The macroinfauna of the Galician sandy beaches (NW Spain) affected by the Prestige oil-spill

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2005-05, Vol.50 (5), p.526-536
• Main Authors: Junoy, J., Castellanos, C., Viéitez, J.M., de la Huz, M.R., Lastra, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amphipoda; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Bathing Beaches; Beach; Biological and medical sciences; Cluster Analysis; Crustacea; Disasters; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Pollution; Eurydice; Fuel; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galicia; Invertebrates; Isopoda; Macroinfauna; Marine and brackish environment; Marine Biology; Oil-spill; Petroleum; Pontocrates arenarius; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Prestige; Scolelepis squamata; Spain; Squamata; Talitrus saltator
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.11.044

Eighteen sandy beaches were sampled along the 1659 km of the Galician coast (NW Spain) six months after the Prestige oil-spill to study the impact of the fuel and the clean-up activities on the macroinfauna community. A transect was extended at each beach, from above the drift line to below the swash line at five sampled levels; at each level six 0.05 m 2 replicates were taken to a depth of 30 cm and sieved through a 1 mm mesh, and the organisms collected and preserved. Results were compared with previous data obtained using the same procedures. The macroinfauna was numerically dominated by the amphipod Pontocrates arenarius, the isopod genus Eurydice, the polychaete Scolelepis squamata, and the amphipod Talitrus saltator. As a result of the Prestige oil-spill and the clean-up activities, beach populations were reduced, with Eurydice and S. squamata as the most affected taxa.