Phytoplankton and benthic infauna responses to aeration, an experimental ecological remediation, in a polluted subtropical estuary with organic-rich sediments.

ABSTRACT: Fine-grained organic-rich sediments (FGORS) are accumulating in estuaries worldwide, with multi-faceted negative ecosystem impacts. A pilot experiment was carried out in a residential canal of the Indian River Lagoon estuary (IRL, Florida, USA) using an aeration treatment intended to mitigate the harmful ecological effects of organic-rich sediment pollution. Planktonic and benthic communities were monitored, and environmental data collected throughout the aeration process. Results were compared against control conditions to evaluate the efficacy of aeration in the mitigation of FGORS. During the aeration process, hurricane Irma impacted the study area, bringing heavy rainfall and spawning a brown tide event (Aureoumbra lagunensis). The overall thickness and volume of FGORS, and the organic

SUBMITTER: Ma X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9873162 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature