion content. Streams crossed by state roads receive more road salt runoff than streams crossed by county roads. High levels of road salt runoff were not associated with lower levels of Plecoptera or Trichoptera in headwater streams in the Adirondacks. However, Ephemeroptera were affected by high levels of road salt runoff. Forest composition in ten transects above and below state roads was analyzed by point-centered quarter method. Trees in the lowest quartile of circumference in each transect, representing recruitment, were further analyzed by point-centered quarter method. Transects were centered on study streams. Mean chloride ion content of study streams, indicating forest exposure to road salt runoff, was seen to favor recruitment of balsam, Abies balsamea. .
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Biology
