TY - JOUR

T1 - Measuring ecological quality status in low-diversity Arctic intertidal foraminiferal assemblages using a diversity-based index

AU - Голикова, Елена Алексеевна

AU - Varfolomeeva, Marina

AU - Куршева, А. В.

AU - Моргунова, И.П.

AU - Аристов, Дмитрий Алексеевич

AU - Renaud, Paul

AU - Гранович, Андрей Игоревич

AU - Корсун, Сергей Анатольевич

PY - 2024/6/1

Y1 - 2024/6/1

N2 - EcoQS assessment of the marine intertidal zone based on its fauna is challenging because the assemblages have a low diversity and consist of stress tolerant species. The new approach we propose is to pool foraminiferal diversity (effective number of species exp(H'bc)) across the whole intertidal zone including the salt marsh and tidal flat. In seven fjordheads studied in northern Fennoscandia, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations indicated low levels of pollution (EcoQSPAH Excellent to Moderate). Jadammina or Balticammina dominated the salt marsh, Elphidium albiumbilicatum, Elphidium williamsoni, Elphidium clavatum, and Buccella frigida occurred in the tidal flat. Ovammina opaca thrived in both belts. While foraminiferal test abnormalities are often proposed to measure pollution impacts, we did not detect any correlation with PAHs. EcoQS based on foraminiferal diversity (EcoQSforam Excellent to Good) matched EcoQS based on PAHs suggesting that pooled foraminiferal diversity reliably measures intertidal EcoQS.

AB - EcoQS assessment of the marine intertidal zone based on its fauna is challenging because the assemblages have a low diversity and consist of stress tolerant species. The new approach we propose is to pool foraminiferal diversity (effective number of species exp(H'bc)) across the whole intertidal zone including the salt marsh and tidal flat. In seven fjordheads studied in northern Fennoscandia, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations indicated low levels of pollution (EcoQSPAH Excellent to Moderate). Jadammina or Balticammina dominated the salt marsh, Elphidium albiumbilicatum, Elphidium williamsoni, Elphidium clavatum, and Buccella frigida occurred in the tidal flat. Ovammina opaca thrived in both belts. While foraminiferal test abnormalities are often proposed to measure pollution impacts, we did not detect any correlation with PAHs. EcoQS based on foraminiferal diversity (EcoQSforam Excellent to Good) matched EcoQS based on PAHs suggesting that pooled foraminiferal diversity reliably measures intertidal EcoQS.

KW - Barents Sea

KW - EcoQS

KW - Foraminiferal diversity index

KW - PAH

KW - Salt marsh and tidal flat

KW - Shell abnormalities

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/9687bc34-2607-35b5-9b1d-edb9cb564894/

U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116473

DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116473

M3 - Article

VL - 203

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

SN - 0025-326X

M1 - 116473

ER -