title: Bioassessment of marine sediment quality using meiofaunal assemblages in a semi-enclosed bay.
abstract: In order to assess marine sediment quality of a semi-enclosed bay, sediment and meiofaunal samples were analyzed at 35 stations in coastal waters of Bohai Bay, China. Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Co and Mn) in sediment were measured and the Hakanson potential ecological risk index coupled with the ratio of nematodes to copepods (N/C ratio) was used. Results showed that the concentration of Mn was the highest while Cd was the main risk contributor. The Hakanson potential ecological risk index indicated that all pollutants posed low risks in the study area. However, the N/C ratio exhibited different results compared with Hakanson potential ecological risk index. BIOENV analysis identified the concentration of Ni and sediment grain size as the most important environmental variables influencing meiofaunal assemblages. The present study indicated that, in marine sediment quality assessments, meiofaunal assemblages should be involved besides pollutant concentrations.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China. Electronic address: liuxs@ouc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoshou
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Deming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Tianyi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Qinghe
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China.
authors.forename: Kuixuan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, PR China.
authors.forename: Lusan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000737:chemistry; D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry; D044822:Biodiversity; D001681:Biological Assay; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bohai Bay; bioassessment; heavy metal; marine sediment quality; meiofauna