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Spatial Dynamics of Pollution in a Tropical Lagoon Ecosystem and Its Social-Ecological Impacts

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Abstract

Tropical lagoon ecosystems constituting lagoons with fringe mangroves are continually polluted with effluents from different sources. This study assessed the spatial variation of selected physicochemical parameters (pH, nitrates, phosphates, and conductivity) in water and sediments from the Chilaw lagoon and its fringe mangroves located on the North-Western coast of Sri Lanka. Interviews were also conducted with local communities (including fishermen) on the social-ecological impacts of pollution in the lagoon ecosystem. Physicochemical analysis was conducted following the APHA standard methods. Statistically significant differences at 95% confidence interval were observed for levels of physicochemical parameters in water and sediment samples, with a horizontal (i.e. length-wise) and vertical (i.e. depth-wise) pollution stratification in the lagoon. Latitude had significant effects on the levels of physicochemical parameters recorded in surface water samples. High levels of pH (pH > 9) recorded in water samples were evidenced by the observation of algal blooms and limited fish catch in the lagoon over the years. Local people report a novel impact of effluent pollution on mangroves, where redworms feed on mangrove leaves. The study, therefore, calls for immediate control of effluent pollution from shrimp farming and other point sources.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their gratitude to Douglas Thisera and Anuradha Wickramasinghe of the Small Fishers Federation of Lanka (SFFL/Sudeesa), Saminda Lakmal of the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) of Sri Lanka, Sangeeth Prasad and Harshani Nainanayake of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences & Technology, University of Ruhuna, the fishermen and local people for their immense support in carrying out this research.

Funding

This project was funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems – TROPIMUNDO, and the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka (UGC/VC/DRIC/PG2019(1)/SEUSL/01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Department of Organism Biology, Faculty of Science, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt 50, CPi 264/1, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Samuel Appiah Ofori, Thanne Walawwe Gedera Fathima Mafaziya Nijamdeen & Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

  2. Ecology & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, APNA-VUB-WE, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Samuel Appiah Ofori & Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

  3. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Wellamadama, Matara, Sri Lanka

    Sunanda Kodikara Arachchilage, Loku Pulukkuttige Jayatissa, Udara Vishwa Gunathilaka & Isuru Wijesundara

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Sammanthurei, Sri Lanka

    Thanne Walawwe Gedera Fathima Mafaziya Nijamdeen

  5. Interfaculty Institute of Social-Ecological Transitions, Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB, Brussels, Belgium

    Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

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  1. Samuel Appiah Ofori
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Contributions

SAO: conceptualisation, investigation, formal analysis, and writing-original draft preparation. SKA: conceptualisation, supervision, and writing — review and editing. LPJ: conceptualisation and supervision. UVG: investigation. IW: investigation and writing — review and editing. TWGFMN: supervision and writing — review and editing. FD-G: conceptualisation, supervision, and writing — review and editing.

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Ofori, S.A., Arachchilage, S.K., Jayatissa, L.P. et al. Spatial Dynamics of Pollution in a Tropical Lagoon Ecosystem and Its Social-Ecological Impacts. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 266 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05729-z

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