Skip to main content

IMIS

A new integrated search interface will become available in the next phase of marineinfo.org.
For the time being, please use IMIS to search available data

 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Nematode community structures in the presence of wastewater treatment plant discharge
Ridall, A.; Ingels, J. (2023). Nematode community structures in the presence of wastewater treatment plant discharge. Environ. Monit. Assess. 195(8): 991. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11555-5
In: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. Kluwer: Dordrecht. ISSN 0167-6369; e-ISSN 1573-2959, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Nematoda [WoRMS]
    Fresh water

Authors  Top 
  • Ridall, A.
  • Ingels, J., more

Abstract
    Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent major point sources of pollution in coastal systems, affecting benthic ecosystems. In the present study, we assessed the potential role that WWTPs have in shaping nematode communities and established baseline knowledge of free-living nematode community structures in St. Andrew Bay, Florida. Sediment samples were collected from four sites representing areas of WWTP outflow and areas with no apparent outflow, during the winter and summer. Nematode communities across sites were significantly different, and the differences were strongly associated with the distance to the nearest WWTP. While the communities were not different along transects at each site, nor across seasons, community dissimilarity across sites was high, implying strong contrasts throughout the bay system. Dominance of tolerant, opportunistic genera and Ecological Quality Status assessments suggest that the system is stressed by organic enrichment, possibly linked to the WWTPs. Our results suggest that knowledge on the life-history of dominant genera is imperative to assess the ecological quality of a benthic system, in addition to taxonomic and functional metrics. Considering the value of marine nematodes as bioindicators, more work should be done to monitor temporal variability in nematode communities in this system as future infrastructure changes alter its dynamics.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors