Estimating the ecological condition of the estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico

Monitoring of estuaries in the Louisianian Province was performed annually from 1991-1994 to assess ecological conditions on a regional scale. We found over the four years of monitoring, 25±6% of Gulf of Mexico estuarine sediments in the Louisianian Province displayed poor biological conditions, as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 1999-07, Vol.57 (1), p.59-83
Main Authors: MACAULEY, J. M, SUMMERS, J. K, ENGLE, V. D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal tissues
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Community structure
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Contaminants
Contaminated sediments
Ecological conditions
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental monitoring
Estuaries
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Marine and brackish environment
Marine debris
Mexico Gulf
Sediment pollution
Sediments
USA
USA, Louisiana
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Summary:Monitoring of estuaries in the Louisianian Province was performed annually from 1991-1994 to assess ecological conditions on a regional scale. We found over the four years of monitoring, 25±6% of Gulf of Mexico estuarine sediments in the Louisianian Province displayed poor biological conditions, as measured by benthic community structure, and 14±7% of the area was characterized by poor water clarity, the presence of marine debris, and elevated levels of fish tissue contaminants. Using statistical associations to discern relationships between ecological condition and exposure or stressor data has shown that much of this 'degraded' condition co-occurs with sediment contamination.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1023/A:1005944829407