We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Structure and activity of polychaete assemblages in oil-polluted sediment (Patagonia, Argentina).
- Authors
ROMANUT, ORNELLA; STURLA LOMPRÉ, JULIETA; COMMENDATORE, MARTA; FERRANDO, AGUSTINA
- Abstract
One of the tools applied to determine the pollution and stress status of an environment is through macrobenthic bioindicators. This study aimed 1) to validate ex situ experimental conditions by comparing different physical-chemical and biological variables between in situ and ex situ treatments after 13 days; 2) to analyze, through an ex situ experiment, the effect produced by two concentrations of crude oil (1 g/kg and 20 g/kg) on the Caleta Sara polychaete assemblages at different depths of the sediment column (0-8 cm and 8-16 cm), and 3) to evaluate the application of 'taxonomic sufficiency' concept on crude oil experiment data. The abundance, richness, diversity and bioturbation showed a significant decrease in oil-polluted sediment only at the upper level. Capitella (Capitellidae) and Boccardia (Spionidae) were the most abundant at the highest oil concentration. The results were similar at both taxonomic levels, indicating that it would be possible to assess the effect of crude oil on the assemblages even at the family level, especially under acute ecotoxicological conditions. However, the ratio of families to genera was 1:1 in all cases, except for Spionidae. Therefore, identification at the family level should only be considered for low-diversity polychaete assemblages. This study is the first to evaluate the assemblages of Caleta Sara under conditions modified by crude oil in the laboratory. Thus, natural conditions are simulated and any negative impact on the study site is avoided.
- Subjects
POLYCHAETA; SEDIMENTS; OIL spills
- Publication
Ecologia Austral, 2023, Vol 33, Issue 3, p978
- ISSN
0327-5477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.25260/EA.23.33.3.0.2269