Document of bibliographic reference 25523

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Reports

BibLvlCode

AM

Title

A summary of benthic studies in the Sluice Dock of Ostend during 1976-1981

Abstract

The Sluice Dock of Ostend (Belgium) has been studied intensively since many years, with early work by Leloup & Miller (1960) and Leloup & Polk (1967). In the seventies ecological investigations were started by the group Podamo. Benthos is studied since 1976. During these twenty years the Sluice Dock has changed profoundly. In the sixties it was a healthy environment with an important oyster culture. Gradually it became more eutrophic until several dystrophic crises occurred in the early eighties, with pH values exceeding 10 at times. These high pH values are the result of the enormous primary production by green algae, with Ulva lactica especially dominant. Under the Ulva beds the sediments become anoxic causing mass mortality of benthos. Some animals are associated with Ulva itself, such as the polychaete Platynereis dumerilli, which has not been noted from the Sluice Dock before, and the mollusk Cerastoderma edule, where the juveniles live attached to Ulva but drop to the bottom when they grow too heavy. The total production of the macrofauna inhabiting Ulva is considerable and amounts to 160 g C/m².year. Due to repair works the Sluice Dock was drained over a considerable surface in March 1980. The sediments dried out completely. When it was again filled, recolonization of the sediments started rapidly with spionid polychaetes (Pygospio elegans), succeeded rapidly by capitellids. Later the mollusk Mya arenaria settled heavily, causing the disappearance of the surface inhabiting tube builder Polydora ciliata.

Bibliographic citation

Thielemans, L.K.H.; Heip, C.H.R.; Van Gansbeke, D. (1982). A summary of benthic studies in the Sluice Dock of Ostend during 1976-1981, in: Heip, C.H.R. et al. (Ed.) Geconcerteerde Onderzoeksacties Interuniversitaire Actie Oceanologie: eindverslag 3. Biological processes and translocations = Actions de Recherche Concertées Action Interuniversitaire Océanologie: rapport final 3. Biological processes and translocations. pp. 89-94

Topic

Marine