Community-level impacts of differing road salts
Data files
Jun 26, 2026 version files 64.40 KB
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Mescosm_macroinvert_abundance.csv
779 B
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Mesocosm_amphipod_measurements.csv
10.77 KB
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Mesocosm_leaf_data.csv
422 B
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Mesocosm_Water_Quality.csv
49.06 KB
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README.md
3.38 KB
Abstract
Road salt runoff entering aquatic habitats is an important issue in climates that experience winter, threatening the health of these ecosystems. Using outdoor mesocosms, this study examined how two different road salts, NaCl and CaCl2, at a concentration of 1 g Cl -/L affect (1) decomposition of leaf litter by amphipods (Malacostraca: Amphipoda), (2) survival of amphipods, and (3) colonization of aquatic ecosystems by macroinvertebrates. We found (1) higher decomposition of leaves in the CaCl2 treatment than the NaCl treatment or the control, (2) a significant effect of salinity on amphipod survival, with more individuals surviving in CaCl2 than NaCl or control treatments, and (3) salinity did not have a significant effect on colonization of mesocosms by macroinvertebrates. Amphipod size did not differ between treatments at the end of the experiment. We found that NaCl and CaCl2 road salts at a concentration of 1 g/L may influence amphipod survival and decomposition of leaf litter, but have little effect on colonizing macroinvertebrates. The knowledge gained from this study will be important for guiding road salt use in cold climates.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pc866t252
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset contains the data used in Peters et al., examining the effect of road salts on amphipods and colonization of aquatic ecosystems by flight-capable macroinvertebrates. Data covers 18 outdoor mesocosms (6 control, 6 NaCl, 6 CaCl2). Macroinvertebrate data contains abundance for all families identified. Amphipod data contains presence/absence at end of experiment for each amphipod added to mesocosms and length measurement for each surviving amphipod at end of experiment (measured from tip of rostrum to base of telson). Leaf data contains leaf weight after drying (total weight, bag weight, and leaf weight without bag). Water quality data includes temperature, pressure, dissolved oxygen percent and mg/L, conductivity, salinity, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a taken from upper and lower part of mesocosm once weekly across the experiment. This dataset also includes time and a qualitative assessment of weather.
Files and variables
File: Mescosm_macroinvert_abundance.csv
Description: Abundance of families of macroinvertebrates found in mesocosm at end of experiment. 0 indicates no individuals found.
Variables
- Tank : Number assigned to tank
- Treatment: Control (no salt), NaCl, CaCl2
- Coleoptera: Family
- Diptera: Family
- Odonata: Family
- Ephemeroptera : Family
- Hemiptera: Family
- Trombidiformes: Family
- Recip_Index: Community diversity index
- Evenness: Community diversity index
File: Mesocosm_Water_Quality.csv
Description: Various water quality measurements taken using YSI and fluorimeter, once weekly across period of study. Missing values indicated by n/a
Variables
- Date: Calendar day of data collection
- Day: Ordinal date of data collection
- Tank: Number assigned to tank
- Time: 24-hour time of data collection
- Weather: Qualitative assessment of weather during data collection
- Level: U indicates upper water column, L indicates lower water column where data was collected
- Temp (C): temperature in Celsius
- mmHg: pressure
- DO%: dissolved oxygen
- DOmg: dissolved oxygen
- Cond: conductivity, mS/cm
- Salinity: salinity, calculated from conductivity, g/L
- pHmv: pH, mV
- orpmv: oxidation-reduction potential, mV
- TRB: turbidity, NTU
- Chlorophyll: chlorophyll-a, mg/L
- [unlabeled]: comments
File: Mesocosm_amphipod_measurements.csv
Description: Amphipod presence/absence data for end of experiment. Measurements for each surviving amphipod at end of experiment.
Variables
- Tank : Number assigned to tank
- Treatment: Control (no salt), NaCl, CaCl2
- ID: Number assigned to amphipod
- presence: 0 indicates not present at end of experiment, 1 indicates present at end of experiment
- um
: length measurement, μm
File: Mesocosm_leaf_data.csv
Description: Dry weight of leaves at end of experiment, blank cells and 0 indicate missing values.
Variables
- Tank: Number assigned to tank
- Treatment: Control (no salt), NaCl, CaCl2
- Pre_g: Total weight including bag, g
- Bag: Weight of bag, g
- Weight_g: Total weight minus bag, g
Note: blank cells indicate missing data or inapplicable, given the context