Abstract
Sediment quality of North Carolina estuaries was evaluated using synoptic data on sediment chemistry, toxicity, and macroinfaunal community structure from 175 subtidal stations sampled during the summers of 1994–1997. The study area included Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico Sounds; estuarine portions of major rivers (e.g., Chowan, Roanoke, Tar-Pamlico, Neuse, New, Cape Fear); and numerous smaller tributaries and coastal embayments between the Virginia and South Carolina borders. A probabilistic sampling design permitted statistical estimation of the spatial extent of degraded versus non-degraded condition across these estuaries. Over half (54 ± 7%) of the surveyed area had high sediment quality characterized by healthy benthic assemblages and low levels of sediment contamination and toxicity. The remaining 46% showed evidence of significant stress in one or more of the above sediment-quality-triad components. While this is a sizable area, portions of it (27 ± 6%) were represented by sites with no connection between presence of stressors and adverse biological responses. Only 19% of the total area showed evidence of an impaired benthos coupled to significant pollution exposure (high sediment contamination, toxicity, or both). Impaired benthic condition was more closely linked to sediment contamination than to low dissolved oxygen (based on instantaneous oxygen measurements). The most pervasive contaminants were the metals arsenic, mercury, chromium, and nickel; the pesticides lindane, dieldrin, DDT, and DDT derivatives; and total PCBs. Degraded condition in all three components of the sediment quality triad co-occurred in <10% of the study area, suggesting that strong contaminant-induced effects on the benthos are limited to a small (yet ecologically significant) percentage of total estuarine area. The spatial extent of sediment contamination and toxicity was much less in these estuaries in comparison to other U.S. coastal regions where similar studies have been performed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ASTM, 1993. Guide for conducting 10-day static sediment toxicity tests with marine and estuarine infaunal amphipods. ASTM E-1367-92. ASTM, Philadelphia, PA, 24 pp.
Bulich, A. A., 1979. Use of luminescent bacteria for determining toxicity in aquatic environments. In: Marking, L. L. & Kimerle, R. A. (eds), Aquatic Toxicology, ASTM STP 667. ASTM, Philadelphia, PA: 98–106.
Chapman, P. M., 1990. The sediment quality triad approach to determining pollution-induced degradation. Sci. Total Environ. 97(98): 815–825.
Diaz, R. J. & R. Rosenberg, 1995. Marine benthic hypoxia: A review of its ecological effects and the behavioural responses of benthic macrofauna. Ocean. & Mar. Biol.: an Ann. Rev. 33: 245–303.
Gray, J. S., 1981. The Ecology of Marine Sediments. An Introduction to the Structure and Function of Benthic Communities. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 185 pp.
Hackney, C. T., J. Grimley, M. Posey, T. Alphin & J. Hyland, 1998. Sediment contamination in North Carolina's estuaries. Publication #19 of the Center for Marine Science Research, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, 59 pp.
Hyland, J. L., L. Balthis, C. T. Hackney, G. McRae, A. H. Ringwood, T. R. Snoots, R. F. Van Dolah & T. L. Wade, 1998a. Environmental quality of estuaries of the Carolinian Province: 1995. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOS ORCA 123, NOAA, Silver Spring, MD.
Hyland, J. L., T. J. Herrlinger, R. Snoots, A. H. Ringwood, R. F. Van Dolah, C. T. Hackney, G. A. Nelson, J. S. Rosen & S. A. Kokkinakis, 1996. Environmental quality of estuaries of the Carolinian Province: 1994. tNOAA Tech. Memo. NOS ORCA 97, NOAA, Silver Spring, MD.
Hyland, J. L., T. R. Snoots & W. L. Balthis, 1998b. Sediment quality of estuaries in the southeastern U.S. Environ. Monitor. & Assess. 51: 331–343.
Hyland, J. L., R. F. Van Dolah & T. R. Snoots, 1999. Predicting stress in benthic communities of southeastern U.S. estuaries in relation to chemical contamination of sediments. Environ. Toxicol. & Chem. 18(11): 2557–2564.
Kohn, N. P., J. Q. Word, D. K. Niyogi, L. T. Ross, T. Dillon & D. W. Moore, 1994. Acute toxicity of ammonia to four species of marine amphipod. Mar. Environ. Res. 38: 1–15.
Lewis, E. L. & R. G. Perkin. 1981. The practical salinity scale 1978: Conversion of existing data. Deep Sea Res. 28A(4): 307–328.
Long, E. R, L. Field & D. D. MacDonald, 1998. Predicting toxicity in marine sediments with numerical sediment quality guidelines. Environ. Toxicol. & Chem. 17: 714–727.
Long, E. R., D. D. MacDonald, S. L. Smith & F. D. Calder, 1995. Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuarine sediments. Environ. Manage. 19: 81–97.
Long, E. R. & L. G. Morgan, 1990. The potential for biological effects of sediment-sorbed contaminants tested in the National Status and Trends Program. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOS OMA 52, NOAA, Silver Spring, MD.
Long, E. R., A. Robertson, D. A. Wolfe, J. Hameedi & G. M. Sloane, 1996. Estimates of the spatial extent of sediment toxicity in major U.S. estuaries. Environ. Sci. & Technol. 30: 3585–3592.
Macauley, J. M., J. K. Summers & V. D. Engle, 1999. Estimating the ecological condition of the estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. Environ. Monitor. & Assess. 57: 59–83.
MacDonald, D. D, R. S. Carr, F. D. Calder, E. R. Long & C. G. Ingersoll, 1996. Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for FL coastal waters. Ecotox. 5: 253–278.
Microbics Corporation, 1992a. Microtox® Manual (5 volume set). Carlsbad, CA.
Microbics Corporation, 1992b. Microtox® Update Manual. Carlsbad, CA, 128 pp.
Paerl, H. W., J. L. Pinckney, J. M. Fear & B. L. Peierls, 1998. Ecosystem responses to internal and watershed organic matter loading: consequences for hypoxia in the eutrophying Neuse River estuary, North Carolina, USA. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 166: 17–25.
Ringwood, A.H., M.E. DeLorenzo, P.E. Ross & A.F. Holland, 1997. Interpretation of Microtox ® solid-phase toxicity tests: The effects of sediment composition. Environ. Toxicol. & Chem. 16(6): 1135–1140.
Ringwood, A. H. & C. Keppler, 1998. Seed clam growth: An alternative sediment bioassay developed during EMAP in the Carolinian Province. Environ. Monitor. & Assess. 51: 247–257.
Ringwood, A. H., R. Van Dolah, A. F. Holland & M. G. Delorenzo, 1995. Year one demonstration project studies conducted in the Carolinian Province by Marine Resources Research Institute: Results and summaries. Yr. 1 Final Report under NOAA Cooperative Agreement NA470A0177, S.C. Dept. Nat. Res. (MRRI), Charleston, SC.
Salonen, K., 1979. A versatile method for the rapid and accurate determination of carbon by high temperature combustion. Limnol. Oceanogr. 24: 177–183.
Shannon, C. E. & W. Weaver, 1949. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. Univ. of Illinois Press, Urbana: 117 pp.
Summers, J. K. & V. D. Engle, 1993. Evaluation of sampling strategies to characterize dissolved oxygen conditions in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries. Environ. Monitor. and Assess. 24: 219–229.
Taylor, B. J. & B. J. Presley, 1993. GERG trace element quantification techniques. In: Lauenstein, G.G. & Cantillo, A.Y. (eds), Sampling and Analytical Methods of the National Status and Trends Program, National Benthic Surveillance, and Mussel Watch Projects, 1984-1992. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOS ORCA 71 (Vol. III), NOAA, Silver Spring, MD: 151–186.
U.S. EPA, 1995. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP): LaboratoryMethods Manual-Estuaries, Vol. I: Biological and Physical Analyses. EPA/620/R/008, Office of Research and Development, Narragansett, RI.
U.S. EPA, 1999. Draft Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen (Saltwater): Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras. EPA 822-D-99-002, Office of Water (4304), Washington D.C.
Van Dolah, R. F., J. L. Hyland, A. F. Holland, J. S. Rosen & T. R. Snoots, 1999. A benthic index of biological integrity for assessing habitat quality in estuaries of the southeastern USA. Mar. Environ. Res. 48: 269–283.
Wade, T. L., J. M. Brooks, M. C. Kennicutt II, T. J. McDonald, J. L. Sericano & T. J. Jackson, 1993. GERG trace organics contaminant analytical techniques. In: Lauenstein, G.G. & Cantillo, A.Y. (eds), Sampling and Analytical Methods of the National Status and Trends Program, National Benthic Surveillance, and Mussel Watch Projects, 1984-1992. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOS ORCA 71 (Vol. IV), NOAA, Silver Spring, MD: 121–140.
Wade, T. L., B. Garcia-Romero & J. M. Brooks, 1990. Butyltin in sediments and bivalves from U.S. coastal areas. Chemosphere 20: 647–662.
Wade, T. L., D. J. Velinsky, E. Reinharz & C. E. Schekat, 1994. Tidal river sediments in theWashington, D.C. area. II. Distribution and sources of organic contaminants. Estuaries 17: 321–333.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hyland, J., Balthis, W., Hackney, C. et al. Sediment quality of North Carolina estuaries: an integrative assessment of sediment contamination, toxicity, and condition of benthic fauna. Journal of Aquatic Ecosystem Stress and Recovery 8, 107–124 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011464609142
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011464609142