Temporal variation in the diversity and cover of sessile species in rocky intertidal communities affected by copper mine tailings in northern Chile

Several coastal rocky shores in the northern Chile have been affected by the discharges of copper mine tailings. In spite of this, the temporal and spatial variation on the diversity and composition of their intertidal benthic communities has scarcely been studied. The objectives of the present study were to analyse and to compare quantitatively the temporal variation on the diversity, cover and composition of sessile species in rocky intertidal benthic communities of the northern Chilean coast, in relation to the presence of copper mine tailings. The results show that the drastic reduction on the sessile species diversity and the monopolization of the substrate exerted by the green algae Enteromorpha compressa, are common and permanent features of the intertidal rocky shores affected by copper mine tailings. Such spatial (between sites) and temporal (seasonal) variation of these changes has been associated with the relative concentrations of trace metals and inorganic particles of the mining wastes. Our results suggest that the mechanical effects of resuspended and settling tailings are a more likely cause.     

A sediment quality triad assessment of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on the littoral sedimentary environment in the Atacama region of northern Chile

A sediment quality triad (SQT) assessment was made of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on littoral meiofaunal assemblages in the Atacama region of northern Chile. This situation is unusual in that the disposal is direct into the high-energy coastal system and not via a river estuary or other low-energy environment. This situation also allows for the examination of the impact of copper mine tailings in the absence of confounding effects from other pollutants. The three components of the SQT were: 1. an analysis of the bioavailable metals in both the sedimentary porewater and the adjacent seawater, 2. a microcosm bioassay of both sediments and seawaters using meiofaunal assemblages, and 3. quantitative field samples of the meiofaunal assemblages. Twelve study sites with varying degrees of impact were used, including three reference sites. The study identified that both the meiofaunal assemblage densities and taxa diversities decrease with increasing levels of bioavailable copper, that the Foraminifera and Harpacticoida are sensitive to copper, and that otoplanid Turbellaria are often characteristic of impacted sites; tailings also have both chemical and physical impacts on the environment. In some cases the physical impact of tailings is more important in excluding some organisms e.g. the interstitial polychaete, Saccocirrus sonomacus, from a site than is their chemical impact.     

Effects of shoreline discharge of iron mine tailings on a marine soft-bottom community in northern Chile

This study evaluates the magnitude and extension of the impact produced by the discharge of inert allochthonous materials, including clays and particulate iron, on macrobenthic soft-bottom assemblages in the subtidal zone of a coastal bay in north-central Chile. An average of 118 Ton h(-1) of finely divided solids were discharged into the rocky intertidal zone of the bay for a period of over 16 years, producing continuous turbidity in the water column and sedimentation in the subtidal zone. Data obtained four months before cessation of the discharge showed that the macrofauna present at 20 and 50 m depth in the bay suffered an important decrease in abundance and species richness, low diversity/high dominance, and deep changes in community structure related to the discharge. The faunal assemblages present at 110 m depth did not show effects from the discharge, suggesting that the impact was limited to the inner part of the bay. The impoverished faunal aggregates at 20 and 50 m depth showed exclusive domination by the Lumbrineris bifilaris (polychaete)-Diastylis tongoyensis (cumacean) association, representing a simple trophic guild of deposit feeders. The complete absence of opportunistic species such as capitellid, spionid, and/or cirratulid polychaetes may be associated with the turbidity and sedimentation levels in the bay.     

Marine environmental impact due to mining activities of El Salvador copper mine,Chile

Marine environmental impact as a result of copper mine tailing dumping in the sea is studied at Chañaral (North of Chile). These dumpings, from the copper mine El Salvador, have hindered harbour activities, caused geomorphological coastal modifications and affected seriously marine coastal ecosystems and recreational activities. At the old dumping site, Chañaral Bay (1938–1974), nearly 150 million tons of fine sediments were accumulated. Tailing discharges at the new dumping site, Caleta Palito, about 8 km north of Chañaral Bay are accumulating approximately at the rate of 25 000 tons of fine sediments per day, plus unknown quantities of chemicals (Cu, As, CN^?). From January 1975 to July 1976, this site has received over 13 million tons of sediments which has caused deterioration of the marine coastal environment, reduction in light penetration and high mortalities among marine invertebrates, fishes and algae.     

Environmental impact in sandy beaches of copper mine tailings at Chañaral, Chile

Since 1938, untreated copper mine tailings of Potrerillos and El Salvador have been disposed into the sea at Chañaral, Chile (26° 21′ Lat. S., 70° 42′ Long. W.). Over 220×10⁶ t of sediments have been dumped. This pollution has caused drastic geomorphological changes in the c. 16 km contaminated area. The occurrence of new artificial beaches and modification of coastal contours are reported. Sandy beach macrofauna monitoring (1975–1982) demonstrated a progressive lowering of density and biomass in those communities affected by copper mine tailings.     

Recolonisation of mine tailing by meiofauna in mesocosm and microcosm experiments

The Batu Hijau copper/gold mine in Sumbawa, Indonesia processes ore at approximately 130,000 tpd and discharges tailing via a submarine pipeline to depths below 3000 m at the base of a submarine canyon. The study investigated recolonisation of tailing by meiofauna and its dependence on subsequent accumulation of natural sediment. Microcosm and mesocosm scale experiments were carried out using two tailing and two control samples, the latter comprising defaunated and unaffected natural sediment. All test materials were similar in physical and chemical respects, except for the higher copper concentration in the tailing. The abundances of meiofauna colonising defaunated controls and both tailing samples increased from zero to levels statistically indistinguishable from natural unaffected controls after 97 and 203 days. Colonisation was well established in tailing from freshly mined ore after 40 days, and in oxidized tailing from stockpiled ore after 65 days, and was not dependent on settled natural material.     

Biodiversity loss in benthic macroinfaunal communities and its consequence for organic mercury trophic availability to benthivorous predators in the lower Hudson River estuary, USA

Organic mercury such as methylmercury is not only one of the most toxic substances found in coastal ecosystems but also has high trophic transfer efficiency. In this study, we examined implications of chronically altered benthic macroinfaunal assemblages for organic mercury trophic availability (based on organic mercury intracellular partitioning) to their predators in the Arthur Kill-AK (New York, USA). Despite low species diversity, both density and biomass of benthic macroinvertebrates in AK were significantly higher than those at the reference site. Disproportionately high biomass of benthic macroinvertebrates (mostly polychaetes) in the northern AK resulted in a more than twofold increase (‘ecological enrichment’) in the trophically available organic mercury pool. These results suggest that altered benthic macroinfaunal community structure in AK may play an important role in organic mercury trophic availability at the base of benthic food webs and potentially in mercury biogeochemical cycling in this severely urbanized coastal ecosystem.     

Environmental distribution of chlorohydrocarbon contaminants associated with Sydney sewage discharges

A steady-state nonequilibrium fugacity model incorporating the oceanographic dimensions of the environment receiving a sewage discharge from Sydney, Australia was used to predict the environmental fate of a range of chlorohydrocarbon contaminants. The model showed advection in water to be the dominant removal process, accounting for all except 1–2% of the contaminants discharged. With the exception of the more water soluble dieldrin, the major portion of contaminant present in the area was held in the sediments. Bioconcentration and sediment sorption models were used with levels detected in the biota and sediments to calculate the ambient water concentrations of the chlorohydrocarbon contaminants. The ambient water concentrations calculated using these models were in general agreement within a factor of about 2 in all but one case, and that was in agreement within an order of magnitude. The fugacity model was also used to estimate the rates of discharge of each of the contaminants. These were chlordane 83–640, DDT 150, dieldrin 1400–1500, hexachlorobenzene 360–400 and PCBs 55–96 g day⁻¹. Comparisons of the calculated ambient concentrations of each compound in the water and in fish in waters adjacent to the discharge point before and after its relocation from a cliff-face to a deepwater site indicated that relocation should result in an order of magnitude reduction.     

Medium-term responses of rocky bottoms to sewage discharges from a deepwater outfall in the NE Atlantic

An investigation on the effects of deepwater outfall discharges on the status of rocky reef communities was carried out. The sanitation system was found to be an environmentally suitable option for the protection of those habitats situated in high energy coastal environments. Sediments occurring between the predominating rocky substrates showed low values of the fine fraction (<63microm) and organic matter content. In addition, high average concentrations of Cd, Hg and Zn were found in these sediments, though these values were similar to those registered in non-affected sites, far away from the outfall. On the other hand, those assemblages typical of hard substrates that settled near the outfall showed an increase in total richness and abundance of macroinvertebrates. Moreover, the average number of species of each taxonomic group, a good indicator of the maintenance of the previous trophic structure, only varied considerably over time at the rip-rap protection. In a global context, those changes were not directly related to the discharge disturbances, but to the natural variability or the successional processes occurring within those communities. Only communities dwelling in the rip-rap protection area were affected by the proximity of the discharges.     

Effects of a crude oil terminal on tropical benthic communities in Brunei

An environmental survey was carried out in May 1981 at the intertidal and subtidal zone of Sungai (River) Bera, where Brunei Shell Petroleum Company discharges wastewater from its operations. Two reference sites, Sungai Lumut and Sungai Tali, situated northeast of Sungai Bera were also studied. In addition to sampling the macrobenthic communities, hydrocarbon, metal levels, and particle size distribution of the sediments were also studied.Populations of intertidal and subtidal macrobenthic organisms at Sungai Bera were very much lower when compared to those at Sungai Tali and Sungai Lumut. The hydrocarbon levels were highest at Sungai Bera, and least at Sungai Lumut. The distribution pattern corresponds well with the levels of hydrocarbons found at the three sites. Hydrocarbons found at the three sites were of petrogenic origin.The effects of the wastewater discharged on the intertidal zone were very localized, confined mainly to Sungai Bera. The hydrocarbon levels at Sungai Tali were almost the same as those at Sungai Lumut. No deleterious effects on the macrobenthic community were detected at these two sites.     

Effects of environmental factors and predation on benthic communities in headwater streams

Structure and composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were investigated during three consecutive years in six headwater streams that exhibit a high variation in environmental conditions, habitat structure and predatory pressure. We examined whether the abundance of functional feeding groups could be best predicted by the abundance of predators and some habitat and chemical variables. Mean density and biomass of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups varied significantly throughout the study area. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that both density and biomass of functional feeding groups was influenced primarily by chemical features of water. Shredder biomass and scraper density were also influenced by habitat features, the abundance of scrapers increasing in deeper localities at lower altitudes and with abundant macrophytes. The abundance of predatory invertebrates was related to the density and biomass of benthic prey. An influence of fish predation on invertebrate communities was not observed in the study streams. The finding that benthic communities in undisturbed headwater streams are mainly affected by water chemistry variables irrespective of fish predation and habitat features clearly highlight the sensitivity of functional feeding groups to changes in chemical features and their role as indicators for bioassessment.     

Distribution of species along pollution-induced diversity gradients in benthic communities in Norwegian fjords

The main aim of the present study was to detect species indicative of pollution impact on communities of soft-bottom fauna in Norwegian fjords. The work was based on the assumptions that increased pollutant load and lowered diversity are correlated and that different species respond differently to pollution.

Low diversity was caused by high dominance of a limited number of opportunistic species capable of reaching high densities in adverse environmental conditions, and by the recession of a number of species intolerant of such conditions. Pollutant load was a main cause of these structural changes. Classification of 100 common species according to their distribution along a diversity gradient comprising 150 stations are presented. About 45 species were significantly absent from the low-diversity stations. The presence of one or more of these species will indicate that the pollution impact is low or moderate. Certain groups of species can by collective absence indicate, if within a defined zoogeographical area, that the pollution impact is high.     

Study of blasting vibrations in Sarcheshmeh copper mine

Introduction In spite of development of mechanized methods of ground excavation, drilling and blasting is still extensively employed because of its low capital investment and simplicity. Its extensive use is not even limited by extension of mines close to residential areas and vital establishments. If it is not used in a controlled way, blasting operation can cause instability, failure of mine slopes and damps and damage to the nearby structures. The main objective here could be to reduce the …     

Ecology of benthic invertebrate communities in cooling reservoirs of thermal power stations in Siberia

Literary data analysis and the author’s studies were used to characterize the benthic zoocenoses in the cooling reservoirs of eight thermal power stations in Siberia. The examined water bodies demonstrated a strong domination of individual species in the profundal, maximal taxonomic diversity in the coastal zone, and the high significance of the soil type as a factor of spatial distribution of benthic invertebrates. By those characteristics, as well as by the complex of dominating species and the character of long-term variations in zoobenthos biomass, the examined cooling reservoirs in Siberia are similar to not only heated water bodies in other regions but also to reservoirs in general.     

Spatio-temporal variations of seismicity in the southern Peru and northern Chile seismic gaps

The spatio-temporal variation of seismicity in the southern Peru and northern Chile seismic gaps is analyzed with teleseismic data (m _b 5.5) between 1965 and 1991, to investigate whether these gaps present the precursory combination of compressional outer-rise and tensional downdip events observed in other subduction zones. In the outer-rise and the inner-trench (0 to 100 km distance from the trench) region, lower magnitude (5.0m _b <5.5) events were also studied. The results obtained show that the gaps in southern Peru and northern Chile do not present compressional outer-rise events. However, both gaps show a continuous, tensional downdip seismicity. For both regions, the change from compressional to tensional regime along the slab occurs at a distance of about 160 km from the trench, apparently associated with the coupled-uncoupled transition of the interplate contact zone. In southern Peru, an increase of compressional seismicity near the interplate zone and of tensional events (5.0m _b 6.3) in the outer-rise and inner-trench regions is observed between 1987 and 1991. A similar distribution of seismicity in the outer-rise and inner-trench regions is observed with earthquakes (m _b <5.5). In northern Chile there is a relative absence of compressional activity (m _b 5.5) near the interplate contact since the sequence of December 21, 1967. After that, only a cluster of low-magnitude compressional events has been located in the area 50 to 100 km from the trench. The compressional activity occurring near the interplate zone in both seismic gaps represents that a seismic preslip is occurring in and near the plate contact. Therefore, if this seismic preslip is associated with the maturity of the gap, the fact that it is larger in southern Peru than in northern Chile may reflect that the former gap is more mature than the latter. However, the more intense downdip tensional activity and the absence of compressional seismicity near the contact zone observed in northern Chile, may also be interpreted as evidence that northern Chile is seismically more mature than southern Peru. Therefore, the observed differences in the distribution of stresses and seismicity analyzed under simple models of stress accumulation and transfer in coupled subduction zones are not sufficient to assess the degree of maturity of a seismic gap.     

Fatty acid profiles of benthic environment associated with artificial reefs in subtropical Hong Kong

Artificial reefs can enhance habitat heterogeneity, especially in seabed degraded by bottom-dredging and trawling. However, the trophodynamics of such reef systems are not well understood. This study provided baseline data on trophic relationships in the benthic environment associated with artificial reefs in late spring and mid summer of subtropical Hong Kong, using fatty acid profiles as an indicator. Data from sediments collected at the reef base, materials from sediment traps deployed on top and bottom of the reefs, total particulate matter from the water column and oyster tissues from reef surface were subjected to principal component analysis. Results showed variations of fatty acid profiles in the total particulate matter, upper sediment trap and oyster tissue samples collected in the two samplings, indicating seasonal, trophodynamic changes within the reef system. The wastes produced by fish aggregating at the reefs can also contribute a source of biodeposits to the nearby benthic environment.     

Genetic impact of the Prestige oil spill in wild populations of a poor dispersal marine snail from intertidal rocky shores

In November 2002, the sinking of the Prestige cargo ship produced an oil spill of 60,000 tons that affected many areas along the Galician coast (in the northwest of Spain). In a number of rocky shore sites, most organisms (particularly marine mollusks) were nearly extinct at a local scale. We tested whether the local bottleneck/extinction that occurred in affected localities caused any detectable reduction of the genetic diversity in the marine snail Littorina saxatilis, an ovoviviparous rocky shore model species characterized by a low dispersal ability, high population density, and wide distribution range. We compared the level of genetic variation and population differentiation between affected (polluted) and control sites located in seven geographical areas (three sites per area, one impacted and two controls, and two replicates per site) one and a half years after the spill. The analysis included molecular marker variation (microsatellite and AFLP loci) and quantitative trait genetic variation for shell variables in embryos extracted from pregnant females. Our results indicate that the affected populations did not show a significant overall reduction in genetic diversity when compared to the controls, suggesting that the species is highly resistant to losing genetic variability as a consequence of a local short-term pollution process in spite of its low dispersal ability and direct development. However, some genetic effects were detected in the polluted populations, particularly for quantitative shell traits and AFLPs, consistent with local adaptations resulting from the fuel contamination.