Assessing the Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Stream Health using Algal Diversity in Biofilms

Teagan Kuzniar*, Rachel Michaels, Kevin Eliason, Todd Petty, Michael Strager, Paul Ziemkiewicz, and Ember Morrissey

Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Presentation Category: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (Poster Presentation #65)

Student’s Major: Environmental Microbiology

Hydraulic fracturing is a method of gas and oil extraction that involves injecting high-pressure liquids into the bedrock which causes a fracture and allows oil and gas to flow. Within the U.S. during 2015, there were 1.5 million active wells that produced 14 billion gallons of wastewater. Mismanagement of wastewater at fracking wells can lead to ground and surface water pollution that has the potential to impact ecosystems, including freshwater streams. Research on the effects of wastewater and other byproducts of hydraulic fracturing on streams is limited. Stream biofilms are layers of microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, that adhere to benthic surfaces. Biofilms are the base of the stream food web; they fix gases, recycle organic matter, and serve as a food source for other stream life including invertebrates and fish. Therefore, any stress in these communities will impact the entire ecosystem. This study aims to explore the effects of hydraulic fracturing on streams by examining the biodiversity of photosynthetic eukaryotes (algae) in biofilms close to hydraulic fracturing sites. We collected biofilm samples from 26 streams in W.V. with varying levels of hydraulic fracturing within the watershed. High levels of hydraulic fracturing development were associated with reductions in the beta diversity of biofilm algae and changes in community composition. Additionally, impacted sites had a higher proportion of algae in biofilm communities, potentially due to greater stream light availability from deforestation. Our results suggest that hydraulic fracturing within a watershed affects stream biofilm microbial communities, and therefore, broader ecosystem function.

Funding: National Science Foundation

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: Other, Paid researcher