Continued observations of the benthic fauna of the industrialised Tees estuary, 1979–1990

Tapp, John F.; Shillabeer, N.; Ashman, C. M.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(93)90089-7

Cited by 29 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The pattern of recolonisation described for the Nervión estuary is very similar to that detected in other estuaries, with the same problems of hypoxia and high contaminant levels (Shillabeer & Tapp 1989, Tapp et al 1993, Llansó et al 2004; it follows, probably, the same repopulation mechanisms as described by Beukema et al (1999). After the experience gained from other estuaries associated with gradual clean-up and de-industrialisation, such as the Mersey (Hawkins et al 2002) where the recovery took more than 40 yr, and taking into account the time course in the inner reaches of the Nervión estuary, complete recovery of the entire estuary is likely to take place within the next 10 to 15 yr.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Long-term monitoring of benthic communities is considered an efficient, accurate and useful tool in the detection of pollution effects (Kröncke 1995, Brown & Shillabeer 1997, Currie & Parry 1999. However, long-term studies are scarce, and only sometimes are they devoted to recovery processes in estuaries (Shillabeer & Tapp 1989, Tapp et al 1993, Dauer & Alden 1995, Attrill 1998, Wilson et al 1998, Beukema et al 1999, Hawkins et al 2002, Llansó et al 2004.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-term recovery of soft-bottom benthos following urban and industrial sewage treatment in the Nervión estuary (southern Bay of Biscay)

Borja¹,

Muxika²,

Franco³

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

117

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The monitoring of marine benthic communities is based upon their ability to integrate long-term environmental conditions and it is considered an efficient, accurate and useful tool in the detection of pollution effects. However, long-term studies are scarce, and only few are devoted to recovery processes in estuaries following water treatment. In this contribution, the response of the Nervión estuary to sewerage processes is studied, using a long-term (1989 to 2003) data set of physico-chemical (dissolved oxygen, redox potential, organic matter, metals) and biological (density, richness and diversity in benthic communities) variables. The AMBI (AZTI's Marine Biotic Index) was designed to investigate the response of soft-bottom communities to natural and human-induced changes in European coastal water quality and is evaluated here. The first factor controlling the Nervión's benthic structure is found to be the bottom water oxygen saturation, hypoxia-and/or anoxia-produced azoic sediments. When water treatment commenced, benthic recolonisation was very rapid in terms of opportunistic species settlement. However, the community structure was highly disturbed, in terms of density, richness, diversity and AMBI values. AMBI and diversity values are highly correlated with oxygen saturation. When the water treatment continued, the high metal concentrations in the sediments inhibited recovery in some areas; they were a secondary factor in determining benthic structure. This contribution demonstrates that the AMBI is an efficient tool for detecting changes in benthic communities and in systems associated with sewerage schemes; it provides an indication of the proportions of opportunistic and sensitive species within a long-term series.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term recovery of soft-bottom benthos following urban and industrial sewage treatment in the Nervión estuary (southern Bay of Biscay)

Borja¹,

Muxika²,

Franco³

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

117

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“…Boston Harbour, western Long Island Sound, Hudson-Raritan Estuary and Puget Sound), contaminant accumulation in bottom sediments has produced acute as well as chronic impacts on the resident biota (Kennish 1997). Similar impacts have been reported on biotic communities in contaminated sediments of European estuaries such as the Tees Estuary and Tyne Estuary, UK (Tapp et al 1993;Matthiessen 1998) and the Bay of Cádiz, Barbate River Estuary, Odiel River Estuary and Bilbao Estuary in Spain (Drake et al 1999;Cearreta et al 2000).…”

Section: Marine Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Environmental threats and environmental future of estuaries

2002

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Estuaries exhibit a wide array of human impacts that can compromise their ecological integrity, because of rapid population growth and uncontrolled development in many coastal regions worldwide. Long-term environmental problems plaguing estuaries require remedial actions to improve the viability and health of these valuable coastal systems. Detailed examination of the effects of pollution inputs, the loss and alteration of estuarine habitat, and the role of other anthropogenic stress indicates that water quality in estuaries, particularly urbanized systems, is often compromised by the overloading of nutrients and organic matter, the influx of pathogens, and the accumulation of chemical contaminants. In addition, the destruction of fringing wetlands and the loss and alteration of estuarine habitats usually degrade biotic communities. Estuaries are characterized by high population densities of microbes, plankton, benthic flora and fauna, and nekton; however, these organisms tend to be highly vulnerable to human activities in coastal watersheds and adjoining embayments. Trends suggest that by 2025 estuaries will be most significantly impacted by habitat loss and alteration associated with a burgeoning coastal population, which is expected to approach six billion people. Habitat destruction has far reaching ecological consequences, modifying the structure, function, and controls of estuarine ecosystems and contributing to the decline of biodiversity. Other anticipated high priority problems are excessive nutrient and sewage inputs to estuaries, principally from land-based sources. These inputs will lead to the greater incidence of eutrophication as well as hypoxia and anoxia. During the next 25 years, overfishing is expected to become a more pervasive and significant anthropogenic factor, also capable of mediating global-scale change to estuaries. Chemical contaminants, notably synthetic organic compounds, will remain a serious problem, especially in heavily industrialized areas. Freshwater diversions appear to be an emerging global problem as the expanding coastal population places greater demands on limited freshwater supplies for agricultural, domestic, and industrial needs. Altered freshwater flows could significantly affect nutrient loads, biotic community structure, and the trophodynamics of estuarine systems. Ecological impacts that will be less threatening, but still damaging, are those caused by introduced species, sea level rise, coastal subsidence, and debris/litter. Although all of these disturbances can alter habitats and contribute to shifts in the composition of estuarine biotic communities, the overall effect will be partial changes to these ecosystem components. Several strategies may mitigate future impacts.

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“…Benthic infauna is used extensively as indicators of estuarine environmental status and trends (Pearson and Rosenberg 1978;Dauer 1993;Tapp et al 1993). Single community attribute measures, including species diversity and abundance, have been suggested to summarize data beyond the level of individual species Clarke 1993, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of benthic changes during 20 years of monitoring the Mexican Salina Cruz Bay

González‐Macías

Schifter

Lluch‐Cota³

et al. 2008

Environ Monit Assess

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In this work a non-parametric multivariate analysis was used to assess the impact of metals and organic compounds in the macro infaunal component of the mollusks benthic community using surface sediment data from several monitoring programs collected over 20 years in Salina Cruz Bay, Mexico. The data for benthic mollusks community characteristics (richness, abundance and diversity) were linked to multivariate environmental patterns, using the Alternating Conditional Expectations method to correlate the biological measurements of the mollusk community with the physicochemical properties of water and sediments. Mollusks community variation is related to environmental characteristics as well as lead content. Surface deposit feeders are increasing their relative density, while subsurface deposit feeders are decreasing with respect to time, these last are expected to be more related with sediment and more affected then by its quality. However gastropods with predatory carnivore as well as chemosymbiotic deposit feeder bivalves have maintained their relative densities along time.

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Continued observations of the benthic fauna of the industrialised Tees estuary, 1979–1990

Cited by 29 publications

References 9 publications

Long-term recovery of soft-bottom benthos following urban and industrial sewage treatment in the Nervión estuary (southern Bay of Biscay)

Long-term recovery of soft-bottom benthos following urban and industrial sewage treatment in the Nervión estuary (southern Bay of Biscay)

Environmental threats and environmental future of estuaries

Assessment of benthic changes during 20 years of monitoring the Mexican Salina Cruz Bay

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