Benthic ecosystem development in an artificial tidal flat constructed from dredged spoil.
Dredged spoil (DS) was used as a silt and clay additive in the construction of artificial tidal flats from mountain sand (MS). As the ratio of DS in the sediment media increased, the number of emerging macrobenthos increased. The composition of the macrobenthic community was also affected by the addition of DS, and the changes might be dependent on the ratio of DS to MS. In addition, the macrobenthos in the artificial tidal flats was more abundant than that in the control tidal flat, which was constructed with natural tidal flat sediment. With a silt and clay content of 25%, polychaetes Ceratonereis erythraeensis and Capitella sp. and the gastropod Batillaria cumingii were dominant, whereas no bivalves were present. With less silt and clay (5% and 10%), the bivalves Ruditapes philippinarum and Musculista senhousia were observed in the artificial flats, while their numbers in the control tidal flat were lower.
Ishii
Ryo
R
Sanyo Techno Marine Inc., 1-3-17 Nihonbasi-horidome, Chuou, Tokyo 103-0012, Japan.
Nakano
Yoichi
Y
Nakai
Satoshi
S
Nishijima
Wataru
W
Okada
Mitsumasa
M
D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007448:Invertebrates; D007564:Japan; D007814:Larva; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014872:Water Movements
D012987:Soil