Medium-term responses of rocky bottoms to sewage discharges from a deepwater outfall in the NE Atlantic
Echavarri-Erasun, B.; Juanes, J.A.; García-Castrillo, G.; Revilla, J.A. (2007). Medium-term responses of rocky bottoms to sewage discharges from a deepwater outfall in the NE Atlantic. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 54(7): 941-954. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.02.014
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
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| Author keywords |
Benthos; Coastal waters; Ecosystem disturbance; Environmental impact; Heavy metals; Monitoring; Outfalls; Pollution effects; Sediment chemistry; Wastewater |
| Authors | | Top | Dataset |
- Echavarri-Erasun, B.
- Juanes, J.A.
- García-Castrillo, G.
- Revilla, J.A.
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| Abstract |
An investigation on the effects of deepwater outfall discharges on the status of rocky reef communities was carried out. The sanitation system was found to be an environmentally suitable option for the protection of those habitats situated in high energy coastal environments. Sediments occurring between the predominating rocky substrates showed low values of the fine fraction (<63 μm) and organic matter content. In addition, high average concentrations of Cd, Hg and Zn were found in these sediments, though these values were similar to those registered in non-affected sites, far away from the outfall. On the other hand, those assemblages typical of hard substrates that settled near the outfall showed an increase in total richness and abundance of macroinvertebrates. Moreover, the average number of species of each taxonomic group, a good indicator of the maintenance of the previous trophic structure, only varied considerably over time at the rip-rap protection. In a global context, those changes were not directly related to the discharge disturbances, but to the natural variability or the successional processes occurring within those communities. Only communities dwelling in the rip-rap protection area were affected by the proximity of the discharges. |
| Dataset |
- Juanes, A. J; Environmental Hydraulics Institute (IHCantabria), University of Cantabria, Spain (2019): Biomass of characteristic intertidal and subtidal taxa in the N of Spain from 1992 to 2003, more
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