Intertidal Catastrophes: Effect of Storms and Hurricanes on Intertidal Benthos of the Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 667-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. K. Yeo ◽  
M. J. Risk
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Surface Sediment ◽  
Macoma Balthica ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Lateral Migration ◽  
Corophium Volutator ◽  
Tidal Power ◽  
Secondary Productivity

Hurricane Beulah (July 1975) and a major storm both caused catastrophic mortalities among intertidal benthos of the Minas Basin. In both events, surface sediment was scoured off the flats, resulting in high mortalities in shallow-burrowing organisms. The storm was a more severe catastrophe than the hurricane. The demonstrated high secondary productivity of these flats is difficult to reconcile with these observations; extensive lateral migration of the benthos may aid in recovery from catastrophes. Key words: benthos, intertidal productivity, Bay of Fundy, tidal power, catastrophes, Macoma balthica, Corophium volutator

Effect of Sedimentation on Infaunal Invertebrate Populations of Cobequid Bay, Bay of Fundy

1981 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 642-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted R. Turk ◽  
Michael J. Risk
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Macoma Balthica ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Coarse Sand ◽  
Sediment Deposition ◽  
Mya Arenaria ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Corophium Volutator ◽  
Tidal Power ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Construction of a tidal dam in the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy is expected to result in deposition of sediment. We investigated the effect of sediment deposition on populations of three major benthic species of the upper reaches: Corophium volutator, Macoma balthica, and Mya arenaria. In fences and boxes that induced deposition on intertidal mudflats, accumulation of 1.0–3.5 cm of sediment at rates of 1.9–10.2 cm/mo caused Corophium density to decrease sharply, usually by an order of magnitude. Macoma density was generally unaffected. In fishing weirs, mud that accumulated at 1.5 cm/mo to a mean depth of 5.2 cm supported normal Corophium densities. The effect of sedimentation on Mya depends strongly on grain size: LD50 was 24 cm for coarse sand, 6 cm for fine sand, and 3 cm for mud. Mya is able to burrow upward in accumulating coarse sand. Even moderate rates and depths of sediment deposition, particularly of fine sediment, could have a major adverse effect on existing Corophium and Mya populations.Key words: Bay of Fundy, tidal power, sedimentation, grain size, water content, Corophium volutator, Macoma balthica, Mya arenaria

Sedimentological and Biological Changes in the Windsor Mudflat, an Area of Induced Siltation

1980 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1387-1397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted R. Turk ◽  
Michael J. Risk ◽  
Roy W. M. Hirtle ◽  
Ross K. Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Macoma Balthica ◽  
Biological Characteristics ◽  
High Water Content ◽  
Intertidal Mudflat ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
Corophium Volutator ◽  
Tidal Power ◽  
Shell Size

The causeway-induced mudflat at Windsor, Nova Scotia, was studied to determine the effect of rapid sedimentation on the sedimentological and biological characteristics of an intertidal mudflat. Compared to typical Minas Basin mudflats, the Windsor flat has high water content, (50% vs. 30% wet wt, approximately) small grain sizes, and elevated organic carbon content (0.82% vs. 0.24% dry wt). The two principal infaunal species of the Windsor flat, the amphipod Corophium volutator and the clam Macoma balthica, are less abundant than in nearby typical flats (~840 vs. ~13 000/m2 and ~640 vs. ~1500/m2, respectively), while the polychaete Heteromastus filiformis is particularly abundant at Windsor. Macoma balthica at Windsor grow faster and have a shorter lifespan (~6 yr vs. ~13 yr) than at other Minas Basin flats. Compared to other Minas Basin Macoma, the weight of Windsor Macoma increases more slowly with increasing shell size, possibly an adaptation to the more fluid Windsor sediments.These sedimentological and biological characteristics exist at Windsor nearly 10 yr after the start of flat development and show little tendency to approach typical mudflat characteristics. Our results indicate, therefore, that secondary productivity of Macoma and Corophium could be reduced by about two-thirds for at least a decade in existing Minas Basin mudflats that are covered by Windsor-type sediments as a result of the construction of a tidal power dam.Key words: Bay of Fundy, tidal power, sedimentation, water content, organic carbon, infauna, Corophium volutator, Macoma balthica, growth, mortality

Integration of Ecological and Engineering Aspects in Planning Large Scale Tidal Power Development in the Bay of Fundy, Canada

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 281-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald C Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Feasibility Studies ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Final Decision ◽  
Power Development ◽  
Tidal Power ◽  
History Of ◽  
Scientists And Engineers ◽  
The Many ◽  
University Scientists

Large-scale tidal power development in the Bay of Fundy has been given serious consideration for over 60 years. There has been a long history of productive interaction between environmental scientists and engineers durinn the many feasibility studies undertaken. Up until recently, tidal power proposals were dropped on economic grounds. However, large-scale development in the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy now appears to be economically viable and a pre-commitment design program is highly likely in the near future. A large number of basic scientific research studies have been and are being conducted by government and university scientists. Likely environmental impacts have been examined by scientists and engineers together in a preliminary fashion on several occasions. A full environmental assessment will be conducted before a final decision is made and the results will definately influence the outcome.

Spatial distribution of the intertidal snail Ilyanassa obsoleta in relation to parasitism by two species of trematodes

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 1137-1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean G McCurdy ◽  
J Sherman Boates ◽  
Mark R Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Intertidal Zone ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Spatial Distributions ◽  
Ilyanassa Obsoleta ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Corophium Volutator ◽  
Vertical Distributions ◽  
Second Intermediate Host ◽  
Intertidal Snail

We studied the spatial distributions of mud snails (Ilyanassa obsoleta) infected by two trematodes, Lepocreadium setiferoides and Gynaecotyla adunca, on a macrotidal mudflat in the Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy. Snails, as first intermediate hosts, were castrated by both parasites, and we found no evidence of sex differences in parasitism. Similar to previous work, prevalence of L. setiferoides in I. obsoleta increased exponentially with host size (and age). Unexpectedly, prevalence of G. adunca decreased over the largest size classes of snails, a result that may be due to several causes. Distributions of both parasites across the intertidal zone differed from previous accounts in that snails infected with L. setiferoides were found only in the middle of the intertidal zone, whereas prevalence of G. adunca increased exponentially moving seaward. Several species of polychaetes could be infected by L. setiferoides in the laboratory and may act as appropriate second intermediate hosts, whereas only the amphipod Corophium volutator served as a second intermediate host for G. adunca. Finally, the vertical distributions of I. obsoleta infected by either species of trematode overlap with distributions of apparent or known second intermediate hosts.

Effects of Proposed Passamaquoddy Power Project on Anadromous Fishes in Canadian Waters

1960 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 713-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Kerswill
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Salmon ◽  
Brown Trout ◽  
Brook Trout ◽  
High Potential ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Tidal Power ◽  
Potential Production ◽  
Sport Fishery ◽  
Potential Value ◽  
Power Project

Atlantic salmon, smelt, alewives, shad, eastern brook trout, and introduced brown trout occur in waters that will be affected by the Passamaquoddy power project. The first four species are taken occasionally in herring weirs but total annual landed values did not exceed $6,000 in the period 1937 to 1956. Salmon and trout have high potential value for angling, subject to improvements in local river management.Construction of tidal power dams should overcome the present lack of typical estuarine conditions in the Passamaquoddy area and favour production of anadromous species. An improved sport fishery for sea-run trout could develop. Realization of the potential production of Atlantic salmon, alewives and shad, but possibly not sea-run trout, would depend on satisfactory access from the Bay of Fundy to the impounded areas.

scholarly journals Behavioral Response of Corophium volutator to Shorebird Predation in the Upper Bay of Fundy, Canada

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e110633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. MacDonald ◽  
Elisabeth H. Frost ◽  
Stephanie M. MacNeil ◽  
Diana J. Hamilton ◽  
Myriam A. Barbeau
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Corophium Volutator

Tides and tidal power in the Bay of Fundy

Endeavour ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Garrett
Keyword(s):  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Tidal Power

scholarly journals Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Population Dynamics of the Intertidal Amphipod Corophium Volutator in the Upper Bay of Fundy, Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam A. Barbeau ◽  
Deirdre C. Sheahan ◽  
Erin E. Arnold ◽  
Diana J. Hamilton ◽  
Lorelei A. Grecian
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Corophium Volutator
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