Intertidal macrofaunal communities in an intensely polluted estuary

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 134; no. 1-3; pp. 397 - 410
• Main Authors: Bustamante, M, Tajadura-Martín, F. J, Saiz-Salinas, J. I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrect Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01-11-2007; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anguilla; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Bilbao estuary; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biomonitoring; Brackish; Brackish water ecosystems; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental degradation; Environmental Monitoring; Estuaries; Estuarine pollution; Estuary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hard and soft substrates; Hypoxia; Intertidal fauna; Invertebrates; Macrozoobenthos; Marine and brackish environment; Oxygen - analysis; Pollution; Salinity; Seawater; Sediments; Sewage; Spain; Studies; Synecology; Taxonomy; Temperature; Urban development; Water column; Water Pollution; Europe; Spain; ANE, Spain, Bilbao Estuary; ANE, Spain, Pais Vasco, Vizcaya, Bilbao; Biomonitoring; Fauna; Soft substrate; Estuaries; Hard substrate; Hard and soft substrates; Biological monitoring; Ecological damage; Domestic waste water; Pollution; Intertidal zone; Industrial waste water; Macrofauna; Hypoxia; Water pollution; Waste water discharge; Environmental monitoring; Estuary; Macrozoobenthos; Community; Bilbao estuary
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-007-9631-4

The Bilbao estuary (northern Spain) has suffered a serious environmental deterioration due to industrial and domestic discharges during decades. A total of 21 sampling stations were selected in order to: (1) study the intertidal fauna distribution on both hard and soft bottoms; (2) link this information with the prevalence of certain environmental variables at the sampling sites; and (3) define distinct biological zones with all the information gathered. Up to 50 taxa were identified mainly in the outer estuary with an abrupt decrease upstream. In general, fauna on hard substrates was more diverse, while soft bottom communities exhibited a more consistent structure. Sporadic hypoxic events were recorded in the water column of all the sites studied, which affects the distribution of species. Three major biotic zones are proposed in the estuary. This provides a reliable biomonitoring tool for assessing the effectiveness of a sewerage and remediation scheme ongoing on the river and evaluating the future use of each area in the urban development of the city of Bilbao and conurbation.