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Assessment of the Effects of Sediment-Associated Metals and Metalloids on Mangrove Macroinvertebrate Assemblages

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Abstract

Although much previous research effort has examined the impacts of metal contamination on macrobenthic assemblages in subtidal sediments, little attention has been directed at macroinvertebrate responses in intertidal mangrove habitats. Thus, in order to assess the unique responses of mangrove macroinvertebrate assemblages to sediment metal(loid) contamination, total, normalised and bioavailable metal(loid)s (Mn, Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Co, Ni, Zn and Cu) were assessed within and between four mangrove locations in Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia, and compared to resident macroinvertebrate assemblages over two sampling occasions. Mangrove biomass and physicochemical properties of sediment are known to influence macroinvertebrate assemblages, and as such, were also assessed to account for any potential confounding effect on macroinvertebrate assemblage composition. Significant differences in total and bioavailable metal(loid) contamination were found between and within locations and were consistent over time. Sediments at contaminated locations presented a high risk to biota with bioavailable concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn found to exceed sediment quality guidelines and concentrations of Se capable of adverse impacts to biota. Macroinvertebrate assemblage composition varied with metal(loid) contamination loads present at study locations. Metal(loid) contamination was significantly correlated with macroinvertebrate assemblages over two sampling periods. Further analysis revealed that 71% of macroinvertebrate assemblage composition could best be explained by a combination of five variables namely, bioavailable Mn, Zn, and Se, number of mangrove seedlings and mean mangrove biomass. Rather than tolerant polychaetes dominating metal(loid)-contaminated sediments (as is found generally in subtidal sediments), polychaetes in intertidal mangroves appeared to be relatively sensitive to metal(loid) stress. Further, decapod crustaceans in the family, Varunidae, and gastropod molluscs, in the family, Amphibolidae, were found to be metal-sensitive taxa and may be employed in future studies as indicator taxa of sediment metal(loid)-related impacts in south-eastern Australian mangrove forests.

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Acknowledgments

Macroinvertebrate taxa were collected under a NSW Fisheries scientific collection permit P13/0037. Thanks to Cody Henderson and John Hembra for assistance with field sampling and laboratory analyses. Additional appreciation is extended to Tony Rothkirch for assistance in ICPMS analysis and to Mahmud Rahman from the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle, for assistance with CNS analysis. Thanks to Olivier Rey-Lescure for map preparation.

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  1. School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Rebecca A. L. Roe, Thi Kim Anh Tran, Maria J. Schreider & Geoff R. MacFarlane

  2. School of Agriculture and Resources, Vinh University, Vinh, Vietnam

    Thi Kim Anh Tran

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  1. Rebecca A. L. Roe
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Roe, R.A.L., Tran, T.K.A., Schreider, M.J. et al. Assessment of the Effects of Sediment-Associated Metals and Metalloids on Mangrove Macroinvertebrate Assemblages. Water Air Soil Pollut 231, 352 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04731-7

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