Journal
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
Volume 73, Issue 1, Pages 291-299Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.05.006
Keywords
Benthic macrofaunal community; Community respiration; Gross community production; Net community production; Taiwan
Funding
- Ministry of Education, Taiwan, R.O.C. under the ATU plan
- Taiwan's National Science Council [NSC99-2611-M-005-001-MY2]
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This study determined effects of an oil spill on subtropical benthic community production and respiration by monitoring CO2 fluxes in benthic chambers on intertidal sandflats during emersion before and after an accidental spill. The oil spill decreased sediment chlorophyll a concentrations, altered benthic macrofaunal community, and affected ecological functioning by suppressing or even stopping microalgal production, increasing bacterial respiration, and causing a shift from an autotrophic system to a heterotrophic system. Effects of the oil spill on the macrofauna were more severe than on benthic microalgae, and affected sedentary infauna more than motile epifauna. Despite the oil spill's impact on the benthic community and carbon metabolism, the affected area appeared to return to normal in about 23 days. Our results suggest that the prompt response of benthic metabolism to exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons can serve as a useful indicator of the impact of an oil spill. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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