The use of polychaetes (Annelida) as indicator species of marine pollution: a review (original) (raw)
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Pan American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 2013
This study describes the spatial and temporal variations in the biodiversity of polychaetes in an area subjected to different anthropogenic activities (fishing, tourism and oil refinery activities). It involved the evaluation of sediment data and biological assessment of these invertebrates in 20 stations distributed along the coast line of the "Península de Paraguaná", being sampled in 10 occasions, between july-2008 and September-2010. Sediment analyses showed a northern zone dominated by the sand fraction, and a southern zone with a large content of mud and a high percentage of organic matter. A total of 18 taxonomic groups were recorded, where 7368 individuals of the polychaete group were identified, belonging to 35 families, with Capitellidae (35%) and Spionidae (21%) as the most abundant. The family richness oscillated between 1,6 nFam/Cam (S19) and 6,8 nFam/Cam (S16), while the higher densities were reported in the 18 and 19 stations, reaching the maximum value of 1789,73 ± 3152,86 ind/m 2 (S18). These high values belonged to capitellids and spionids (> 6000 ind/m 2), and suggested the existence of a local disturbance event that is associated with the oil refinery activities. This study showed how the analyses of biological data can be useful for detecting the influence of anthropogenic impact events when chemical information is not available.
PLoS ONE, 2013
Ecological communities are increasingly exposed to multiple chemical and physical stressors, but distinguishing anthropogenic impacts from other environmental drivers remains challenging. Rarely are multiple stressors investigated in replicated studies over large spatial scales (.1000 kms) or supported with manipulations that are necessary to interpret ecological patterns. We measured the composition of sediment infaunal communities in relation to anthropogenic and natural stressors at multiple sites within seven estuaries. We observed increases in the richness and abundance of polychaete worms in heavily modified estuaries with severe metal contamination, but no changes in the diversity or abundance of other taxa. Estuaries in which toxic contaminants were elevated also showed evidence of organic enrichment. We hypothesised that the observed response of polychaetes was not a 'positive' response to toxic contamination or a reduction in biotic competition, but due to high levels of nutrients in heavily modified estuaries driving productivity in the water column and enriching the sediment over large spatial scales. We deployed defaunated field-collected sediments from the surveyed estuaries in a small scale experiment, but observed no effects of sediment characteristics (toxic or enriching). Furthermore, invertebrate recruitment instead reflected the low diversity and abundance observed during field surveys of this relatively 'pristine' estuary. This suggests that differences observed in the survey are not a direct consequence of sediment characteristics (even severe metal contamination) but are related to parameters that covary with estuary modification such as enhanced productivity from nutrient inputs and the diversity of the local species pool. This has implications for the interpretation of diversity measures in large-scale monitoring studies in which the observed patterns may be strongly influenced by many factors that covary with anthropogenic modification. Citation: Dafforn KA, Kelaher BP, Simpson SL, Coleman MA, Hutchings PA, et al. (2013) Polychaete Richness and Abundance Enhanced in Anthropogenically Modified Estuaries Despite High Concentrations of Toxic Contaminants. PLoS ONE 8(9): e77018.
Revista de biología marina y oceanografía, 2005
Harbors share a number of similar problems, such as water and sediment pollution. In this work we analyze spatial variation of macroinfauna, with special emphasis in polychaete abundance to characterize the environmental health of Mar del Plata Harbor. Twelve stations were sampled with replicated 0.05 m 2 van Veen grabs, with environmental variables from the water column and sediments in December 2001. Polychaetes (23 of 35 taxa) constituted 62% of the total abundance. A multi dimensional scaling analysis and a redundancy analysis showed three groups of stations: one at the mouth of the port, with healthy environmental conditions and characterized by Mediomastus sp., Maldanidae and Aglaophamus uruguayi; other in the inner harbor, with poor environmental conditions and inhabited only by Capitella "capitata" sp., and a third intermediate and more diverse group with Polydora spp., Tharyx sp., Mediomastus sp., Capitella "capitata" sp., and Capitella sp. Differences among pre-defined groups were significant. It is hypothesized that strong hydrodynamics affects the stations at the mouth, as shown by low organic content and the dominance of sandy sediments. In the inner harbor, poor environmental conditions are due to restricted water movement, prevalence of silt sediments, and high content of pollutants. Abundance of Capitella spp. correlated to total organic carbon content, except in the inner harbor. It is possible that high concentrations of hydrocarbons in the inner harbor explain the low abundance of these species, as well as the absence of other benthic animals, and the low diversity values. Polychaetes are useful pollution indicators in this harbor.
Aquatic Toxicology, 2006
This study aimed at integrating postexposure feeding and some biochemical parameters in the responses of the estuarine polychaeta, Hediste diversicolor, to controlled laboratory exposure conditions and to in situ exposures scenario of sediment contamination. Since H. diversicolor feeding may be considered as a major rate-limiting step in the processing of detritus in European estuaries, a reduction in feeding activity may have implications not only at the individual and population level of the species but also in detritus processing and in organic matter decomposition rates at the ecosystem level. The biochemical parameters were chosen as indicators of four key physiological functions: neurotransmission, metabolic condition, detoxification processes and antioxidant defences. The Mira and Sado estuaries, located in the Southwest coast of Portugal and classified as undisturbed and impacted, respectively, were selected as sites for this study. A significant depression in H. diversicolor postexposure feeding (from 30 to 70%) was consistently detected in all impacted sediments, supporting the sensitivity and responsiveness of feeding as a sublethal toxicity endpoint. Alongside with a reduced energy intake, an increased rate of organisms' anaerobic metabolism, as evidenced by an enhancement of lactate dehydrogenase activity (up to 1.5-fold), suggested a rapid need of additional energy to ameliorate chemical stress. Moreover, oxidative stress was shown to be an important mechanism of toxicity of the impacted sediments in H. diversicolor, as evidenced by a marked reduction in the glutathione redox status (up to 6.5-fold) and an increase in lipid peroxides levels (up to 2.3-fold) in organisms exposed to the most impacted sediments. Results of the in situ assay, conducted to assess the ecological relevance of sediment laboratory toxicity estimates and their application to make valid field extrapolations, revealed a lack of agreement in the response of catalase in organisms exposed to moderate impacted sediments.
Taxonomic sufficiency of polychaete taxocenes for estuary monitoring
Ecological Indicators, 2012
The polychaetes assemblage structure was used in order to investigate taxonomic sufficiency in a heavily polluted tropical bay. Species abundance was aggregated into progressively higher taxa matrices (genus, family, order) and was analyzed using univariate and multivariate techniques. Polychaetes distribution in Guanabara Bay (GB) was in accordance with a pollution gradient, probably ruled by the organic enrichment, consequent effects of hypoxia and altered redox conditions coupled with prevailing patterns of circulation. Within the sectors of GB, an increasing gradient in species richness and occurrence was observed, ranging from the azoic and impoverished stations in the inner sector to a well-structured community in terms of species composition and abundance inhabiting the outer sector. Multivariate statistical analysis showed similar results when species were aggregated into genera and families, while greater difference occurred at coarser taxonomic identification (order). The literature about taxonomic sufficiency has demonstrated that faunal patterns at different taxonomic levels tend to become similar with increased pollution. In GB, an analysis carried out solely at family level is perfectly adequate to describe the environmental gradient, considered a useful tool for a quick environmental assessment.
Cahiers de Biologie Marine
The present study deals with the polychaete assemblages inhabiting polluted soft substrate of the Golden Horn Estuary (Sea of Marmara) and the importance of alien species in polychaete communities. A total of 15 species belonging to 7 families were determined among the benthic materials collected at 4 stations between the depths 4 and 40 m in December 2005. The materials were composed of species tolerant to pollution. Higher diversity and evenness index values were encountered at stations where dissolved oxygen values were relatively high and total organic carbon values were low. The material included four alien species: Desdemona ornata, Ficopomatus enigmaticus, Polydora cornuta and Streblospio gynobranchiata. The most dominant alien species in the area was P. cornuta, with 4340 individuals per square meter. Alien species comprised 46% of total polychaete populations and their distributions were strongly affected by the abiotic factors such as dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon and depth.