Analysis of the relationship between sediment composition and benthic community structure in coastal deposits: Implications for marine aggregate dredging

Seiderer, L.J.

doi:10.1006/jmsc.1999.0495

Cited by 73 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Sediment characteristics substantially determine the composition of benthic assemblages and while meiofauna communities are strongly influenced by sediment grain size (Jansson, 1967;Coull, 1999), macrofauna community structure is most likely governed by factors of e.g., food availability, sediment oxygenation, and biotic interactions rather than grain size (Snelgrove and Butman, 1994;Seiderer and Newell, 1999). In our experiment, the physical modifications from substrate addition were visible in the different properties of the new, added substrates with much coarser grain size, lower porosity and a low TOC in the mine tailings and relatively high TOC in the dead sediment.…”

Section: Substrate Addition Induces Structural Changes Of the Benthicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired Short-Term Functioning of a Benthic Community from a Deep Norwegian Fjord Following Deposition of Mine Tailings and Sediments

et al. 2017

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The extraction of minerals from land-based mines necessitates the disposal of large amounts of mine tailings. Dumping and storage of tailings into the marine environment, such as fjords, is currently being performed without knowing the potential ecological consequences. This study investigated the effect of short-term exposure to different deposition depths of inert iron ore tailings (0.1, 0.5, and 3 cm) and dead subsurface sediment (0.5 and 3 cm) on a deep water (200 m) fjord benthic assemblage in a microcosm experiment. Biotic and abiotic variables were measured to determine structural and functional changes of the benthic community following an 11 and 16 day exposure with tailings and dead sediment, respectively. Structural changes of macrofauna, meiofauna, and bacteria were measured in terms of biomass, density, community composition and mortality while measures of oxygen penetration depth, sediment community oxygen consumption and 13 C-uptake and processing by biota revealed changes in the functioning of the system. Burial with mine tailings and natural sediments modified the structure and functioning of the benthic community albeit in a different way. Mine tailings deposition of 0.1 cm and more resulted in a reduced capacity of the benthic community to remineralize fresh 13 C-labeled algal material, as evidenced by the reduced sediment community oxygen consumption and uptake rates in all biological compartments. At 3 cm of tailings deposition, it was evident that nematode mortality was higher inside the tailings layer, likely caused by reduced food availability. In contrast, dead sediment addition led to an increase in oxygen consumption and bacterial carbon uptake comparable to control conditions, thereby leaving deeper sediment layers anoxic and in turn causing nematode mortality at 3 cm deposition. This study clearly shows that even small levels (0.1 cm) of instantaneous burial by mine tailings may significantly reduce benthic ecosystem functioning on the short term. Furthermore, it Mevenkamp et al. Impaired Functioning Following Tailings Deposition reveals the importance of substrate characteristics and origin when studying the effects of substrate addition on marine benthic fauna. Our findings should alert decision makers when considering approval of new deep-sea tailings placement sites as this technique will have major negative impacts on benthic ecosystem functioning over large areas.

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Section: Substrate Addition Induces Structural Changes Of the Benthicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired Short-Term Functioning of a Benthic Community from a Deep Norwegian Fjord Following Deposition of Mine Tailings and Sediments

et al. 2017

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“…Benthic organism's activities stimulate processes that counteract eutrophication, i.e., denitrification and increased phosphorus retention of the sediment (Karlson et al 2005(Karlson et al , 2007. Furthermore, they are good indicators of changing environmental conditions and are usually examined in dredged areas (Nairn et al 2004, Robinson et al 2005, Seiderer and Newell 1999. Conditions in the dredge pits do not favor their recolonization (Flocks and Franze 2002, Palmer et al 2008, Szymelfenig et al 2006.…”

Section: Environmental Threats Resulting From Deep Dredgingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Simultaneously, its impact depends on the intensity and method of dredging, as well as the environmental condition of the dredge area (Boyd et al 2005, Robinson et al 2005. Direct results of dredging include defaunation of sediment, changes in seabed topography and sediment structure (Gilkinson et al 2003, Seiderer andNewell 1999), release of nutrients and toxins from the sediment to the water column (Falcão et al 2003, Riemann and Hoffman 1991, Su et al 2007, Vale et al 1998, increase in water turbidity (Black andPary 1994, Wu et al 2007). Horizontal and vertical sediment transport induced by dredging alters the redox regime by supplying labile organic carbon to depths in the sediment exceeding those supplied by natural biological mixing processes (Mayer at al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Puck Bay as an example of deep dredging unfavorably affecting the aquatic environment

Graca¹

2009

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

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The presented study is a review of available geochemical data concerning a dredge area in the Puck Bay. It is a small, semi-closed and degraded water body on the Polish Baltic coast. In this region very deep dredging was conducted in the years 1989-95. Five dredge pits were created in the bottom of the bay. Only two of them have been geochemically investigated so far. In the deepwater parts of both the dredge pits organic matter accumulation resulted in sulfate reduction and subsequent hydrogen sulfide production in the sediment, as well as elevated nutrient concentrations in the interstitial waters. Moreover, temporal oxygen deficits in the near bottom waters were observed. Such conditions favor nitrogen and phosphorus release to the water column and potentially enhance the eutrophication. The impact of deep dredging on the chemical conditions in the dredged area seems to be controlled by a complex interplay of the season, phytoplankton biomass production and hydrodynamic conditions. Areas with high biomass production and low water dynamic are probably more vulnerable to environmental degradation due to deep dredging. This implies that some of the dredge pits require different methods of recultivation than others. However the decision if, and with which methods, to remediate dredge pits in the Puck Bay requires successive research including all the pits in all four seasons.

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“…The variable nature of the inshore environment contributes to the potential for more than one pattern of postdisturbance recovery (Probert, 1984). Long-term biological recovery, then, indicates re-establishment of an equilibrium community, rather than a wholesale return to the pre-existing assemblage, since even in the absence of disturbance, a community may not remain stable (Seiderer and Newell, 1999). Adaptive strategies displayed by infauna in response to seafloor disruption may account for spatial and temporal variability in population abundances (McCall, 1977).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic Ecology of Northern Quahog Beds with Different Hydraulic Dredging Histories in Long Island Sound

Mercaldo‐Allen

Goldberg

Clark

et al. 2016

Journal of Coastal Research

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Analysis of the relationship between sediment composition and benthic community structure in coastal deposits: Implications for marine aggregate dredging

Cited by 73 publications

References 23 publications

Impaired Short-Term Functioning of a Benthic Community from a Deep Norwegian Fjord Following Deposition of Mine Tailings and Sediments

Impaired Short-Term Functioning of a Benthic Community from a Deep Norwegian Fjord Following Deposition of Mine Tailings and Sediments

The Puck Bay as an example of deep dredging unfavorably affecting the aquatic environment

Benthic Ecology of Northern Quahog Beds with Different Hydraulic Dredging Histories in Long Island Sound

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