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Detection of pollution effects on marine macrobenthos: further evaluation of the species abundance/biomass method

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Abstract

Further empirical data are presented to evaluate the method of detecting pollution-induced disturbance in marine benthic communities by a comparison of the distribution of numbers of individuals among species with the distribution of biomass among species. A suggested abbreviated name for the technique is the ABC method (abundance biomass comparison). Application of the technique to new data shows that it is a sensitive indicator of natural physical and biological disturbance as well as pollution-induced disturbance over both spatial and temporal scales. Changes in the configuration of ABC plots during ecological succession are the reverse of those resulting from increased pollution levels. The technique should also be applicable to intertidal sediments, where physical disturbance of the sediment by waves does not appear to preclude its utility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Marine Environmental Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Prospect Place The Hoe, PL1 3 DH, Plymouth, Devon, England

    R. M. Warwick &  Ruswahyuni

  2. Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, Scottish Marine Biological Association, PA34 4AD, Oban, Argyll, Scotland

    T. H. Pearson

  3. Department of Fisheries, Universitas Diponegoro, JI. Hayam Wuruk 4 A, Semarang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia

    Ruswahyuni

Authors
  1. R. M. Warwick
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  2. T. H. Pearson
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  3. Ruswahyuni
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Communicated by J.Mauchline, Oban

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Warwick, R.M., Pearson, T.H. & Ruswahyuni Detection of pollution effects on marine macrobenthos: further evaluation of the species abundance/biomass method. Mar. Biol. 95, 193–200 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409005

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409005

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