Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Coastal Monitoring through Partnerships pp 187–197Cite as

An Approach for Identifying the Causes of Benthic Degradation in Chesapeake Bay

  • Chapter

  • 210 Accesses

Abstract

We developed an index to differentiate between low dissolved oxygen effects and sediment contamination effects for sites classified as degraded by the Chesapeake Bay Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI), using discriminant analysis. We tested 126 metrics for differences between sites with low dissolved oxygen and sites with contaminated sediments. A total of 16 benthic community metrics met the variable selection criteria and were used to develop a discriminant function that classified degraded sites into one of two stress groups. The resulting discriminant function correctly classified 77% of the low dissolved oxygen sites and 80% of the contaminated sites in the validation data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Alden, R. W. III, Dauer, D. M. and Rule, H. H.: 1982, ‘Environmental Studies at a Proposed Mid-Atlantic Dredged Material Disposal Site’, in: Oceans 82, pp. 1034–1041.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alden, R. W. III, Ewing, R. M., Helmstetter, M. F., Winfield, J. G., Burdige, D. J., Rule, J. H., Wong, G. T. F., Swift, D. J. P. and Muller, A.: 1991, ‘Distribution and Management Implications of Contaminants in Elizabeth River Sediments’, Technical Report, Applied Marine Research Laboratory Report No. 741-I, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 262 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilyard, G. R.: 1987, ‘The Value of Benthic Infauna in Marine Pollution Monitoring Studies’, Marine Pollution Bulletin 18, 581–585.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boesch, D. F.: 1977, ‘A New Look at the Zonation of Benthos Along the Estuarine Gradient’ in: Coull, B. C. (ed), Ecology of Marine Benthos, Univ. of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, pp. 245–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell, J. H.: 1978, ‘Diversity in Tropical Rainforest and Coral Reefs’, Science 199, 1302–1310.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dauer, D. M.: 1993, ‘Biological Criteria, Environmental Health and Estuarine Macrobenthic Community Structure’, Marine Pollution Bulletin 26, 249–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dauer, D. M., Luckenbach, M. W. and Rodi, Jr., A. J.: 1993, ‘Abundance Biomass Comparison (ABC Method): Effects of an Estuarine Gradient, Anoxic/Hypoxic Events and Contaminated Sediments’, Marine Biology 116, 507–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dauer, D. M., Marshall, H. G., Carpenter, K. E., Lane, M. F., Alden, III, R. W., Nesius, K. K. and Haas, L. W.: 1998, ‘Virginia Chesapeake Bay Water Quality and Living Resources Monitoring Programs: Executive Report, 1985–1996’, Final Report to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 28 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dauer, D. M., Ranasinghe, J. A. and Rodi, A. J. Jr.: 1992, ‘Effects of Low Dissolved Oxygen Levels on the Macrobenthos of the Lower Chesapeake Bay’, Estuaries 15, 384–391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diaz, R. J. and Rosenberg, R.: 1995. ‘Marine Benthic Hypoxia: A Review of its Ecological Effects and the Behavioral Responses of Benthic Macrofauna’, Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 33, 245–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillion, W. R. and Goldstein, M.: 1984, Multivariate Analysis: Methods and Applications, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engle, V. D. and Summers, J. K.: 1998, ‘Determining the Causes of Benthic Condition’, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51, 381–397.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engle, V. D. and Summers, J. K.: 1999, ‘Refinement, Validation, and Application of a Benthic Con- dition Index for Northern Gulf of Mexico Estuaries’, Estuaries 22, 624–635.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engle, V. D., Summers, J. K. and Gaston, G. R.: 1994, ‘A Benthic Index of Environmental Condition of Gulf of Mexico Estuaries’, Estuaries 17, 372–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Everitt, B. S. and Dunn, G.: 1991, Applied Multivariate Data Analysis, Halsted Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, J. S.: 1979, ‘Pollution-induced Changes in Populations’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Biologist 286, 545–561.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, M. and Dillion, W. R.: 1978, Discrete Discriminant Analysis, John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huggett, R. J., Bender, M. E., and Unger, M. A.: 1987, ‘Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Elizabeth River, Virginia’, In: Dickson, K. L., Maki, A. W. and Brungs, W. A. (eds.). Fate and Effects of Sediment-Bound Chemicals in Aquatic Systems, Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 327–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khattree, R. and Naik, D. N.: 2000, Multivariate Data Reduction and Discrimination with SAS Software, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klecka, W. R.: 1980, Discriminant Analysis, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lachenbruch, P. A.: 1975, Discriminant Analysis, Hafner Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., MacDonald, D. D., Smith, S. L. and Calder, F. D.: 1995, ‘Incidence of Adverse Biological Effects within Ranges of Chemical Concentration in Marine and Estuarine Sediments’, Environmental Management 19, 81–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLachlan, G. J.: 1992, Discriminant Analysis and Statistical pattern Recognition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menge, B. A. and Sutherland, J. P.: 1987, ‘Community regulation: variation in disturbance, competition, and predation in relation to environmental stress and recruitment’, American Naturalist 130, 730–757.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, M. C., Roberts, Jr., M. H. and R. C. Hale (eds): 2001, Coastal and Estuarine Risk Assessment, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul, J. F., Scott, K. J., Campbell, D. E., Gentile, J. H., Strobel, C. S., Valente, R. M., Weisberg, S. B., Holland, A. F., Ranasinghe, J. A.: 2001, `Developing and Applying a Benthic Index of Estuarine Condition for the Virginian Biogeographic Province’, Ecological Indicators 1, 83–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, T. H. and Rosenberg, R.: 1978, ‘Macrobenthic Succession in Relation to Organic Enrichment and Pollution of the Marine Environment’, Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Review 16, 229–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute, Inc.: 1990, SAS/STAT User’s Guide Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, S.: 1996, Applied Multivariate Techniques, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, W. P.: 1979a, ‘Experimental Investigation of Disturbance and Ecological Succession in a Rocky Intertidal Algal Community’, Ecological Monographs 49, 227–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, W. P.: 1979b, ‘Disturbance in Marine Intertidal Boulder Fields: The Nonequilibrium Maintenance of Species Diversity’, Ecology 60, 1225–1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Summers, J. K., Macualey, J. M. and Heitmuller, P. T.: 1991, ‘Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program. Implementation Plan for Monitoring the Estuarine Waters of the Louisianian Province-1991 Demonstration’, EPA/600/5–91/228. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swartz, R. C. and Lee, II, H.: 1980, ‘Biological Processes Affecting the Distribution of Pollutants in Marine Sediments. Part I. Accumulation, Trophic Transfer, Biodegradation and Migration’, In R.A. Baker (ed.), Contaminants and Sediments, Vol. 2, Analysis, Chemistry, Biology, Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 533–554.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisberg, S. B., Frithsen, J. B., Holland, A. F., Paul, J. F., Scott, K. J., Summers, J. K., Wilson, H. T., Valente, R., Heimbuch, D., Gerritsen, J., Schimmel, S. C. and Latimer, R. W.: 1993, ‘EMAPEstuaries Virginian Province 1990 Demonstration Project Report’, EPA/620/R-93/006. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Research Laboratory, Narragansett, Rhode Island.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisberg, S. B., Ranasinghe, J. A., Dauer, D. M., Schaffner, L. C., Diaz, R. J. and Frithsen, J. B.: 1997, ‘An Estuarine Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) for Chesapeake Bay’, Estuaries 20, 149–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. G. and Jeffrey, D. W.: 1994, ‘Benthic Biological Pollution Indices in Estuaries’, In K. J. M. Kramer (ed.), Biomonitoring of Coastal Waters and Estuaries, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp 311–327.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA

    Cory S. Christman & Daniel M. Dauer

Authors
  1. Cory S. Christman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel M. Dauer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel M. Dauer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Atlantic Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narrangansett, Rhode Island, USA

    Brian D. Melzian

  2. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Gulf Ecology Divison, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, Florida, USA

    Virginia Engle

  3. The Council of State Governments, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

    Malissa McAlister  & Lisa Kay Eads  & 

  4. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    Shabeg Sandhu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Christman, C.S., Dauer, D.M. (2003). An Approach for Identifying the Causes of Benthic Degradation in Chesapeake Bay. In: Melzian, B.D., Engle, V., McAlister, M., Sandhu, S., Eads, L.K. (eds) Coastal Monitoring through Partnerships. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0299-7_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0299-7_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6203-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-0299-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation