Distribution and abundance of Abarenicola affinis (Arenicolidae,Polychaeta) in tidal inlets of Otago,New Zealand

Lugworms are important members of the macrobenthos of sheltered intertidal sediments, and this study assessed the abundance and distribution of Abarenicola affinis in Otago, southern New Zealand. Using a faecal cast:lugworm ratio (1.00:1.09) revealed a patchy distribution across inlets, with an overall mean abundance of 11.1 individuals/m² (range: 3.8 to 21.3 individuals/m²). Distribution patterns varied among inlets, with lugworms mostly confined to the high intertidal zone, but spread across all intertidal zones in one inlet. The lugworm habitat was characterised by muddy to medium sand (55–233 µm mean grain size) with low organic matter (< 2%) and chlorophyll a (1–12 µg/g dry sediment) contents. Depending on the inlet, lugworm abundance was related to sediment parameters, indicating that their distribution across Otago inlets is habitat dependent. The present findings also indicate that factors other than those measured contribute to A. affinis distribution and abundance patterns in this region.     

Factors affecting PAH residues in the lugworm Arenicola marina, a sediment feeding polychaete

Being a sediment feeder, the lugworm Arenicola marina could be a suitable candidate organism for the biomonitoring of sediment-bound contaminants in intertidal areas. Since lugworms are only rarely used in environmental monitoring, little is known about the natural variation in their body residue levels. In this study, we assessed the importance of seasonal fluctuations, spatial variation and sexual development to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) residues in lugworms. Over a period of 15 months, lugworms were sampled along a contamination gradient in the Western Scheldt estuary in the Netherlands. A clear seasonal pattern in the body residue levels of PAH was observed, with lowest levels in March and highest levels just prior to the spawning season in September. During the spawning season the body residue levels showed a marked decrease. Although this seasonal pattern is apparently related to the reproductive cycle of the lugworm, no clear differences in body residue levels were found between animals with or without developed gonads. The contamination gradient, present in the estuary, was clearly reflected in the body residue levels of PAH. The expected gradient of internal concentrations was, however, absent in October, when the spawning period was not yet finished. The variation in lugworm body residue levels was smaller than the fluctuations in sediment PAH levels. It can be concluded that the lugworm is a suitable organism for the biomonitoring of sediment-bound contaminants, provided that attention is paid to its reproductive cycle.