Environmental and social predictors of phosphorus in urban streams on the Island of Montréal,Québec |
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Authors: | Laura R Pfeifer Elena M Bennett |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada;(2) McGill School of Environment, McGill University, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada |
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Abstract: | Researchers have identified the importance of social characteristics for understanding ecological patterns in cities but the
use of these characteristics in urban stream research has yet to be fully explored. Urban development is currently the second-largest
cause of stream impairment in North America due in part to nutrient loading. However, research into factors that influence
nutrient concentrations in urban streams is lacking. We sampled seven streams on the island of Montréal daily to measure phosphorus
(P) concentration and P flux in each stream. We then compared stream P concentration and flux to several watershed characteristics
commonly used to predict stream nutrients (e.g., watershed imperviousness, land use, existence of a riparian buffer) as well
as several socio-economic characteristics of the watersheds (e.g., average home value, median household income). Overall,
impervious surface cover and measures of land use were most effective at explaining the variation in P concentration and P
flux in streams on the island of Montréal, while the riparian buffer and socio-economic variables were less effective. However,
dollars spent on fertilizer per hectare of residential land and percent residential land use became important predictors of
stream P concentration when impervious surface cover was removed from the regression model. This suggests that after accounting
for the impact of physical watershed characteristics, social factors may be important predictors of urban stream P concentration.
The results of our study suggest that more research is needed to determine the role that socio-economic variables play with
respect to urban stream P. |
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