Catchment to sea connection: Impacts of terrestrial run-off on benthic ecosystems in American Samoa

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:169

Article

Comeros-Raynal, Mia T.¹  Brodie, Jon¹  Bainbridge, Zoe²  Choat, John Howard³  Curtis, Meagan⁴  Lewis, Stephen²  Stevens, Thomas²  Shuler, Christopher K.⁵  Sudek, Mareike⁶  Hoey, Andrew S.¹ 

[1] James Cook Univ, ARC Ctr Excellence Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia

[2] James Cook Univ, TropWATER, Catchment Reef Res Grp, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia

[3] James Cook Univ, Coll Sci & Engn, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia

[4] Amer Samoa Community Coll, Pago Pago, AS 96799 USA

[5] Univ Hawaii Manoa, Water Resources Res Ctr, Div Earth Sci, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA

[6] Cardinal Point Captains, Oceanside, CA 92056 USA

关键词: Water quality;    Suspended particulate matter;    Nutrients;    Sedimentation;    Land use;    Coral reefs;    High islands;    Ridge-to-reef;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112530

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Variation in water quality can directly affect the composition of benthic assemblages on coral reefs. Yet, few studies have directly quantified nutrient and suspended particulate matter (SPM) to examine their potential impacts on benthic community structure, especially around high oceanic islands. We assessed the spatiotemporal variation of nutrients and SPM across six sites in American Samoa over a 12-month period and used exploratory path analysis to relate dissolved inorganic nutrients, land use, and natural and anthropogenic drivers to benthic assemblages on adjacent shallow reefs. Multivariate analyses showed clear gradients in nutrient concentrations, sediment accumulation and composition, and benthic structure across watersheds. Instream nutrients and land uses positively influenced reef flat nutrient concentrations, while benthic assemblages were best predicted by wave exposure, runoff, stream phosphate and dissolved inorganic nitrogen loads. Identifying locality-specific drivers of water quality and benthic condition can support targeted management in American Samoa and in other high islands.

【 授权许可】

Free