Thredbo Village is a year round alpine resort located in Kosciusko National Park, south eastern New South Wales. Treated sewage effluent from Thredbo Village is discharged to the upper Thredbo River. The river is a rocky bottomed, high mountain stream (> 1,200 m altitude in the study area) flowing predominantly through subalpine woodland, the only major impact on the river within the study area was that of the Thredbo Village alpine ski resort. Nutrient concentrations were measured in the upper Thredbo River monthly from January to September 1983 at 9 sites along the river, both upstream and downstream of the effluent discharge. In addition, invertebrates were collected at the same sites in January, April and July 1983. The near pristine section of the upper Thredbo River upstream of Thredbo Village was low in phosphorus and nitrogen (<20 mg m-3 and <100 mg m-3 respectively). The sewage effluent discharge was high in phosphorus and nitrogen (up to 5,000 mg m-3 and 28,000 mg m-3 respectively). Phosphorus generally returned to concentrations similar to those measured in the pristine sections by 3.5 kilometres downstream of the discharge. Nitrogen (mostly in the form of nitrate and nitrite) often remained elevated down to the most downstream site, 8 kilometres downstream of the effluent discharge. The elevated nutrient concentrations immediately downstream of the effluent discharge stimulated the growth of attached filamentous algae in January when conditions for growth were most favourable. It is concluded that this growth provided an additional food source for several invertebrate taxa, Cricolopus sp. 12E and 160E (Diptera, Chironomidae), Conoesucidae sp. TR6, Oxyethira columba (Trichoptera), Nais sp., Aeolosomatus niveum (Oligochaeta), and Austrocercella tillyardi (Plecoptera), which occurred in higher numbers downstream of the effluent discharge. Downstream of the effluent discharge the taxonomic composition of the invertebrate community was not altered substantially from that upstream, although there was a significant increase in the abundance of the taxa which could take advantage of the increased food resource. The changes in the invertebrate community were not evident 3.5 kilometres downstream of the effluent discharge, which corresponded to the return of phosphorus concentrations to background levels. There were increased abundances of several invertebrate taxa downstream of both Thredbo Village and the rubbish tip in January which were consistent with, but not as great as, those downstream of the sewage effluent discharge. This was likely to be a result of increased nutrient loads from urban runoff and tip leachate at these sites which possibly lead to increased algal productivity. However, nutrient concentrations at these sites were not notably higher than at the control site. The sewage effluent discharge resulted in only small changes to the invertebrate community in April or July 1983.

There is limited knowledge and understanding of the role of nutrients and effect of herbivore grazing on epilithon production in Australian upland rivers. Before investigating these processes, a method was required that will allow the study of factors (physical, chemical and biological) that affect epilithon abundance and distribution in lotic systems. The Thredbo River, Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales, provided an opportunity to conduct this investigation because it: is relatively undisturbed; has been intensely studied; is easily accessed; and is of appropriate width and depth to conduct in-stream experiments. The specific goals of this research were the: (1) validation of the nutrient-diffusing substrate method for investigating epilithon responses to nutrients; (2) development of experimental channels in which to investigate nutrient/epilithon dynamics in an upland stream; (3) development of a method to inhibit macroinvertebrate grazing from in situ experimental channels, so that epilithon responses to nutrients with and without grazing pressure can be studied; and (4) assessment of the ecological implications of nutrient/ epilithon/macroinvertebrate interactions assessed from in-stream experiments. Major achievements of my research, that advance the study of stream ecology, are as follows: · The investigation of the features of nutrient release from terracotta nutrientdiffusing substrates showed that phosphorus does not readily diffuse through terracotta clay, probably because terracotta contains known binding agents for phosphorus, such as iron, and because pores are easily blocked. I concluded that this type of substrate is inappropriate for studying nutrient dynamics and epilithon responses to the nutrient(s) limiting growth. The outcomes of this research has implications for future research using nutrient-diffusing substrates, and of how nutrient limitation information is interpreted from past research using terracotta nutrient-diffusing substrates. · I designed and tested in-stream experimental channels that were functional and provided near natural conditions for studying the interactions between nutrients/ epilithon/macroinvertebrates, without affecting physical variables not tested for. The in situ method developed was successful in simulating 'real world' complexities. Clay paving bricks were used as standardized common surface for community development because their colour, size and surface texture are similar to those of natural stones. · I developed a technique for successfully inhibiting macroinvertebrate grazing from designated areas, using electricity, without affecting flow and light. This technique will enable in-stream herbivory studies to assess the effects of macroinvertebrate grazing pressure on epilithon under natural conditions, including variability in flow, temperature, light and nutrients. It will allow the vexed question of whether epilithon biomass is controlled by bottom-up or top-down processes to be objectively addressed. The construction of in situ experimental channels that simulate natural conditions, combined with the non-intrusive methods of macroinvertebrate exclusion and nutrient addition, resulted in a study design that will facilitate the investigation of biotic responses to nutrients in Australian upland streams. Using the method developed, I showed that variable flows in the upper Thredbo River appear high enough to slough epilithon, but not high enough to dislodge macroinvertebrates. This may mean that in systems such as the Thredbo River that experience frequent low level disturbance, the epilithon is unable to reach equilibrium. There is strong top-down control of epilithon in this stream, with nutrients, temperature and light playing a secondary role. I concluded that natural variability may be more important than previously considered and perhaps this, rather than constancy, should be studied. This thesis adds support to the continuance of multiple factor investigations, and advocates that such studies be conducted under natural conditions so that the results are more relevant to natural systems than from studies conducted in controlled laboratory and outdoor artificial streams. Clearly, the in-stream channels, developed as part of the current research, will allow research that contributes to our understanding of community responses to the physical, chemical and biological processes operating in lotic environments.

Nutrients, periphyton and macroinvertebrates were sampled every two months for one year to assess the effects of treated sewage effluent on the Thredbo River and to compare changes in chemical concentrations and the invertebrate community since the introduction of nutrient removal on the Thredbo sewage treatment plant. Chemically, the impact of the effluent was minor and was reduced from levels measured before the addition of nutrient removal to the Thredbo sewage treatment plant. However, the reduction may be the result of higher flows during the study period. Biologically there was no indication of nutrient enrichment during June, August and October, with differences occurring between physically dissimilar sites irrespective of position relative to the sewage effluent inflow. Large increases in periphyton and macroinvertebrates occurred in December, February and April at both open sites and those downstream of the sewage outflow. Previous studies found increases in invertebrate abundance and richness immediately downstream of the sewage inflow, but the impact was greater and extended further downstream than found in this study. Strong correlations between total phosphorus and periphyton biomass and chlorophyll-a indicate phosphorus was a limiting nutrient. Higher periphyton biomass and chlorophyll-a at all sites during the warmer months (especially at open sites with an even cobble substratum), throughout the year, indicates light, temperature and substratum type were as important as phosphorus in controlling algal growth. Low algal biomass during the high flow month of October also indicates the importance of water velocity in controlling periphyton biomass. The structure of the macroinvertebrate community was noticeably different at sites downstream of the effluent discharge, with the exception of the most downstream site, when compared to the upstream sites. The occurrence of high macroinvertebrate numbers and species richness at sites with high periphyton growth and the strong positive correlation between invertebrate grazers and periphyton measurements shows a dependent relationship between invertebrates and periphyton growth. Therefore, the physical factors of light, temperature and substratum characteristics of particular sites in the Thredbo River, may be as important in controlling the benthic community as the levels of nutrient inputs from sewage.