Punctuated recovery of sediments and benthic infauna: a 19-year study of tailings deposition in a British Columbia fjord

Terrestrial deposits on intertidal sandflats: sediment characteristics as indicators of habitat suitability for recolonising macrofauna

“…obs.). Slow recovery has also been noted following other naturally occurring large-scale deposition events (Foster & Carter 1997, Burd et al 2000. In an experiment designed to mimic the deposition of terrestrial sediments on an intertidal sandflat, Norkko et al (2002) monitored the response and subsequent recovery of the macrofaunal community for 13 mo.…”

“…In marine soft-sediment habitats in New Zealand, catastrophic inputs of terrestrial sediment associated with storm events often occurs on such a scale that large areas can be smothered and essentially, defaunated (McKnight 1969, Johnston et al 1981, Foster & Carter 1997, Burd et al 2000. For example, following a storm event in the Whangapoua Estuary in 1995, a 10 cm deep deposit of terrestrial sediment covered an entire sandflat.…”

Submarine and deep-sea mine tailing placements: A review of current practices, environmental issues, natural analogs and knowledge gaps in Norway and internationally

“…The different processes that may result in the dispersal of tailings discharged in submarine environments are a critical issue that should be considered, both before new permits are awarded and during operations (Ellis and Ellis, 1994;Burd et al, 2000;Ellis, 2008;Shimmield et al, 2010;Reichelt-Brushett, 2012). The principle behind STDs and DSTPs is that the tailings will create a turbidity current that will transport the waste to a stable area on the (deep) seafloor, or at least below the mixing surface layer above which the thermocline acts as a natural barrier so no vertical mixing (i.e.…”

A review of subtidal benthic habitats and invertebrate biota of the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia

“…Brooks 2001). Studies 2239 of benthic faunal patterns and recovery at the few marine mine tailings deposition sites, 2240 however, suggest that particulate levels of these metals typically found under fish farms do not 2241 seem to have a notable effect on infaunal benthos in the deeper subtidal, despite the fact that 2242 bivalves, in particular, can accumulate metals (Burd et al, 2000b;Burd, 2002). Rather, zinc and 2243 copper levels are typically used as deposition tracers around fish farms (Yeats, 2002).…”

“…Columbia (Burd et al, 2000b;Burd, 2002), it is assumed that the deep benthos has recovered 2216 some 30 years after cessation of tailings deposition. However, it is also clear that considerable 2217 acid mine drainage is still leaching out into the near shore area around the historical Britannia 2218 mine.…”