Uptake of PCBs into sediment dwellers and trophic transfer in relation to sediment conditions in the Salish Sea

We examined uptake of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into various marine sediment feeders relative to physical and geochemical factors and transfer to higher trophic levels. PCBs exceeding Canadian Council Ministers of the Environment Guidelines by 6–55× were found in industrialized harbours and some near-outfall sediments, indicating ongoing land input. Sediment PCBs were correlated with organic flux and content. Tissue PCBs were >10× sediment PCBs in all samples and highest in Victoria Harbour infauna, suggesting considerable uptake from these extremely contaminated, organically enriched, chronically disturbed sediments. Sediment PCBs were the primary predictor of tissue lipid PCBs followed by %fines. This results in generally higher tissue PCBs in more depositional regions. The lipid/sediment PCBs (uptake rate) declined with increasing sediment PCBs, acid volatile sulfides and benthos biomass turnover. PCB homologue composition did not change with uptake from sediments or at higher trophic levels, suggesting minimal metabolization in tissues. Trophic bio-magnification occurs since lipid PCBs were 2–100× higher in seal blubber than sediment feeders. PCBs were compared with polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) for the same samples. PCBs were highest in industrialized harbours, whereas PBDEs were elevated in harbours but highest near wastewater discharges. This reflects differences in usage history, sediment dynamics, and affinities. PCBs appear to be more bio-accumulative and persistent at higher trophic levels than PBDEs.

The BenBioDen database, a global database for meio-, macro- and megabenthic biomass and densities

Benthic fauna refers to all fauna that live in or on the seafloor, which researchers typically divide into size classes meiobenthos (32/64 µm-0.5/1 mm), macrobenthos (250 µm-1 cm), and megabenthos (>1 cm). Benthic fauna play important roles in bioturbation activity, mineralization of organic matter, and in marine food webs. Evaluating their role in these ecosystem functions requires knowledge of their global distribution and biomass. We therefore established the BenBioDen database, the largest open-access database for marine benthic biomass and density data compiled so far. In total, it includes 11,792 georeferenced benthic biomass and 51,559 benthic density records from 384 and 600 studies, respectively. We selected all references following the procedure for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and report biomass records as grams of wet mass, dry mass, or ash-free dry mass, or carbon per m2 and as abundance records as individuals per m2. This database provides a point of reference for future studies on the distribution and biomass of benthic fauna.

Seasonal patterns in deep acoustic backscatter layers near vent plumes in the northeastern Pacific Ocean

We used moored 75 kHz acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) to examine seasonal cycles in zooplankton deep scattering layers (DSLs) observed below 1300 m depth at Endeavour Ridge hydrothermal vents. DSLs are present year-round in the lower water column near vent plumes. Temporal variations suggest passive, flow-induced displacements superimposed on migratory movements. Although the strongest DSLs are shallower than the neutrally buoyant plumes (1900–2100 m), anomalies also occur at and below plume depth. Upward movement from plume depth in the main DSL is evident in late summer/fall, resulting in shallower DSLs in winter, consistent with the timing of adult diapause/reproduction in upper-ocean migratory copepods. Movement from the upper ocean to plume depth coincides with pre-adult migration to greater depths in spring. Synchronous 20–40 d cycles in DSLs may account for patchiness in space and time of above-plume zooplankton layers observed in summer during previous net-sampling surveys, and suggests lateral and vertical migratory movements to counter current drift away from plume-derived food sources. Persistent near-bottom DSLs move vertically between the spreading plume and seafloor. Historical net data suggests that these are deep, resident fauna. Unlike upper ocean fauna, they seem to be advected considerable distances from the ridge axis, where they are evident as remnant scattering layers.

Distribution and uptake of key polychlorinated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners in benthic infauna relative to sediment organic enrichment

As part of a broader study of budgets, transport, and bioaccumulation of persistent organic contaminants in the Strait of Georgia, Canada, matching samples of sediment and bulk benthos were collected near two marine sewage outfalls, two large urban harbours, and background areas. Samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners. We present data for those congeners that fell within the top six rankings by concentration (23 PCBs and 10 PBDEs) within at least one of the environmental media measured in other studies (air, water, sediments, benthos, pelagic biota). Multifactor regression analyses incorporating sediment characteristics (total organic carbon, fines) predicted uptake (r (2) = 0.74 to 0.98, p < 0.04) over the range of congeners and habitats examined. PBDEs were taken up by biota more readily than PCBs, suggesting a large, potentially available biological reservoir of PBDEs in sediments. Dominant congeners in benthos comprised PBDEs 47, 99, 209, and 100 and PCBs 138/163, 153, 101, 118, and 110. PBDE uptake was anomalously high near one wastewater outfall, likely due to selective feeding on PBDE-enriched particulates from that source. Conversely, outfalls supply food and sediments with PCB concentrations similar to ambient sediments. However, organic enrichment of sediments near outfalls clearly enhanced PCB uptake by benthos, probably due to greatly increased biomass turnover near these sources. Data suggest there to be an initial reservoir of PCBs in newly settled juvenile benthos, which is much less evident for PBDEs. This is likely a consequence of the ecosystem-wide distribution of legacy PCBs but not the more current-use PBDEs. Congener-uptake patterns were dependent on source and input dynamics, feeding methods, and contaminant metabolism or debromination, particularly of deca-BDE.

Distribution, inventory and turnover of benthic organic biomass in the Strait of Georgia, Canada, in relation to natural and anthropogenic inputs

Recently compiled databases facilitated estimation of basin-wide benthic organic biomass and turnover in the Strait of Georgia, an inland sea off western Canada. Basin-wide organic biomass was estimated at 43.1 × 10(6) kg C and production was 54.6 × 10(6) kg Cyr(-1), resulting in organic biomass turnover (P/B) of 1.27 × yr(-1). Organic biomass and production for sub-regions were predictable from modified organic flux (r(2)>0.9). P/B declined significantly with increasing modified organic flux, suggesting greater biomass storage in high flux sediments. Biomass and production were highest, and P/B lowest near the Fraser River. Annual basin-wide benthic production was 60% of previously estimated oxidized organic flux to substrates, which agrees with proportional measurements from a recent, localized study. Deviations from expected patterns related to organic enrichment and other stressors are discussed, as are potential impacts to benthic biomass and production, of declining bottom oxygen, increasing bottom temperature and potential changes in riverine input.

Size structure of marine soft-bottom macrobenthic communities across natural habitat gradients: implications for productivity and ecosystem function

Size distributions of biotic assemblages are important modifiers of productivity and function in marine sediments. We investigated the distribution of proportional organic biomass among logarithmic size classes (2⁻⁶J to 2¹⁶J) in the soft-bottom macrofaunal communities of the Strait of Georgia, Salish Sea on the west coast of Canada. The study examines how size structure is influenced by 3 fundamental habitat descriptors: depth, sediment percent fines, and organic flux (modified by quality). These habitat variables are uncorrelated in this hydrographically diverse area, thus we examine their effects in combination and separately. Cluster analyses and cumulative biomass size spectra reveal clear and significant responses to each separate habitat variable. When combined, habitat factors result in three distinct assemblages: (1) communities with a high proportion of biomass in small organisms, typical of shallow areas (<10 m) with coarse sediments (<10% fines) and low accumulation of organic material (<3.0 gC/m²/yr/δ¹⁵N); (2) communities with high proportion of biomass in the largest organisms found in the Strait, typical of deep, fine sediments with high modified organic flux (>3 g C/m²/yr/δ¹⁵N) from the Fraser River; and (3) communities with biomass dominated by moderately large organisms, but lacking the smallest and largest size classes, typical of deep, fine sediments experiencing low modified organic flux (<3.0 gC/m²/yr/δ¹⁵N). The remaining assemblages had intermediate habitat types and size structures. Sediment percent fines and flux appear to elicit threshold responses in size structure, whereas depth has the most linear influence on community size structure. The ecological implications of size structure in the Strait of Georgia relative to environmental conditions, secondary production and sediment bioturbation are discussed.

Towards predicting basin-wide invertebrate organic biomass and production in marine sediments from a coastal sea

Detailed knowledge of environmental conditions is required to understand faunal production in coastal seas with topographic and hydrographic complexity. We test the hypothesis that organic biomass and production of subtidal sediment invertebrates throughout the Strait of Georgia, west coast of Canada, can be predicted by depth, substrate type and organic flux modified to reflect lability and age of material. A basin-wide database of biological, geochemical and flux data was analysed using an empirical production/biomass (P/B) model to test this hypothesis. This analysis is unique in the spatial extent and detail of P/B and concurrent environmental measurements over a temperate coastal region. Modified organic flux was the most important predictor of organic biomass and production. Depth and substrate type were secondary modifiers. Between 69-74% of variability in biomass and production could be explained by the combined environmental factors. Organisms <1 mm were important contributors to biomass and production primarily in shallow, sandy sediments, where high P/B values were found despite low organic flux. Low biomass, production, and P/B values were found in the deep, northern basin and mainland fjords, which had silty sediments, low organic flux, low biomass of organisms <1 mm, and dominance by large, slow-growing macrofauna. In the highest organic flux and biomass areas near the Fraser River discharge, production did not increase beyond moderate flux levels. Although highly productive, this area had low P/B. Clearly, food input is insufficient to explain the complex patterns in faunal production revealed here. Additional environmental factors (depth, substrate type and unmeasured factors) are important modifiers of these patterns. Potential reasons for the above patterns are explored, along with a discussion of unmeasured factors possibly responsible for unexplained (30%) variance in biomass and production. We now have the tools for basin-wide first-order estimates of sediment invertebrate production.

A review of subtidal benthic habitats and invertebrate biota of the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia

The initial phase of a collaborative ambient monitoring program (AMP) for the Strait of Georgia (SoG) (Marine Environmental Research, in press.) has focused on the benthos, sedimentary regimes, organic and contaminant cycling in subtidal regions of the strait. As part of that project, we review the primarily subtidal benthic invertebrate faunal communities found in the SoG, with particular reference to habitats and sediment conditions. This topic has not been addressed in the primary literature for over 20 years. Benthic biota are the baseline sentinels of the influence of natural and anthropogenic inputs to sediments. They are also a fundamental component of the food chain at the seafloor, and their community ecology must be clearly understood in order to predict how anthropogenic activities and climate change will affect our coastal oceans. The purpose of this review is to provide context on habitats and biota in the SoG, and to highlight topics and geographic areas where our knowledge of the benthos is limited or lacking.

Responses of subtidal benthos of the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada to ambient sediment conditions and natural and anthropogenic depositions

Patterns in infaunal biota in the Strait of Georgia are explored relative to water depth, substrate type, organic content of sediments and sedimentation characteristics. The analyses are based on geographically-diverse grab and core data collected over a 19-year period. Infaunal abundance and biomass were not predictable by sediment particle size, organic content or water depth. While organic flux was a reasonable predictor of biotic factors, quality of organic material, relative proportions of organic and inorganic input and source of inputs were also important in this regard. Areas with high accumulation of sediment and high organic flux rates from terrestrial (riverine) sources supported the highest macro-infaunal abundance and biomass found to date in the Strait of Georgia, and were dominated by bivalves. Polychaetes dominated in low organic deposition conditions, and where anthropogenic organic deposition was high. However, biota were severely impoverished in sediments with high organic content from marine deposition, due to low fluxes and poor quality of organic material. Taxa number was related to percent total nitrogen and to the ratio of organic/inorganic flux, both in background conditions and where there was labile organic enrichment. Faunal communities from the Fraser River delta, which experiences considerable bottom-transported riverine material, were very different in composition from those that proliferate in habitats with high deposition and organic flux from the water column.

Evaluation of mine tailings effects on a benthic marine infaunal community over 29 years

Benthic infaunal and sediment data collected over 29 years were used to examine the extent and geographic range of effects and recovery from submarine tailings deposition. Empirical data were used to determine extreme and moderate effects, and identify near-, mid- and far-field zones. A simple probability test using overlap in frequency distributions was then used to determine less obvious effects, identify "normal" or "reference" conditions, and verify the geographic range of effect zones. Tailings thickness and sediment particulate copper were elevated from the outfall to 16-20 km distant, particularly below discharge depth (50 m). Changes in tailings thickness and copper levels before, during and after mining showed three distinct impact zones below discharge depth: near-field (<5 km from outfall); mid-field (5-16 km); and far-field (20 + km). Consistent faunal declines during mining were noted at sediment particulate copper levels >300 microg g(-1), and sediment tailings thickness > 15-20 cm. Extreme impoverishment at these sediment levels were; < 100 animals/m2, <2.5 g/m2 biomass and <7 taxa per station. No stations with >300 microg g(-1) copper and 20 cm tailings had more than 40 taxa. Amphipods were particularly affected by tailings, with distributions reflecting the instability in sediments from heavy deposition and/or shifting of tailings due to resuspension. The probability testing method assumed that reference conditions existed in far-field stations. There was no difference in abundance distributions between near-, mid- and far-field zones. Total taxa per station during mining was significantly reduced (<45) in both near- and mid-field stations compared with far-field (less than 10% overlap in distributions). One midfield station in Quatsino Sound (23) was in reference condition throughout the study period. Post-closure stations in the near- and mid-field had total taxa numbers approaching far-field conditions (overlap of 62% in distributions). Within 3 years following closure, total taxa values were within the far-field range for all stations sampled. Biomass showed a distinct decline in the near-field during mining, but with more overlap in near-field and far-field distributions (27%) than for total taxa per station, and was returning to far-field conditions in the post-closure years. A multivariate (Bray-Curtis) measure of dissimilarity indicated that the near- and mid-field infaunal compositions were distinct from the far-field during mining (< 10% overlap in distributions). The mid-field composition overlapped more with the far-field in the post-closure years, but the near-field composition did not, suggesting that the mine tailings are still affecting the fauna. The most abundant taxon in each of the reference and near-field station groups both showed significantly distinct relative abundance distributions between near- and far-field stations. In summary, the probability method showed that species richness, biomass, species composition and indicator taxa were useful for differentiating affected and non-affected stations. Polychaetes recolonize stable tailings most quickly, and have dominated the tailings stations in the post-closure years. Amphipods have recolonized sporadically, but seem to be highly sensitive to tailings stability. There was no evidence of recovery in dominant bivalves or echinoderms within three years after mine closure.

Comparative gill characteristics of Munida quadrispina (Decapoda, Galatheidae) from different habitat oxygen conditions

The allometric (bilogarithmic) relationship between dry gill weight and organic body weight was compared for benthic galatheid crabs (Munida quadrispina Benedict, 1902) from a low-oxygen fjord and from a normal oxygen population. In the M. quadrispina from the low-oxygen fjord, the slope (b) of the allometric function of gill weight versus body weight was 1.00. This b value was significantly higher (ANCOVA, p < 0.01) than the corresponding slope for the same function in M. quadrispina from normoxic areas (b = 0.63). However, only the largest crabs from the low-oxygen fjord were living consistently in low-oxygen (<0.15 mL/L) conditions; they also had significantly greater (twice as much) relative gill weight than their normoxic counterparts. This observation agrees with findings from previous studies that only the largest M. quadrispina are able to tolerate severe oxygen depletion. Small M. quadrispina from both the low-oxygen fjord and the normoxic area were always found in oxygen concentrations >2.0 mL/L. There were no significant differences between the relative gill sizes of the small crabs from different areas. It was concluded that gill development in M. quadrispina is affected by long-term habitat oxygen conditions. This factor could be important in comparisons of inter- and intra-specific allometric gill functions and in the study of weight-specific oxygen consumption rates of decapod crustaceans.

Respiration of a low oxygen tolerant galatheid crab, Munida quadrispina (Benedict, 1902)

A recent study on Munida quadrispina in the cliff community of Saanich Inlet, an intermittently anoxic fjord, showed that these crabs have a size distribution corresponding to the vertical oxygen gradient. This study tested the hypothesis that the size gradient was caused by a size-dependent respiratory tolerance. The factor used for comparison was Pc (critical oxygen concentration below which the rate of oxygen consumption declines). Size specific Pc was compared with habitat oxygen levels at which different sized animals were captured in Saanich Inlet. Regulated oxygen consumption and Pc decreased significantly (p < 0.01) with increasing wet weight of crabs. Pc decreased significantly (p < 0.01) as carapace length increased. The slope and elevation of the latter relationship were not significantly different (p < 0.01, ANCOVA) from the slope and elevation of the relationship of carapace length versus habitat oxygen. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the vertical size gradient in Saanich Inlet is related to a size-specific Pc. The minimum Pc observed (0.14 mL oxygen/L) corresponded with the lowest oxygen levels at which crabs were found in Saanich Inlet (0.1–0.15 mL oxygen/L).