Heightened levels and seasonal inversion of riverine suspended sediment in a tropical biodiversity hot spot due to artisanal gold mining

Abstract

In recent years, rising gold prices have exacerbated the global proliferation of artisanal-scale gold mining (ASGM), with catastrophic consequences for human and ecological health. Much of this burgeoning industry has occurred in biodiversity hot spots, notably in the tropical forests of South America. While the loss of tropical forests and floodplains as a result of ASGM has been well characterized, ASGM impacts on riverine hydrological properties are less understood. Previous fieldwork on ASGM-affected and gully-eroded tropical streams and rivers has demonstrated that increases in suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) can substantially impact fish diversity and aquatic community structure, yet our understanding of the timing and scope of impacts of such increases is limited by the lack of long-term records of SSC. To address this challenge, we present a 34-y analysis of the direct effect of ASGM on 32 river reaches in the Madre de Dios region of Peru, which has been heavily impacted by ASGM since the 1980s. We evaluate spatial and temporal patterns of impacts using estimated SSC derived from Landsat satellite imagery. We find that 16 of 18 stretches of river impacted by ASGM show significant increasing trends in SSC (P < 0.05), while only 5 of 14 unaffected sites do so. Additionally, ASGM appears to reverse natural seasonal cycles of SSC, which may imperil aquatic species. Overall, our findings indicate that ASGM is fundamentally altering optical water quality dynamics of a critical tropical biodiversity hot spot and provide guidance for future regulation of these activities.