Are biochemical composition parameters of sediment good tools for assessing the environmental quality of estuarine areas in tropical systems?

2017 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred B. Silva ◽  
Janilson F. Silva ◽  
Ranilson S. Bezerra ◽  
Paulo J. P. Santos
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Biochemical Composition ◽  
Trophic State ◽  
Biotic Index ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressure ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Natural Productivity

The present study aims to assess the environmental quality of six estuaries in north-eastern Brazil, using biochemical composition and quantity of organic matter in tropical sediments. Samples were collected monthly during spring low tide from August 2011 to July 2012, in the mid-littoral. Concentrations of organic matter and its biochemical composition reflected the degree of anthropogenic pressure. Although total concentrations of proteins and carbohydrates were similar among estuaries with contrasting levels of anthropogenic pressure, the protein to carbohydrates (PRT : CHO) ratio effectively reflected the trophic state of these areas. PRT : CHO ratios >1 were observed in all studied areas suggesting eutrophic conditions or an initial stage of eutrophication in all of them. Low Chl-a/Phaeo ratios may be associated with the level of eutrophication of each area, however it may also reflect the natural productivity or the presence of mangrove debris. These results were compared with those obtained in previous environmental assessments of the same estuarine areas using the AZTI Marine Biotic Index and monitoring reports showing good agreement. The present study confirmed for the first time in tropical estuarine areas that the biochemical approach can be successfully used to assess the trophic state of the benthic compartment.

scholarly journals Effects of Sewage Discharge on Trophic State and Water Quality in a Coastal Ecosystem of the Gulf of California

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Héctor Hugo Vargas-González ◽  
José Alfredo Arreola-Lizárraga ◽  
Renato Arturo Mendoza-Salgado ◽  
Lía Celina Méndez-Rodríguez ◽  
Carlos Hernando Lechuga-Deveze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Coastal Water ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Water Body ◽  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Trophic State ◽  
Coastal Ecosystem ◽  
Urban Wastewater ◽  
Receiving Water

This paper provides evidence of the effects of urban wastewater discharges on the trophic state and environmental quality of a coastal water body in a semiarid subtropical region in the Gulf of California. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic matter from urban wastewater primary treatment were estimated. La Salada Cove was the receiving water body and parameters measured during an annual cycle were temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, orthophosphate, and chlorophylla. The effects of sewage inputs were determined by using Trophic State Index (TRIX) and the Arid Zone Coastal Water Quality Index (AZCI). It was observed that urban wastewater of the city of Guaymas provided 1,237 ton Nyr−1and 811 ton Pyr−1and TRIX indicated that the receiving water body showed symptoms of eutrophication from an oligotrophic state to a mesotrophic state; AZCI also indicated that the environmental quality of the water body was poor. The effects of urban wastewater supply with insufficient treatment resulted in symptoms of eutrophication and loss of ecological functions and services of the coastal ecosystem in La Salada Cove.

scholarly journals Plankton and benthos similarity indices as indicators of the impact of mangrove plantation on the environmental quality of silvofishery ponds

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1558-1567
Author(s):  
ENDAH DWI HASTUTI♥ ◽  
RINI BUDI HASTUTI ◽  
SRI DARMANTI
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Avicennia Marina ◽  
Mangrove Species ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Similarity Indices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Observation Period

Hastuti ED, Hastuti RB, Darmanti S. 2018. Plankton and benthos similarity indices as indicators of the impact of mangroveplantation on the environmental quality of silvofishery ponds. Biodiversitas 19: 1558-1567. This research was carried out in a coastalarea of Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia. It aimed to study the composition of plankton and benthos communities in silvofisheryponds, and to analyze the similarity in plankton and benthos composition between ponds as an indicator of variation in pondenvironmental quality. Nine pond treatments were sampled for their plankton and benthos composition. The nine treatments consisted ofa factorial combination of three mangrove species assemblages (Avicennia marina (M1), Rhizophora mucronata (M2), and a mixture ofboth (M3)) at three mangrove populations (5 trees (S1), 10 trees (S2), and 15 trees (S3)). Similarity index analysis was conducted tomeasure the impact of treatments on the plankton and benthos communities. The total number of plankton species identified inobservation periods in May, July and September of 2016, were 23, 16 and 21 species repectively, while for the benthos there were eightsomewhat different species identified in each of the three observation periods. Fluctuation in plankton and benthos composition tendedto achieve a balance in richness by the time of the the third observation period. Diatoms, particularly Gyrosigma sp., were the mostwidely distributed plankton in the first and third observation periods, while Pyramidella sulcata was the only well-distributed benthosspecies in the three observation periods. Pairwise similarity indices between treatments ranged from 0% to 62.5% for plankton and from16.7% to 100% for benthos. The results of the investigation suggested that mangrove species affected plankton and benthos speciesrichness in this initial stage of a silvofishery development: plankton composition appeared to be richer in ponds with A. marina, whilebenthos was richer in ponds with R. mucronata.

scholarly journals Small-scale distribution of metazoan meiofauna and sedimentary organic matter in subtidal sandy sediments (Mediterranean Sea)

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Moccia ◽  
Alessandro Cau ◽  
Maria Carmela Meloni ◽  
Antonio Pusceddu
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Biochemical Composition ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Random Distribution ◽  
Sedimentary Organic Matter ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Metazoan Meiofauna ◽  
Sandy Sediments ◽  
Meiofaunal Abundance

While variations in sedimentary organic matter (OM) quantity, biochemical composition and nutritional quality as well as in meiofaunal abundance and assemblage composition at the macro- and mesoscale are relatively well known, information about variations at the microscale is much scarcer. To shed some light on this issue, we tested the null hypothesis by which abundance and composition of the meiofaunal assemblages, and the quantity, biochemical composition and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter in coastal shallow environments do not vary within a frame of 1 m2. No significant variation within the frame emerged for OM quantity, nutritional quality, biochemical composition and the abundance of meiofaunal assemblages. On the other hand, the composition of meiofaunal assemblages varied significantly within the frame and exhibited a clear segregation of assemblages farther to the shore, as a likely result of local micro-hydrodynamic conditions. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that lipid and protein sedimentary contents had a random distribution, whereas carbohydrate and biopolymeric C contents and meiofaunal total abundance were characterized by a patchy distribution, with discrete peaks within the sub-frame squares (ca. 0.1 m2). Phytopigments showed a spatial positive autocorrelation distribution, following the micro-hydrodynamic pattern, with patches larger than the sub-frame square, but smaller than the entire one (1 m2). Overall, our results suggest that, within 1 m2 of subtidal sandy sediments, three replicates could be sufficient to assess correctly OM attributes and the abundance of meiofauna, but could be possibly inadequate for assessing meiofaunal assemblages’ composition at a finer scale (<1 m2).

scholarly journals Trophic strategies of the invasive Twospot livebearer (Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus, Teleostei: Poeciliidae) in a gradient of environmental quality in central Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Carbajal-Becerra ◽  
Karla Judith Olvera-Rodríguez ◽  
Gabriel Mariscal de Souza ◽  
Omar Yair Durán-Rodríguez ◽  
Arely Ramírez-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Habitat Structure ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Biotic Index ◽  
Central Mexico ◽  
The Family ◽  
Trophic Strategy

ABSTRACT Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus is an invasive species widely spread throughout freshwater ecosystems in central Mexico, for that reason we described its trophic strategy into a gradient of environmental quality. We sampled individuals of P. bimaculatus at eight sites located in the Lerma-Chapala and Pánuco River Basins during dry season. These basins have been impacted by industrialization and urbanization processes, but are considered as water reserves in México. To evaluate the environmental quality of the river, we applied the Visual-based Habitat Assessment, the Index of Biological Integrity and the Family-level Biotic Index. We assessed the trophic guild, the diet width, the omnivory level, and the diet selectivity. We also explored the relation of trophic strategies with the habitat condition. We captured a total of 202 individuals of P. bimaculatus from 10 to 67 mm of SL, finding a total of 24 food items. The diet of P. bimaculatus was composed of terrestrial, aquatic insects and bony fish. Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus in some sites can feed on different trophic levels, in other it is a specialist and secondary consumer. We found that P. bimaculatus changes its diet according the alterations in the habitat structure, water quality, and biotic integrity. Moreover, this invasive species can endure changes in the trophic web and food availability.

scholarly journals Comparison of Four Foraminiferal Biotic Indices Assessing the Environmental Quality of Coastal Mediterranean Soft Bottoms

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 3193
Author(s):  
Briz Parent ◽  
Christine Barras ◽  
Erica Bicchi ◽  
Laurie M. Charrieau ◽  
Constance Choquel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Stress Index ◽  
Coastal Environments ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sediment Grain Size ◽  
Ecological Quality Status ◽  
Soft Bottoms

Coastal environments are exposed to numerous pressures that potentially affect marine soft bottom faunas. Among these pressures, organic matter enrichment is very frequent. Several indices based on living (Rose Bengal-stained) foraminiferal communities have recently been developed to assess the induced impact and determine the environmental quality of these environments. Here, we use an open waters Mediterranean Sea data set to test the benefits and drawbacks of four foraminiferal indices: (1) the effective number of species (exp(H’bc)), (2) the Tolerant Species Index for the Mediterranean (TSI-Med), (3) the Foraminifera AMBI (Foram-AMBI), and (4) the Foram Stress Index (FSI). These indices all intend to measure the response of the foraminiferal communities to organic matter enrichment, and therefore, their results should be very similar. We found that the diversity-based index, exp(H’bc), was not suitable to evaluate the environmental quality of our Mediterranean coastal settings, as it had a non-monotonic relationship with the organic matter enrichment gradient. The three indices based on groups of indicator species (TSI-Med, Foram-AMBI, and FSI) yielded fairly similar results. For Foram-AMBI, using only assigned species to calculate proportions of indicator species partly avoided to misinterpret the results. In TSI-Med, a correction based on sediment grain size is applied to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic organic enrichment. Such a correction could also be added to Foram-AMBI and FSI. The limits between the Ecological Quality Status (EQS) classes used for macrofauna were not adapted for Foram-AMBI. Here, we propose new EQS class limits for the Foram-AMBI as follows: very good: 0 ≤ x < 1.4; good: 1.4 ≤ x < 2.4; moderate: 2.4 ≤ x < 3.4; poor: 3.4 ≤ x < 4.4; bad: 4.4 ≤ x ≤ 6. These limits could evolve in the future as new data become available, especially with a poor and bad environmental quality.

scholarly journals Advances in Environmental Hydraulics

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1192
Author(s):  
Carlo Gualtieri ◽  
Dongdong Shao ◽  
Athanasios Angeloudis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Quality ◽  
Natural Water ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Scientific Study ◽  
Environmental Hydraulics ◽  
Transport And Transformation ◽  
Water Flows ◽  
Transformation Processes

Environmental Hydraulics (EH) is the scientific study of environmental water flows and their related transport and transformation processes affecting the environmental quality of natural water systems, such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers, on our planet Earth [...]

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