Short-term responses to sewage discharge and storms of subtidal sand-bottom macrozoobenthic assemblages off Mar del Plata City, Argentina (SW Atlantic)

Elías, Rodolfo; Palacios, Julieta R.; Rivero, M.S.; Vallarino, Eduardo Alberto

doi:10.1016/j.seares.2004.08.001

Cited by 46 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Bokn et al, 2003). This is in contrast to studies conducted in soft-bottom systems, which documented negative effects of organic enrichment on species diversity (Widdicombe and Austen, 2001;Holmer et al, 2003;Elías et al, 2005). Possible reasons for these contrasting community responses between hard-bottom and soft-bottom communities are most likely physical and ecological differences between these systems.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Effects of point-source nutrient addition and mussel removal on epibiotic assemblages in Perumytilus purpuratus beds

Valdivia¹,

Thiel²

2006

Journal of Sea Research

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of point-source nutrient addition and mussel removal on species diversity of the epibenthic assemblage of the purple mussel Perumytilus purpuratus. It was hypothesised that mussels cushion the effects of disturbance on the associated organisms and thereby favour species diversity in patches with added nutrients. In order to test this hypothesis, a two-factorial field experiment was conducted at an exposed rocky shore of northern-central Chile in which nutrient addition and mussel removal were manipulated with two levels. Experimental units consisted of 100-cm 2 mussel plots that were sampled after two months of experimental manipulations. Local nutrient addition was done with coated slow-release fertilisers. Mussel removal treatments consisted in three destructive events applied throughout the experimental phase, and each event consisted in the removal of 20% of the mussel biomass from each plot. While point-source nutrient addition had only minor effects on diversity, mussel removal had significant and negative effects on faunal species richness and the abundance of suspensionfeeders and sessile organisms. The abundance of predators/scavengers significantly decreased with mussel removal in the presence of nutrient addition. Grazers and mobile organisms were very abundant in the mussel assemblage but their abundance remained unaffected by treatments. Finally, species richness and total abundance of algae were also not affected by the treatments. Although the duration of our experiment was relatively short, we suggest that the effects of local nutrient addition are of minor importance at the study site in comparison to the effects of mussel removal. Based on our results and previous studies conducted in soft-bottom systems, we suggest that physical and biological stress acting on exposed hard-bottom communities overshadows the potential effects of local nutrient addition.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 62%

Effects of point-source nutrient addition and mussel removal on epibiotic assemblages in Perumytilus purpuratus beds

Valdivia¹,

Thiel²

2006

Journal of Sea Research

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“…Stations at intermediate distances from the outfall show signs of organic enrichment in March, in response to increasing sewage discharge during the summer. Elías et al (2005) have shown that subtidal macrobenthic assemblages in the area support two major short-term disturbances: sewage and storms. In the period November-March increased sewage volume has a highly significant effect on water quality, sediment properties, and the macrobenthic infauna of subtidal areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In subtidal areas near the outfall this increase has a significant effect on both the macrobenthic assemblages and environmental variables. The sewage-disturbance produces low macrobenthos diversity and poor environmental conditions, but periodic storms keep the environment healthy and return the macrobenthos to equilibrium (Elías et al, 2005). It is suspected that this pulse disturbance (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sewage-induced disturbance on polychaetes inhabiting intertidal mussel beds of <i>Brachidontes rodriguezii</i> off Mar del Plata (SW Atlantic, Argentina).

et al. 2006

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SUMMARY: Continuous and short-term disturbances are produced on intertidal Brachidontes rodriguezii mussel beds by the sewage outfall of Mar del Plata, SW Atlantic. The effects on the associated polychaetes living on and between mussels were investigated, in both the spatial and short-term temporal scales. Multivariate methods show that the polychaete fauna was influenced by tidal level, total amount of sediment accumulated between mussels, distance from the sewage outfall, organic carbon of interstitial sediments, and sewage volume before and after the summer season. Environmental variables in the water column fitted with a spatial and temporal organic gradient. Capitella 'capitata' sp. showed typical opportunistic behaviour in relation to organic enrichment, as did Neanthes succinea, both being numerically dominant near the sewage discharge. Cirratulus sp., Caulleriella alata, and Boccardia polybranchia were common at intermediate distances from the outfall. Syllis prolixa, S. gracilis, and Protoariciella uncinata reached their highest abundance at intermediate stations and were characteristic of the control site. Close to the outfall mussel density and dominance is low, and opportunist polychaetes successfully colonize organically enriched interstitial sediments. At intermediate distances from the outfall sediments retained by mussels reach their maximum values, and density of polychaetes is also high. The control station is characterized by monolayered mussel beds and very low diversity of polychaetes. Opportunistic polychaetes increase in response to shortterm increases of sewage discharge during the summer season (November-March).Keywords: polychaetes, intertidal, mussel beds, organic pollution, sewage, spatial and before-after summer season distribution, SW Atlantic. RESUMEN: PERTURBACIONES DEBIDAS A EFLUENTES DOMÉSTICOS EN POLIQUETOS ASOCIADOS A BANCOS DE BIVALVOS DEBRACHIDONTES RODRIGUEZII EN MAR DEL PLATA (ATLÁNTICO SUDOCCIDENTAL). -Perturbaciones contínuas y de corto período de tiempo debidas a efluentes domésticos afectan a los bancos de los bivalvos Brachidontes rodriguezii en Mar del Plata, Atlántico sudoccidental. Se investigaron sus efectos sobre los poliquetos que viven asociados dentro y sobre los bancos, tanto en la escala espacial como la temporal (corto plazo). Métodos multivariados mostraron que los poliquetos estuvieron relacionados al nivel de marea, al total de sedimentos acumulados entre los bivalvos, a la distancia al efluente, al carbono orgá-nico total de los sedimentos y al volumen de descarga antes y después del verano. Las variables ambientales de la columna de agua estuvieron en concordancia con un gradiente de enriquecimiento orgánico espacial y temporal. Capitella 'capitata' sp. mostró el típico comportamiento oportunista en relación al enriquecimiento orgánico, al igual que Neanthes succinea, siendo ambas especies numéricamente dominantes cerca del efluente. Cirratulus sp., Caulleriella alata y Boccardia polybranchia fueron comunes a distancias intermedias del efluente. Syllis...

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“…Assessment of patterns in structure of marine benthic assemblages has several advantages over other experimental or field methods for detection of anthropogenic disturbance (Elias et al 2005). The benthos can integrate conditions over a period of time rather than reflecting conditions just at the time of sampling, so benthic organisms should be more useful in assessing local effects in monitoring programs than classical approaches such as physicochemical analyses of sediment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing reliable indicators to sewage pollution in coastal soft-bottom communities

de-la-Ossa-Carretero

Del‐Pilar‐Ruso

Giménez‐Casalduero

et al. 2011

Environ Monit Assess

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Physicochemical characteristics of sediment and benthic communities were studied in the proximity of seven sewage outfalls with differences in flow and wastewater treatment in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Redox potential was the only abiotic parameter which showed a pattern related with distance to outfalls, whereas granulometry, percentage of organic matter, metal concentrations or pH did not show changes related with outfall presence. Benthic community analysis proved to be the most suitable monitoring tool. The results showed that the highest impacted stations corresponded with those closest to outfall with the highest flow and only pre-treatment, whilst a decrease of this tendency was detected in the locations where secondary treatment takes place. Meta-analysis showed a decrease of amphipods and tanaids abundance as well as redox potential, as the indicators with the clearest response to sewage presence.

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Short-term responses to sewage discharge and storms of subtidal sand-bottom macrozoobenthic assemblages off Mar del Plata City, Argentina (SW Atlantic)

Cited by 46 publications

References 30 publications

Effects of point-source nutrient addition and mussel removal on epibiotic assemblages in Perumytilus purpuratus beds

Effects of point-source nutrient addition and mussel removal on epibiotic assemblages in Perumytilus purpuratus beds

Sewage-induced disturbance on polychaetes inhabiting intertidal mussel beds of <i>Brachidontes rodriguezii</i> off Mar del Plata (SW Atlantic, Argentina).

Assessing reliable indicators to sewage pollution in coastal soft-bottom communities

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