title: Spatio-temporal changes in trophic categories of infaunal polychaetes near the four wastewater ocean outfalls on Oahu, Hawaii.
abstract: This study examines the effect of sewage discharge on benthic polychaete assemblages in the context of their functional trophic categories. We present data spanning 20 years of monitoring benthic invertebrate assemblages and sediment properties at all 4 primary- and secondary-treatment wastewater outfalls servicing Honolulu and the island of Oahu, Hawaii, USA. Samples collected within mandated zones of initial dilution (ZIDs) near outfall discharge sites were compared to samples collected at reference stations at varying distances away. Our findings indicate that sediment properties were not affected by the outfall discharge rate or distance from each ZID. The number of polychaete species in 4 functional trophic categories (carnivore, detritivore, omnivore, and suspension feeder) did not change with the outfall solid loading rate or with distance from each ZID, thus suggesting relatively little organic enrichment. We find no evidence of heavy organic enrichment beyond the designated ZIDs at these 4 wastewater outfalls.
authors.affiliation: Hubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, School of Urban and Environmental Science, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430079, PR China; Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2540 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. Electronic address: xiufu@hawaii.edu.
authors.forename: Xiufu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shuai
authors.affiliation: Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2540 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; Department of Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2538 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: Julie H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bailey-Brock
authors.affiliation: Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2540 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D060435:Carnivory; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006254:Hawaii; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000502:physiology*; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Organic enrichment; Outfalls; Polychaete; Sewage; Trophic categories; Wastewater