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Gerwing TG, Gerwing AMA, Davies MM, Juanes F, Dudas SE. Required sampling intensity for community analyses of intertidal infauna to detect a mechanical disturbance. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:876. [PMID: 36229566 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10610-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In coastal ecosystems, infaunal (animals living within the sediment) invertebrates are used to study and monitor disturbances. However, it is an open question as to the minimal required sampling intensity to detect that a disturbance has influenced such communities. As such, we implemented a manipulative experiment using an infaunal community with a known response (community composition and population abundances) to a mechanical disturbance (sediment scour), to determine the minimum sampling intensity required to detect differences in the infaunal community. Statistically significant differences (α = 0.05) between the infaunal community of the disturbed and reference replicates were observed in case studies consisting of 99 (4 samples per m2) to 5 (0.2 samples per m2) samples per treatment. Below 5 samples, the known statistical and biological difference was undetectable. However, at least 10 samples per treatment (0.4 samples per m2) were required for the observed infaunal community to be within 93% similarity of our most accurate assessments of the infaunal community. These findings suggest that studies attempting to identify disturbances may require a minimal sampling intensity equivalent to 0.2 samples per m2, while studies attempting to determine how the infaunal community varies with disturbances may require 0.4 samples per m2. These potential minimal required sampling intensities will be of use in the theoretical exploration of disturbances, as well as in applied conservation, restoration, and monitoring projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis G Gerwing
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada.
| | | | - Morgan M Davies
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Sarah E Dudas
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7, Canada
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Norris GS, Gerwing TG, Hamilton DJ, Barbeau MA. Using successional drivers to understand spatiotemporal dynamics in intertidal mudflat communities. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S. Norris
- Biology Department University of New Brunswick Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
| | - Travis G. Gerwing
- Biology Department University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
| | - Diana J. Hamilton
- Biology Department Mount Allison University Sackville New Brunswick Canada
| | - Myriam A. Barbeau
- Biology Department University of New Brunswick Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
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Ponting J, Verhoef A, Watts MJ, Sizmur T. Field observations to establish the impact of fluvial flooding on potentially toxic element (PTE) mobility in floodplain soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 811:151378. [PMID: 34728197 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Inundation of river water during flooding deposits contaminated sediments onto floodplain topsoil. Historically, floodplains were considered an important sink for potentially toxic elements (PTEs). With increasing flood frequency and duration, due to climate change and land use change, it is important to understand the impact that further flooding may have on this legacy contamination. In this study a field-based approach was taken, extracting soil pore waters by centrifugation of soils sampled on multiple occasions from multiple locations across a floodplain site, which lies adjacent to the River Loddon in southeast England. Flooding generally decreased pore water PTE concentrations and significantly lower pore water concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Cr were found post-flood compared to pre-flood. The dominant process responsible for this observation was precipitation with sulphides resulting in PTE removal from the pore water post-flood. The changes in pH were found to be associated with the decreased pore water concentration of Cu, which suggests the pH rise may have aided adsorption mechanisms or precipitation with phosphates. The impact of flooding on the release and retention of PTEs in floodplain soils is the net effect of several key processes occurring concurrently. It is important to understand the dominant processes that drive mobility of individual PTEs on specific floodplains so that site-specific predictions can determine the impact of future floods on the environmental fate of legacy contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ponting
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK; Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, UK.
| | - Anne Verhoef
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Michael J Watts
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, UK
| | - Tom Sizmur
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK
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Mandal A, Dutta A, Das R, Mukherjee J. Role of intertidal microbial communities in carbon dioxide sequestration and pollutant removal: A review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 170:112626. [PMID: 34153859 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Intertidal microbial communities occur as biofilms or microphytobenthos (MPB) which are sediment-attached assemblages of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, diatoms embedded in extracellular polymeric substances. Despite their global occurrence, they have not been reviewed in light of their structural and functional characteristics. This paper reviews the importance of such microbial communities and their importance in carbon dioxide sequestration as well as pollutant bioremediation. Global annual benthic microalgal productivity was 500 million tons of carbon, 50% of which contributed towards the autochthonous carbon fixation in the estuaries. Primary production by MPB was 27-234 gCm-2y-1 in the estuaries of Asia, Europe and the United States. Mechanisms of heavy metal removal remain to be tested in intertidal communities. Cyanobacteria facilitate hydrocarbon degradation in intertidal biofilms and microbial mats by supporting the associated sulfate-reducing bacteria and aerobic heterotrophs. Physiological cooperation between the microorganisms in intertidal communities imparts enhanced ability to utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants by these microorganisms than mono-species communities. Future research may be focused on biochemical characteristics of intertidal mats and biofilms, pollutant-microbial interactions and ecosystem influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Mandal
- School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, 700032, India
| | - Ahana Dutta
- School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, 700032, India
| | - Reshmi Das
- School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, 700032, India.
| | - Joydeep Mukherjee
- School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, 700032, India.
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Gerwing TG, Hawkes VC. Similarity analyses in restoration ecology and how to improve their utility. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Travis G. Gerwing
- Department of Biology University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
| | - Virgil C. Hawkes
- LGL Limited Environmental Research Associates Sidney British Columbia Canada
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Apler A, Snowball I, Josefsson S. Dispersal of cellulose fibers and metals from contaminated sediments of industrial origin in an estuary. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 266:115182. [PMID: 32673976 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The boreal forest's pulp and paper industry plays a major role in economic prosperity but, historically, caused an environmental burden. Remnants of discharges of contaminated suspended solids (fiberbanks) are continuously being discovered on the beds of shallow seas, rivers and lakes in the northern hemisphere. We investigated the dispersion of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn from deeper to surficial layers in fiberbanks in a Swedish estuary and the larger-scale transport of the same metals to distal areas of sediment accumulation. We also tested the C:N ratio as a common denominator for these anthropogenic, cellulose-rich deposits. Sampling and analyses of three fiberbanks located in the inner part of the estuary and from sediment accumulation sites outside and along the estuary reveals that metal concentrations are regressing to background levels towards the surface at the accumulation sites. The fiberbanks show a higher degree of contamination and C:N ratios demonstrate inclusion of cellulose fibers. C:N ratios also indicate that there is currently no significant transport of fiberbank material into the distal areas. A ∼10 cm natural cap of recently settled fine-grained sediment covering one of the fiberbanks seems to prevent metals dispersing into overlying water whereas the other two fiberbanks show signs of metal enrichment and potential mercury methylation in surficial layers. Although the estuarine system seems to recover from the impact of industrial waste, there is no evidence that the fiberbanks will be remediated naturally but instead will continue to threaten the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Apler
- Geological Survey of Sweden, Box 670, 751 28, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 751 36, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Ian Snowball
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 751 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sarah Josefsson
- Geological Survey of Sweden, Box 670, 751 28, Uppsala, Sweden
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Geospatial analysis of the patterns of chemical exposures among biota in the Canadian Oil Sands Region. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239086. [PMID: 32997667 PMCID: PMC7526876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the patterns of chemical exposure among biota across a landscape is challenging due to the spatial heterogeneity and complexity of the sources, pathways, and fate of the different chemicals. While spatially-driven relationships between contaminant sources and biota body burdens of a single chemical are commonly modelled, there has been little effort on modelling chemical mixtures across multiple wildlife species in the Canadian Oil Sands region. In this study, we used spatial principal components analysis (sPCA) to assess spatial patterns of the body burdens of 22 metals and Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in 492 individual wildlife, including fur-bearing mammals, colonial waterbirds, and amphibians collected from the Canadian Oil Sands region in Canada. Spatial analysis and mapping both indicate that some of the complex exposures in the studied biota are distributed randomly across a landscape, which suggests background or non-point source exposures. In contrast, the pattern of exposure for seven metals and PTEs, including mercury, vanadium, lead, rubidium, lithium, strontium, and barium, exhibited a clustered pattern to the east of the open-pit mining area and in regions downstream of oil sands development which indicates point-source input. This analysis demonstrated useful methods for integrating monitoring datasets and identifying sources and potential drivers of exposure to chemical mixtures in biota across a landscape. These results can be used to support an adaptive monitoring program by identifying regions needing additional monitoring, health impact assessments, and possible intervention strategies.
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Campbell L, Dudas SE, Juanes F, Allen Gerwing AM, Gerwing TG. Invertebrate communities, sediment parameters and food availability of intertidal soft-sediment ecosystems on the north coast of British Columbia, Canada. J NAT HIST 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2020.1770886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lily Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah E. Dudas
- Department of Biology, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Travis G. Gerwing
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Gerwing TG, Plate E, Kidd J, Sinclair J, Burns CW, Johnson S, Roias S, McCulloch C, Bocking RC. Immediate response of fish communities and water chemistry to causeway breaching and bridge installation in the Kaouk River estuary, British Columbia, Canada. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Travis G. Gerwing
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
| | - Elmar Plate
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | - Jess Kidd
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | - Jesse Sinclair
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | | | - Shane Johnson
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | - Steven Roias
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | - Cameron McCulloch
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
| | - Robert C. Bocking
- LGL Environmental Research Associates Ltd Sidney British Columbia Canada
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