Marine Ecology Progress Series
MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps292023
copiedSpatial distribution of modern dinoflagellate cysts in polluted estuarine sediments from Buzzards Bay (Massachusetts, USA) embayments
ABSTRACT: Analysis of the spatial distribution of the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in 19 surface sediment samples collected from 3 Buzzards Bay (Massachusetts, USA) embayments revealed the potential applicability of dinoflagellate cysts as biologicalindicators of environmental conditions in estuarine systems. Sites with the highest levels of toxic pollution and hypertrophic conditions are characterized by the lowest dinoflagellate cyst species-richness and concentrations. Among the abiotic factorsinfluencing the distribution of dinoflagellate cysts, nutrients and toxic pollution are the major controls, as in these embayments salinity and temperature variability is low. Principal component analysis, based on the proportions of cyst taxa, indicatedthat cyst assemblages gradually change when moving away from the sources of nutrient pollution, sewage outfalls in particular.
KEYWORDS
Vera Pospelova (Co-author)
- Department of Geography and Centre for Climate and Global Change Research, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2K6, Canada
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Petch 168, POBox 3055 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P6, Canada
Gail L. Chmura (Co-author)
- Department of Geography and Centre for Climate and Global Change Research, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2K6, Canada
Warren S. Boothman (Co-author)
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, NHEERL, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA
James S. Latimer (Co-author)
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, NHEERL, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA