The intertidal benthos and sediments of particulate shores in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, with particular reference to waste water discharges

Abstract

SynopsisThe paper summarises and briefly discusses published and unpublished data relating to the physicochemical characteristics of the sediments and the occurrence and distribution of the intertidal macrobenthos of paniculate shores in the Firth of Forth. In general, the shores described are poor faunistically and in some areas this results partly from the influence of waste water discharges. Detailed information is available for only a limited number of the numerous beaches in the Firth of Forth. In consequence, this paper focusses attention on the results of a long term study of four beaches along the south shore of the firth which was undertaken as part of an environmental impact assessment in relation to the introduction of improved sewage treatment and disposal for the City of Edinburgh. Edinburgh Sewage Scheme and the firth into which it discharges are briefly described and data pertaining to changes in the intertidal sediments and the intertidal macrobenthic communities, which occurred in the Seafield Bay area of the firth following pollution abatement, are presented and discussed.

Toxicity of sewage sludge toCrangon crangonandArtemia salina,with reference to other marine Crustacea

“…The decrease in toxicity and unionised ammonia with sludge decay support the suggestions in other studies (Read, 1977;Fava et al, 1985;Costello and Gamble, 1992), that at least in short-tenn tests, ammonia has an important role in toxic effects of sewage sludge. The absence of a statistically significant correlation between ammonia and mortality in the present sludge decay experiment rnay be due to the limited number (5) of samples available for comparison.…”