Long-term changes in the marine macroalgae of three polluted estuaries in north-east England

Hardy, F. G.; Evans, Sue; Tremayne, M.A.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(93)90090-b

Cited by 52 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The effects of pollution on macroalgal assemblages have been reported in previous studies (Bellan-Santini 1968, Munda 1974, Anger 1975, Littler and Murray 1975, Murray and Littler 1978, Belsher 1979, Kautsky et al 1986, Hardy et al 1993, Soltan et al 2001, and several works have examined long-term changes following the onset of sewage discharge , Gorostiaga and Díez 1996, Underwood and Chapman 1996, Díez et al 1999, Bishop et al 2002, Eriksson et al 2002, Echevarri-Erasun et al 2007. However, only a few studies have focused on the recovery of macroalgal assemblages following clean-up measures (Hardy et al 1993, Bokn et al 1996, Archambault et al 2001, Díez et al 2009), and only two have addressed Mediterranean communities (Soltan et al 2001, Tsiamis et al 2013.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

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Long-term changes in sublittoral macroalgal assemblages related to water quality improvement

2013

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Sampling of sublittoral macroalgal assemblages was carried out in 1982 and 1999 along the coast of Catalonia (Northwestern Mediterranean, Spain) in order to study long-term changes in species composition. Ordination analysis revealed significant differences in species composition and abundance between the two study periods. The number of stations with indicators of eutrophication, such as species of Chaetomorpha, Cladophora, and Ulva, decreased from 1982 to 1999. This decrease was not balanced by an increase in species typical of pristine environments, such as large perennial brown algae (in particular, Cystoseira mediterranea), but rather by an increase of stress-resistant species such as Corallina elongata. The observed shifts seem to be driven by the decrease in nutrient loadings in the water column, resulting from the progressive implementation of sewage treatment management in the study region since the mid-1970s.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…However, only a few studies have focused on the recovery of macroalgal assemblages following clean-up measures (Hardy et al 1993, Bokn et al 1996, Archambault et al 2001, Díez et al 2009), and only two have addressed Mediterranean communities (Soltan et al 2001, Tsiamis et al 2013.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term changes in sublittoral macroalgal assemblages related to water quality improvement

2013

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“…and Ulva sp. biomass were very low this positive correlation can be explained by the fact that an organic enrichment may favour algal development [15,18,21,23,25,30,40,44]. In addition, grazing activity on periphyton and epiphyte may favour the macrophytes [22,42], and therefore food resources were always available for H. ulvae [16,20,24,36].…”

Section: Environmental Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population structure, dynamics and production of Hydrobia ulvae (Pennant) (Mollusca: Prosobranchia) along an eutrophication gradient in the Mondego estuary (Portugal)

1999

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-Eutrophication in the Mondego estuary gave rise to qualitative changes in the benthic community, involving the replacement of eelgrass, Zostera noltii, by green algae such as Enteromorpha spp. and Ulva sp. It seems reasonable to assume that, through time, such changes may determine a selected new trophic structure. Hydrobia ulvae, a dominant species in terms of abundance and biomass, was studied with regard to life history, population dynamics and productivity in relation to changing environmental conditions along the eutrophication gradient. The purpose was to examine to what extent this species may adapt to the new emergent conditions. During the study period, H. ulvae population exhibited both temporal and spatial density variations. The settlement pattern did not change along the eutrophication gradient, and took place in March, June, July and September. However, the population was denser in the less eutrophied areas, corresponding to Z. noltii meadows, when compared to the eutrophied ones, where Enteromorpha spp. blooms are usually observed. Growth was continuous through life but growth rates were higher during spring, decreased from early summer to mid fall and practically ceased during winter, and then gradually increased again up to spring. Life span was estimated as 21 ± 3 months. Growth productivity (P) was estimated as 93.7 g AFDW⋅m ⋅year -1 in the strongly eutrophied area. The average annual biomass (B √ ) (standing stock) of the population was estimated as 70.2 g AFDW⋅m -2 in the Z. noltii meadows, 5.5 g AFDW⋅m -2 in the eutrophied area, and 7.4 g AFDW⋅m -2 in the strongly eutrophied area. P/B √ and E/B √ ratios were estimated as 1.3 and 4.8 in the Z. noltii meadows, 2.8 and 9.5 in the eutrophied area, and 4.5 and 13.2 in the strongly eutrophied area, respectively. As a pattern, the standing stock decreased as a function of increasing eutrophication, while P/B √ and E/B √ ratios increased following the same gradient. There is evidence that H. ulvae population structure and annual production are seriously affected by eutrophication, namely by macroalgal bloom dynamics. Moreover, results suggest that H. ulvae might be suffering a change in its adaptive strategy along the eutrophication gradient, becoming closer to a typical 'r' strategist in the strongly eutrophied areas. © 1999 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS Eutrophication / Hydrobia ulvae / life cycle / population dynamics / productivity

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“…The loss of both species richness and diversity in the vicinity of sewage outfalls has been reported on many occasions (Borowitzka, 1972;Littler & Murray, 1975;May, 1985;Tewari & Joshi, 1988;Munda, 1993;Are´valo et al, 2007). Similarly, several studies (Hardy et al, 1993;Bonk et al, 1996;Gorostiaga & Dı´ez, 1996;Archambault et al, 2001;Soltan et al, 2001) point out that the number of species in marine assemblages increases following water quality improvements.…”

Section: Diversitymentioning

confidence: 89%

“…It might be expected that all these responses in community structure would reverse as pollution decreases, but the recovery processes of benthic assemblages are poorly documented (Hardy et al, 1993;Bonk et al, 1996;Gorostiaga & Dı´ez, 1996;Archambault et al, 2001;Soltan et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recovery stages over long-term monitoring of the intertidal vegetation in the ‘Abra de Bilbao’ area and on the adjacent coast (N. Spain)

Díez

Santolaria

Secilla

et al. 2009

European Journal of Phycology

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Few studies have documented the recovery of phytobenthic marine assemblages following the reduction of long-standing sewage discharges. This paper reports on the main changes in intertidal macroalgal communities after the gradual application from 1984 to 2006 of a sewerage plan for the metropolitan area of Bilbao. Sampling sites along a pollution gradient were surveyed eight times during the course of the above period. Improvements in water quality were followed by noticeable changes in species composition and vegetation structure. Species richness significantly increased throughout the study area, while algal cover only increased at the most degraded sites. Pollution removal promoted the development of morphologically more complex species. Intertidal vegetation at the degraded sites became progressively more similar to that at the reference site. Five recovery stages discriminated by different species (SIMPER routine) were characterized from ordination (MDS) analyses: (i) extremely degraded -Gelidium pusillum is the most abundant species which is accompanied by Bachelotia antillarum at the low intertidal level (0.75 m); (ii) heavily degraded -Gelidium pusillum remains dominant and accompanied by Caulacanthus ustulatus at the high intertidal level (1.4 m); (iii) moderately degraded -Corallina elongata becomes dominant, C. ustulatus remains abundant at the high level; (iv) slightly degraded -C. elongata remains dominant in both tidal levels, Chondracanthus acicularis and Lithophyllum incrustans are abundant at the high level, whereas the latter, Pterosiphonia complanata and Stypocaulon scoparium become abundant at the low level; (v) reference stage -Lithophyllum incrustans and Laurencia obtusa are abundant together with C. elongata at the high level, whereas Stypocaulon scoparium dominates the low level, with Bifurcaria bifurcata, Jania rubens and Cystoseira tamariscifolia as abundant species. Thus, this study reveals that phytobenthic communities are useful indicators of water quality and provide real data that contribute to the assessment of the ecological status of rocky open shores on the Basque coast.

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Long-term changes in the marine macroalgae of three polluted estuaries in north-east England

Cited by 52 publications

References 12 publications

Long-term changes in sublittoral macroalgal assemblages related to water quality improvement

Long-term changes in sublittoral macroalgal assemblages related to water quality improvement

Population structure, dynamics and production of Hydrobia ulvae (Pennant) (Mollusca: Prosobranchia) along an eutrophication gradient in the Mondego estuary (Portugal)

Recovery stages over long-term monitoring of the intertidal vegetation in the ‘Abra de Bilbao’ area and on the adjacent coast (N. Spain)

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