Spatial-temporal variations of a SW Atlantic macrobenthic community affected by a chronic anthropogenic disturbance

MARÍA ANDREA SARACHO BOTTERO; MARIA LOURDES JAUBET; LLANOS ELIZABETH NOEMÍ; BECHERUCCI MARÍA EUGENIA; ELÍAS RODOLFO; GRISELDA VALERIA GARAFFO

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020 vol. 156

0025-326X

The effect of the chronic anthropogenic disturbance in a coastal area of the Southwestern Atlantic was tested, and the ecological status of the area was evaluated through the use of environmental quality indices AMBI and M-AMBI. A total of 144 biological samples were taken during spring and autumn in four sampling sites. The site placed in the outfall showed high percentages of organic matter, silt and clay in sediment and high concentration of Enterococcus in seawater. The invasive polychaete Boccardia proboscidea dominated the outfall site during the study period, while the ecosystem engineer Brachidontes rodriguezii dominated the non-impacted sites. Regarding the AMBI and M-AMBI índices, the outfall site presented the lowest environmental health values in both spring and autumn. The benthic community in this coastal area responds to sewage pollution by a change in species composition.