Faunal characteristics and sediment accumulation processes in the James River estuary,Virginia |
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| Institution: | 1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences & Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea;2. Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia;3. Marine Ecosystem and Biological Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Ansan 15627, Republic of Korea;4. National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seochun-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 33662, Republic of Korea;5. Department of Marine Biotechnology, Anyang University, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon 23038, Republic of Korea;6. CIRA Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;7. NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Application and Research, College Park, MD 20740, USA;8. Marine Policy Research Division, Korea Maritime Institute, Busan 606-080, Republic of Korea;1. Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany;2. Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany;3. Department for Marine Research, Senckenberg am Meer, Südstrand 40, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany;4. Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany;5. J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;6. Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use, University of Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 8, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;7. Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, University of Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstr. 231, 23129 Oldenburg, Germany;1. School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand;2. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton 3251, New Zealand;3. Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | This study was designed to relate fauna characteristics and sediment accumulation processes in the James River, VA and was conducted during June 1981. Physical sedimentary and benthic biological parameters, as well as sediment structure and radionuclide profiles, were evaluated for 11 stations. Faunal distribution patterns reflected species' response to salinity changes along the estuarine gradient, but not to differences in sediment accumulation rates. Levels of bioturbation could not be predicted easily on the basis of faunal characteristics alone. Results suggest that the physical processes of erosion and deposition strongly influence the ability of macrobenthos to bioturbate sediments in this estuary. Areas of rapid deposition (>3 cm y−1) exhibit little evidence of bioturbation, as do areas where erosion, or relatively constant physical reworking of sediments, dominate. Areas with low sediment accumulation rates (0·5-3 cm y−1) exhibit the highest levels of mixing as evidenced in X-radiographs. Estuarine organisms inhabiting soft bottoms are typically ‘opportunistic’, shallow-living and short-lived species, and the composition of their communities is not strongly influenced by rates of deposition. Physical reworking of sediments is most likely to occur near to the sediment-water interface where reworking by shallow-living organisms is most intense. Sediment-mixing processes should be characterized using a range of approaches. The phasing of interactions among erosion, physical transport, deposition and biological mixing must be resolved on the appropriate time scales if the mechanics of processes governing the formation of the sedimentary record are to be elucidated. |
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