Structure and spatio-temporal dynamics of Boccardia proboscidea reefs induced by sewage-discharge in the SW Atlantic.

JAUBET MARÍA L.; SANCHEZ MARÍA A.; LLANOS ELIZABETH N.; VALLARINO EDUARDO A; SANDRINI-NETO LEONARDO; ELIAS RODOLFO

Punta del Este

Congreso; COLACMAR; 2013

Marine biological invasions can alter ecosystem functioning and affect the economy and human health. These introductions are favoured in places and times when stress is affecting negatively the existing biota. Disturbance generated by the discharge of the intertidal domestic effluent of Mar del Plata produce a negative impact on native benthic community, including the invasion of Boccardia proboscidea, a native polychaete of Pacific Ocean which it has dispersed in the SW Atlantic. In organically impacted sites, this species build reefs of 30cm (height) and 1.600.000ind.m-2. These reefs were only recorded in Argentina. The objective of this study was to describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of the appearance/disappearance of Boccardia proboscidea reefs. B. proboscidea body, their tubes size and sediment´s selection for the construction of the tubes were