Effects of sewage effluent on the subtidal macrobenthic assemblage in an urban estuary of Argentina

Sandra Fiori; María E. Bravo; Rodolfo Elías; Analía Serra; María C. Carcedo; Eder Dos Santos; Sandra Botté

doi:10.25260/EA.20.30.1.0.954

Authors

Sandra Fiori Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
María E. Bravo Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
Rodolfo Elías Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Analía Serra Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
María C. Carcedo Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
Eder Dos Santos Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
Sandra Botté Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, CONICET, IADO, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.20.30.1.0.954

Abstract

We examined spatial variations in the biological descriptors of macrobenthic assemblage in relation to environmental parameters and metal distribution in the sediments along a channel of Bahía Blanca estuary affected by non-treatment sewage effluents. Along the channel, metal concentration values were higher than those in the internal estuary area, a sector considered as a reference site. The highest values of water turbidity and metal content in sediments were observed in the effluent discharge zone and at the site where sediments from dredging activities were deposited two years ago. The density of macrobenthic assemblages decreased towards the effluent discharge zone, but the richness and diversity reached to minimum values in both disturbed areas. Only two species of polychaetes were associated with these areas: Laeonereis acuta and Aphelochaeta sp.; the former being found in the effluent discharge zone, where Cd and Pb were most abundant, and the latter being the dominant species in the site characterized by dredging material and high concentrations of Cr and Ni. This study is the first approach to explore the impact of anthropogenic activities over the macrobenthic assemblage of the Bahía Blanca estuary, providing background data to use future management decisions.

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.20.30.1.0.954

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