Polychaete population dynamics and production in the New York bight associated with variable levels of sediment contamination

Abstract

Abstract Present approaches to assessing effects of anthropogenic disturbances on marine benthic macrofauna are mostly based on community or population structure analysis. There are limited studies on functional effects, e.g., to growth or production. This paper examines the population dynamics, growth curves, and production rates for nine common species of surface-deposit feeding or carnivorous polychaetes at three locations in the contaminated New York Bight apex. These locations were environmentally similar, except for variable levels of sediment organic carbon (TOC) and toxic chemicals (trace metals, PCBs, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons). The results suggest little difference in the relative growth patterns of these species, with variable production or production to biomass ratios (P:B) responses between the locations and their variable contamination levels. The range ofP:B ratios were similar to those reported elsewhere for the same or related species in usually less contaminated areas. This suggests that the polychaetes were tolerant, to some degree, of elevated sediment contaminant levels found in the study area.