Effects of a brine discharge over soft bottom Polychaeta assemblage.
Desalination is a growing activity that has introduced a new impact, brine discharge, which may affect benthic communities. Although the role of polychaetes as indicators to assess organic pollution is well known, their tolerance to salinity changes has not been examined to such a great extent. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of brine discharge over soft bottom polychaete assemblage along the Alicante coast (Southeast Spain) over a two year period. Changes in the polychaete assemblage was analysed using univariate and multivariate techniques. We compared a transect in front of the discharge with two controls. At each transect we sampled at three depths (4, 10 and 15 m) during winter and summer. We have observed different sensitivity of polychaete families to brine discharges, Ampharetidae being the most sensitive, followed by Nephtyidae and Spionidae. Syllidae and Capitellidae showed some resistance initially, while Paraonidae proved to be a tolerant family.
Del-Pilar-Ruso
Yoana
Y
Dpto. de Ciencias del Mar y Biología Aplicada, Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Ap. 99, E-03080, Alicante, Spain. yoana.delpilar@ua.es
De-la-Ossa-Carretero
Jose Antonio
JA
Giménez-Casalduero
Francisca
F
Sánchez-Lizaso
Jose Luis
JL
D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000502:physiology*; D012492:Salts / Q000633:toxicity*; D012623:Seawater; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D007220:Industrial Waste; D012492:Salts; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C017082:brine