Logo image
The specificity of meiobenthic community responses to different pollutants: Results from microcosm experiments
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The specificity of meiobenthic community responses to different pollutants: Results from microcosm experiments

M.C. Austen, A.J. McEvoy and R.M. Warwick
Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol.28(9), pp.557-563
1994
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

In preliminary microcosm experiments we have been able to demonstrate a clear differential response of meiobenthic assemblages to zinc, copper and cadmium contamination. Sediment and natural meiobenthic communities were collected from two estuaries, the Lynher (mud with a high organic content) and Exe (sand with a low organic content). The sediments were dosed separately with zinc, copper and cadmium at three different dose levels. The meiobenthic community structure from both sites was unaffected by cadmium at any of the dose levels. The communities in the zinc and copper treatments were significantly different (ANOSIM p < 0.05) from each other and from the controls (and cadmium treatments). Although the differential response occurred in both sediment types, its intensity was greater in the sand than the mud. The Exe sand communities were much more strongly affected by the contaminants, even at the lowest dose, copper having a more severe effect than zinc. The Lynher mud meiobenthos was most strongly affected by the zinc treatment and there was a graded response to both zinc and copper with significant differences in the communities at different doses (ANOSIM p < 0.05). These differences between sediments could be due to the binding of metals onto organic material, thus reducing their availability to the fauna.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#14 Life Below Water

Source: InCites

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Citation topics
3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
3.2 Marine Biology
3.2.605 Benthic Biodiversity
Web Of Science research areas
Environmental Sciences
Marine & Freshwater Biology
ESI research areas
Environment/Ecology
Logo image