Extensive data sets of water quality and sediment chemistry as well as detailed historical records were used to analyze environmental factors controlling dinoflagellate cyst distribution in shallow estuaries (lagoons and embayments) of southern New England. Cyst abundance, species richness, the proportion of cysts produced by heterotrophic and autotrophic dinoflagellates, and the composition of cyst assemblages reflect spatial and temporal variation in environmental conditions. The cyst record in sediment cores from two embayments, New Bedford Harbor and Apponagansett Bay, Massachusetts demonstrates cyst sensitivity to environmental change caused by anthropogenic activity in the watersheds. Intensive industrialization and urbanization occurred during the 20th century in New Bedford Harbor resulted in extreme eutrophication and toxic pollution (heavy metals and PCBs). These conditions are reflected in declining cyst diversity and wide fluctuation in total cyst production. At the same time, the proportion of certain heterotrophic taxa increases. As impacts of extreme eutrophication and toxic pollution cannot be separated, the cyst response must be interpreted as a cumulative «pollution signal». The spatial distribution of modern dinoflagellate cysts in the area supports this signal. Cysts vary along gradients of nutrient enrichment, corresponding to distance from sewage outfalls. Dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments from New England lagoons also were studied. A comparison of assemblages to water quality parameters, that are affected greatly by the degree of water exchange between lagoon and ocean, indicates that temperature and salinity are the main abiotic factors controlling cyst distribution in these estuaries. A new species of dinoflagellate cyst, Islandinium brevispinosum, has been identified and described. This species was found within a narrow range of water temperature and salinity, and at elevated nutrient levels. Dinoflagellate cysts reflect environmental conditions at the small spatial scales necessary to characterize variability within estuaries. However, the relative importance of abiotic factors controlling the spatial and temporal distribution of dinoflagellate cysts is likely to vary with the hydrological differences between lagoons and embayments. Therefore, dinoflagellate cysts can be useful indicators of environmental conditions in and human impacts on shallow estuaries.

Estuarine studies worldwide have shown that sediment disturbance effects on the macrobenthos are reIated to the nature and scale of the disturbance. Decreased species densities, diversity and richness have been found where the substratum and current patterns have been altered either by direct removal or by the creation of channels . Sediment disturbance in the St. Lucia Narrows has occurred through dredging, beam trawling and episodic floods. The Narrows, a meandering tidal channel approximately 21 km long linking the st Lucia Lakes to the sea, were dredged between 1952 and 1971 to provide a greater flow of seawater to the lakes during periods of low lake levels. A canal was cut through land from the Mfolosi River to the Narrows in an attempt to ameliorate hypersaline conditions in the Lakes, but was never commissioned. Beam trawling has formed the basis of a prawn bait fishery since the 1930's. The bait boats trawl on the mudflats over the entire Narrows on a daily basis and often churn the substratum with their propellers. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of dredging, a once-off large scale disturbance, and beam trawling, a frequent small scale disturbance, on the macrobenthos of the Narrows. Studies in 1983 and 1984 showed that the dredged channel was impoverished compared with the adjacent mudflat, and that the Link Canal was devoid of benthos. In 1988 species densities, especially of polychaetes, were found to be lower in areas open to beam trawling than in adjacent closed areas. The dredged channel during the present study was again impoverished compared with the adjacent mudflats. The three most abundant species occurring on the mudflats, the crab Tylodiplax blephariskios, the amphipod Victoriopsia chilkensis and capitellid polychaetes, were recorded at densities an order of magnitude lower in the channel than on the mudflats. The substratum in the channel was generally sandier than the mudflats, and this condition appeared to be maintained by the scouring action of tidal currents. It was calculated that the creation of the dredged channel had reduced the standing benthic biomass in the Narrows by a minimum of approximately 20%. The Link Canal was colonised by the three major mud flat species , but at densities an order of magnitude lower than the mudflats. Beam trawling of experimental sites at monthly and 6-monthly intervals on muddy and sandy substrata in the Narrows between July 1989 and July 1990 did not appear to have a negative effect on the benthos. The coverage of the bait boats was calculated to be comparable to the trawling effort in this study, and suggested that the bait fishery is not having a detrimental effect on the benthos. It was concluded that the macrobenthos in the Narrows represented a pioneering community characteristic of estuaries, either not affected by, or able to recover from small scale and episodic disturbances provided that there was no long term habitat modification. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

Microphytobenthos (MPB) generally dominates total autotrophic biomass in temporarily open/closed estuaries (TOCEs) of South Africa. A comparative study of MPB biomass was undertaken in two KwaZulu-Natal TOCEs, the Mdloti and the Mhlanga. Both estuaries receive different volumes of treated sewage waters. The Mdloti receives 8 ML.d-1, while the Mhlanga receives 20 ML.d-1, resulting in a capping flow of 0.092 and 0.23 m3.s-1, respectively. Through these effluents, eutrophication is enhanced and periods of mouth opening are also increased and prolonged, particularly at the Mhlanga. The aim of this study was to investigate fluctuations in MPB biomass in the Mdloti and the Mhlanga systems, with emphasis on freshwater flow and the alternation of closed and open phases. Sediment samples for MPB biomass were collected on a monthly basis, between March 2002 and March 2003, in the lower (mouth), middle, and upper (head) reaches of the two estuaries. MPB biomass ranged from 1.33 to 391 mg chI a m-2 and from 1.7 to 313 mg chI a m-2 in the Mdloti and the Mhlanga, respectively. A I-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in MPB chI a concentrations between the two estuaries for the entire data set (Fl, 76 =1.48, P > 0.05). At the Mdloti, MPB biomass varied considerably, with values ranging from 1.33 to 131 mg chI a m-2 during the open phase, and from 18 to 391 mg chI a m-2 during the closed phase. A Mann-Whitney U test confirmed the high significance of these differences between open and closed phases (U= 29, P < 0.001). At the Mhlanga, MPB biomass ranged from 7.0 to 313 mg chI a m-2 during the open phase, and from 1.7 to 267 mg chI a m-2 during the closed phase. Unlike what was observed at the Mdloti, the higher MPB values at the Mhlanga were not always associated with the closed mouth state. In relation to key physico-chemical and biological factors, grazing pressure exerted by the zooplankton community appeared to have played a major role in controlling MPB biomass. Zooplankton biomass was consistently and positively correlated to MPB biomass throughout the study period both at the Mdloti (r = 0040, P < 0.001) and at the Mhlanga (r = 0.33, p < 0.05). Unlike what was shown in previous studies, light attenuation was not significantly correlated with MPB biomass during the period ofthe study, either at the Mdloti or the Mhlanga. These results show that the opening and closing of the mouth play a key role on the MPB biomass of both estuaries. The Mdloti seems to function as a typical TOCE, with prolonged open and closed phases. The Mhlanga, on the other hand, lacks a prolonged closed phase. This, in turn, affects its entire trophic structure and functioning. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu- Natal, 2004.

Microbiological water quality monitoring of bathing waters does not account for faecal bacteria in sediments. Intertidal deposits are a significant reservoir of faecal bacteria and this indicates there is a risk to human health through direct contact with the sediment, or through the resuspension of bacteria to the water column. This project investigated factors influencing the relative abundance of faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) in intertidal estuarine sediments. The effects of physical, biogeochemical and biological sediment characteristics, environmental variables and native microbial communities were explored through field campaigns on the Ythan and Eden estuaries, Scotland. The contributory role of sediments to adverse water quality was investigated by combining FIO abundance and measurements of sediment stability. The importance of strain and sediment characteristics in the adhesion of E. coli to suspended sediments was also examined using laboratory experiments. E. coli concentrations up to 5.9 log₁₀ CFU 100 g dry wt⁻¹ were observed, confirming that intertidal sediments are an important reservoir of faecal bacteria. The variability of E. coli abundance in estuarine sediments was successfully explained with multiple stepwise linear regression (Adjusted R² up to 87.4) using easily-obtainable measurements of sediment characteristics and environmental variables, with variability most heavily influenced by salinity and particle size gradients. Native microbial community population metrics and community constituent composition correlated with environmental gradients, but did not influence FIO abundance. The amount of E. coli adhering to suspended sediments ranged from 0.02 to 0.74 log₁₀ CFU ml⁻¹, and was dependant on strain characteristics and sediment type rather than zeta potential, with higher cell-particle adhesion at 2 and 3.5 PSU than 0 and 5 PSU. Monitoring of sediment characteristics will lead to more informed bathing water quality advisories to protect public health. Future research should focus on applying the findings here to the modelling of bacterial fate and transport on a catchment scale.

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-100). Description: xiii, 100 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 283-301). Description: xxx, 301 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-83). Description: viii, 83 leaves : ill., map ; 29 cm.

Orientadores: Wanilson Luiz Silva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T18:33:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Berno_Ludimila_M.pdf: 1326386 bytes, checksum: bdc4fd9ab44fe6c8795d63ccb8fb7e12 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: O sistema estuarino de Santos-Cubatão (SP) está localizado em uma das áreas mais industrializadas da América Latina. Os estuários são ambientes de grande complexidade, onde ocorrem interrelações entre componentes geológicos, físicos, biológicos e químicos. O histórico de contaminação desse ambiente estuarino, decorrente de diferentes atividades antrópicas, pode resultar em altos níveis de contaminação, e os sedimentos podem representar uma fonte latente de elementos-traço para o ambiente aquático. Com o objetivo de investigar a variabilidade geoquímica sazonal de elementos-traço, os sedimentos de superfície dos principais rios deste sistema estuarino (Casqueiro, Cubatão, Cascalho, Morrão e Capivari) foram amostrados no inverno e no verão. Concentrações químicas multi-elementares em diferentes granulometrias (<63 mm, <177 mm e total), obtidas por ICP-MS, e os níveis de matéria orgânica foram relacionados. As texturas dos sedimentos estudados apresentaram característica silto-argilosa (64 a 87%). Os maiores níveis de matéria orgânica foram encontrados nos sedimentos do rio Morrão (10,92 a 12,05%), porém não foi observada relação com a granulometria. Em geral, os metais e metalóides foram mais concentrados na textura silto-argilosa, mas isso não foi sistemático para todo o ambiente. Considerando fatores de enriquecimento, anomalias geoquímicas foram encontradas para os elementos Be, Bi, Ca, Co, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hf, Hg, Mn, Ni, Nb, P, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ta, Th, U, Y, Zn e Zr especialmente no rio Morrão. Com exceção do rio Capivari, o Hg e o P foram os únicos elementos que se apresentaram anômalos nos demais rios investigados. Elementos como Al, As, Cs, K, Li, Mg, Na, Rb, S, Ti e V apresentaram comportamento geogênico ao longo de todo o ambiente deste estudo. A sazonalidade geoquímica foi notificada claramente nos sedimentos do rio Morrão e parece não ocorrer para a maioria dos elementos tratados nos demais rios investigados. Em geral, foi observado um maior enriquecimento dos elementos contaminantes durante o verão, provocando uma diminuição relativa dos elementos geogênicos nesta estação. O contrário ocorreu durante o inverno. Este trabalho mostrou que o incremento nos níveis de contaminação favorece a flutuação sazonal das concentrações de elementos nos sedimentos. Possivelmente, a sazonalidade associada aos elementos contaminantes pode estar ligada ao fato de estes elementos ocuparem posições mais instáveis em fases minerais e não-minerais do ambiente sedimentar. Isso possibilita uma maior mobilização da carga de elementos contaminantes em função das variações das condições físicas e/ou químicas do meio (pH, Eh, salinidade), se comparada aos elementos geogênicos mais estáveis no ambiente. / Abstract: The Santos-Cubatão estuarine system (SP) is located in one of the most industrial areas in Latin America. Estuaries are environments of great complexity where there is an interrelation among geological, physical, biological, and chemical compounds. The contamination history at this environment is a result of different anthropic activities which can be high, and the sediments can represent a significant source of trace elements to aquatic environment. By investigating the seasonal geochemical range of trace elements, the surface sediments of the main rivers from this estuarine system (Casqueiro, Cubatão, Cascalho, Morrão, and Capivari) were sampled in the winter and summer. Multi-elemental chemical concentrations in different grain-size (<63 mm, <177 mm and total), gotten by ICP-MS, and the organic matter level were related. The texture of the studied sediments presented silt-clay characteristics (64 to 87%). The highest levels of organic matter were found in the sediments of Morrão River (10.92 to 12.05%), however, no direct relation with the grain-size. In general, the metals and metalloids were more concentrated in the siltclay texture, but it was not systematic to the entire estuary. Regarding enrichment factors, geochemical anomalies were found to the following elements Be, Bi, Ca, Co, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hf, Hg, Mn, Ni, Nb, P, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ta, Th, U, Y, Zn, and Zr, mainly in Morrão River. The only elements that were presented anomalous in every river studied, except in Capivari River, were Hg and P. Elements as Al, As, Cs, K, Li, Mg, Na, Rb, S, Ti, and V presented geogenic behavior all along the environment of this study. The geochemical seasonality was clearly seen in the sediments of Morrão River, but not conclusive to most elements in the other rivers. In general, it was observed a higher enrichment of contaminant elements during the summer, causing a relatively decrease of geogenic elements in that season. However, the opposite happened during the winter. This work shows that the increment in the contamination level contributes to the seasonal fluctuation of the element concentrations in the sediments (e.g. Morrão River). The seasonality associated to the contaminant elements can be regarded to the fact that these elements occupy more unstable positions in mineral and non-mineral phases of the sedimentary environment, leading to a great mobilization of contaminant elements load caused by the physical and/or chemical range of conditions of the environment (mainly, pH, Eh and salinity), when compared to the more stable geogenic elements in the environment. / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestre em Geociências

Orientadores: Wanilson Luiz Silva, Denis Moledo de Souza Abessa / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T01:32:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Said_GiseleWitt_M.pdf: 1373537 bytes, checksum: 73f24c5e72f7e683293e5a8cbd0920ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: O sedimento representa um importante compartimento na avaliação do nível de contaminação dos ecossistemas aquáticos, pois nele é possível observar o acúmulo e a integração de muitos contaminantes presentes. O sistema estuarino de Santos-Cubatão (SP) tem sido apontado como um ambiente sedimentar seriamente poluído, devido à emissão descontrolada de efluentes urbanos e industriais. Neste sistema, o rio Morrão (foco deste estudo) tem sofrido, em particular, o impacto de atividades nos últimos 60 anos de indústria de fertilizantes e siderurgia. Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade dos sedimentos deste ambiente, estudos da toxicidade e biodisponibilidade de alguns contaminantes e caracterização físico-química foram realizados durante a estação seca, em amostras coletadas ao longo da borda do manguezal. Na avaliação, vários parâmetros ambientais foram levantados, incluindo: determinação de monossulfetos volatilizáveis por acidificação (AVS) e metais simultaneamente extraídos (SEM); granulometria (caracterização da textura) e matéria orgânica (MO) dos sedimentos; análise da concentração total dos elementos químicos; e aplicação de testes ecotoxicológicos agudo (utilizando-se Tiburonella viscana) e crônico (copépodes Nitocra sp). Os resultados obtidos apresentaram sedimentos com a fração silte dominante (>60% do volume das amostras) e a MO mostrou valores entre 9,15% e 22,3%. O AVS apresentou concentrações entre 0,43 e 41,38 µmol g?1 nos pontos amostrados e SEM entre 0,48 a 7,02 µmol g?1, sugerindo que efeitos adversos nos organismos expostos não seriam potencialmente esperados na área de estudo. Contudo, testes com os organismos vivos revelaram toxicidade aguda em alguns pontos, enquanto a toxicidade crônica foi evidente em todos os pontos amostrados. O método SEM/AVS indicou que pelo menos três pontos da área de estudo poderiam ser tóxicos. Em geral, a toxicidade crônica identificada nos testes biológicos não foi corroborada pela relação SEM/AVS, cuja concentração molar de metais potencialmente tóxicos (extração com HCl 6 M) foi inferior à concentração molar de monossulfetos que normalmente funcionam como ligantes destes metais nos sedimentos. Porém para a toxicidade aguda, a relação SEM/AVS mostrou concordância em 5 das 8 amostras testadas, o que sugere um poder razoável do método SEM/AVS para prever este tipo de toxicidade. Isso indica que quanto maior a disponibilidade de sítios de sulfetos para aprisionamento dos metais lábeis, menor a toxicidade aguda observada. Por outro lado, a comparação das concentrações de metais totais (e.g. Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb e Zn) com o nível de referência de contaminação (Nível 1) proposto por CONAMA 454 sugere que 7 dos 8 sedimentos são potencialmente tóxicos. Este aspecto mostrou alta concordância com a toxicidade crônica identificada. Comportamento assim revela que os efeitos crônicos possivelmente possuem relação com o fato de que os copépodos usados no estudo podem se expor e sofrer os efeitos adversos dos metais possivelmente mais solúveis na água intersticial dos sedimentos testados. Adicionalmente, a ingestão do próprio sedimento por estes organismos é outro aspecto a ser considerado. Os resultados deste estudo revelam que o método SEM/AVS prevê razoavelmente a toxicidade aguda, enquanto a excedência de Nível 1 segundo CONAMA 454 (2012) prevê muito bem toxicidade crônica dos sedimentos / Abstract: Sediments represent an important compartment to assess contamination levels of aquatic ecosystems, because it is possible to observe the accumulation and the integration of a variety of contaminants in them. The Santos-Cubatão Estuarine System (São Paulo Estate ¿ Brazil) has been pointed out as a severely polluted sedimentary environment due to the uncontrolled emission of urban and industrial effluents. Particularly in this system, the Morrão River (object of this study) has undergone the impact of activities related to fertilizers and iron industries in the last 60 years. Aiming at evaluating the quality of the sediments in this environment, a study of the toxicity and bioavailability of some contaminants and a physical-chemical characterization were carried out during the dry season, by means of sampling along mangrove margins. Several environmental parameters were assessed, including: concentrations of acid volatile monosulfides (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM); grain size (texture characterization) and organic matter content (MO); analysis of the total chemical element concentration; and the application of acute (using Tiburonella viscana) and chronic (copepod Nitocra sp) ecotoxicity tests. The results revealed that the silt fraction is dominant in the sediments (>60% sample volume) and that MO contents range from 9.15% and 22.3%. The AVS showed concentrations between 0.43 and 41.38 µmol g?1 in the sampled points and SEM between 0.48 and 7.02 µmol g?1, suggesting that adverse effects would not be potentially expected in exposed organisms in the study area. However, tests with living organisms revealed acute toxicity in some points, whereas chronic toxicity was evident in all sampled points. The SEM/AVS method indicated that at least three points of the study area could be toxic. In general, chronic toxicity identified in the biological tests was not corroborated by the SEM/AVS ratio, once the molar concentration of potentially toxic metals (HCl 6 M extraction) was lower than the molar concentration of monosulfides that usually act as bonding agents. For the acute toxicity, the SEM/AVS ratio was concordant in 5 out of the 8 tested samples, which suggests a reasonable efficiency of the SEM/AVS method to predict this type of toxicity. The higher the availability of sulfide sites is for trapping of labile metals, the lower the acute toxicity observed. On the other hand, the comparison of the total metal concentrations (e.g. Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) with the contamination level reference (Level 1) proposed by CONAMA 454 indicates that 7 out of the 8 sediment samples are potentially toxic. This aspect is highly concordant with the chronic toxicity identified in the study area. Such behavior reveals that the chronic effects are possibly related to the fact that the copepods used in the study can expose themselves and undergo the adverse effects of the metals that are possibly more soluble in the sediment interstitial water. Additionally, the ingestion of the sediment itself by these organisms is another aspect to be considered. The results of this study reveal that the SEM/AVS method reasonably predicts acute toxicity, whereas chronic toxicity is well assessed by contents exceeding Level 1 values / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestra em Geociências

Estuaries serve as nursery areas for a large number of estuary-associated fish species. Some of these taxa also use river catchments as nursery areas. During the upstream migration of this latter group, the juveniles are prone to predation by native and alien predatory fish inhabiting the system. The rate of invasion of ecosystems by alien organisms can be directly linked to anthropogenic influences, including both intentional and unintentional introductions by alien organisms into new regions. The largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, is a facultative piscivorous fish that has been successfully introduced worldwide for the main purpose of sport fishing. Where introduced, it has been found to negatively impact native fish and invertebrate species through predation, competitive exclusion and displacement of indigenous fish species. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the predatory impact of largemouth bass on the estuary-associated Cape moony Monodactylus falciformis, Cape stumpnose Rhabdosargus holubi and freshwater mullet Myxus capensis in the lower Kowie River of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A combination of approaches was employed during this study. Stomach contents, stable isotopes and fatty acid analyses were employed for the reconstruction of the diet of largemouth bass. Acoustic telemetry was used to elucidate largemouth bass movements, particularly their ability to enter the upper reaches of the Kowie Estuary. Stomach contents and stable isotopes analyses showed that M. salmoides exhibit an ontogenic shift in diet, with small and medium sized individuals consuming the higher proportion of fish prey, while large sized individuals mostly consumed invertebrates such as crabs (Potamonautes sidneyi) and Odonata larvae, while consuming only a small proportion of estuary-associated fish. Fatty acid analysis only showed a direct connection between the fatty acid profiles of largemouth bass and those of M. capensis and M. falciformis. The acoustic telemetry results indicated that some M. salmoides individuals periodically move into the upper reaches of the estuary following river flood events. The results obtained from all these approaches highlight the risk posed by largemouth bass introductions on indigenous fish species, particularly those that enter the areas occupied by these top predators.