title: Impacts of maintenance dredged material disposal on macrobenthic structure and secondary productivity.
abstract: The results of a monitoring programme to assess the spatial impacts associated with ongoing dredged material disposal activity at a dispersive, coastal disposal site (southwest UK) are described. Benthic impacts were assessed using benthic community structure and secondary productivity estimates. Analyses of univariate indices (including secondary production) and multivariate community structure revealed differences between stations inside and those outside the disposal site were minimal. Generally, stations within and outside the disposal site were characterised by the same species. Regression models indicated that the variability in biological structure and secondary production was predominantly accounted for by natural variables (e.g., depth, sediment granulometry) with only a small amount of residual variability being due to contaminant variables. Thus, the elevated levels of certain contaminants in the vicinity of the disposal area were not sufficient to result in significant ecological or ecotoxicological changes. We ascribe such findings partly to the dispersive nature of the disposal site.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK. Stefan.bolam@cefas.co.uk
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bolam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bolam
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Rumney
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Thain
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Law
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000254:growth & development*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000254:growth & development*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D009947:Organotin Compounds; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014873:Water Pollutants