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Impacts of restoration of an uncontrolled phosphogypsum dumpsite on the seasonal distribution of abiotic variables, phytoplankton, copepods, and ciliates in a man-made solar saltern

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Abstract

The restoration of an uncontrolled phosphogypsum landfill was investigated for its effects on the seasonal distribution of phytoplankton, ciliates, and copepods. Sampling was carried out monthly from September 2007 to August 2008 at four ponds of increasing salinity (A1, 41 psu; A5, 46 psu; A16, 67 psu; and C31, 77 psu) in the Sfax solar saltern (southeastern Tunisia). Physicochemical and biological analyses were carried out using standard methods. Results showed drastic reduction of phosphate input and greater diversity of phytoplankton, ciliates, and copepods than before restoration. Pennate diatoms and new ciliates, considered bio-indicators of less-stressed marine ecosystems, proliferated in the A1 pond for the first time after restoration. Copepods appeared to feed on a wide range of prey. Economically, removal of the 1.7 million m3 of phosphate improved the quality of the site’s salt production, enabling the salt company to receive the quality ISO 9001 accreditation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the COTUSAL staff for granting them access to the saltern and permission to take samples. This study is a part of the Ph.D. of Rayda Kobbi and was supported by The Plankton and Microbiology of Aquatic Ecosystems Laboratory (University of Sfax, Tunisia) and Chrono-Environment, UMR CNRS 6249 (University of Franche-Comté, France).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, Unité de recherche UR/05ES05 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3,5, B.P. 1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Rayda Kobbi-Rebai, Neila Annabi-Trabelsi, Hajer Khemakhem & Habib Ayadi

  2. Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Franche-Comté, 1, Place Leclerc, 25030, Besançon cedex, France

    Lotfi Aleya

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  1. Rayda Kobbi-Rebai
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  2. Neila Annabi-Trabelsi
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  3. Hajer Khemakhem
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  4. Habib Ayadi
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  5. Lotfi Aleya
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Correspondence to Lotfi Aleya.

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Kobbi-Rebai, R., Annabi-Trabelsi, N., Khemakhem, H. et al. Impacts of restoration of an uncontrolled phosphogypsum dumpsite on the seasonal distribution of abiotic variables, phytoplankton, copepods, and ciliates in a man-made solar saltern. Environ Monit Assess 185, 2139–2155 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2695-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2695-9

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