title: Foraminifera as indicators of marine pollutant contamination on the inner continental shelf of southern Brazil.
abstract: Analyses of living foraminiferal and environmental parameters near an outfall at Mar Grosso Beach (Laguna, SC, Brazil) demonstrate its usefulness as indicators of domestic sewage pollution. The low species diversity may be due to sand accumulation in the central part. Higher diversity was noted closer to the mouth of Laguna estuarine system where reduced salinity and higher temperatures indicate freshwater influence, suggesting a relationship between increased diversity and greater availability of terrestrial food. On the basis of foraminiferal diversity and average coliform count the higher values are closer to the mouth of the estuarine system and under the influence of the outfall. Due to the effect of local hydrodynamics, the particulate organic waste derived from the outfall does not settle down locally, and thus, do not accumulate nearby. Our hypothesis is that the fine material derived from the outfall is accumulating on the southwestern and northwestern parts of the beach.
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Geologia, Departamento de Geologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Caixa-Postal: 1596, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil. Electronic address: patriciaeichler@gmail.com.
authors: Patricia P B
authors: PPB
authors: Eichler
authors: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Geologia, Departamento de Geologia, Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, Caixa-Postal: 1596, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors: Beatriz B
authors: BB
authors: Eichler
authors: Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States. Electronic address: glbarun@lsu.edu.
authors: Barun Sen
authors: BS
authors: Gupta
authors: Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, Cidade Universitária, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: bbeichle@usp.br.
authors: André Rösch
authors: AR
authors: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D056908:Foraminifera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical