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Impact of coal mining on stream biodiversity in the US and its regulatory implications

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  • Xingli Giam

    (The University of Tennessee)

  • Julian D. Olden

    (University of Washington)

  • Daniel Simberloff

    (The University of Tennessee)

Abstract

Coal mining is a major cause of land-use change in the US, and according to the Energy Information Administration it is expected to remain a key part of the national electricity portfolio until at least 2040. It is therefore crucial to understand the environmental impact of coal mining. Although a scientific consensus has emerged that coal mining negatively affects water quality, a quantitative synthesis of biodiversity impacts is currently lacking. Here, we show that mining under current federal statutes—the 1972 Clean Water Act and the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act—has negative implications for freshwater biota. Streams affected by coal mining averaged one-third (32%) lower taxonomic richness and one-half (53%) lower total abundance than unmined streams, with these impacts occurring across all taxa investigated thus far (invertebrates, fish, and salamanders). Even after post-mining reclamation, biodiversity impacts persisted. Our investigation demonstrates that current US regulations are insufficient to fully protect stream biodiversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Xingli Giam & Julian D. Olden & Daniel Simberloff, 2018. "Impact of coal mining on stream biodiversity in the US and its regulatory implications," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(4), pages 176-183, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0048-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0048-6
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    Cited by:

    1. S. Vögele & K. Govorukha & P. Mayer & I. Rhoden & D. Rübbelke & W. Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 879-916, January.
    2. De Valck, Jeremy & Williams, Galina & Kuik, Swee, 2021. "Does coal mining benefit local communities in the long run? A sustainability perspective on regional Queensland, Australia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Ranjan, Ram, 2019. "Assessing the impact of mining on deforestation in India," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 23-35.
    4. Feng & Yuichi Onda & Yoshifumi Wakiyama & Keisuke Taniguchi & Asahi Hashimoto & Yupan Zhang, 2022. "Persistent impact of Fukushima decontamination on soil erosion and suspended sediment," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(10), pages 879-889, October.

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