From the individual to the community and beyond: water quality, stress indicators and key species in coastal waters

This review examines water quality and stress indicators at levels of organisation from the individual to the community and beyond by means of three case studies concentrating on rocky shores within the north-east Atlantic. Responses of dogwhelks (Nucella) to tributyltin pollution from antifouling paints is examined as the main case study. There are effects at the individual level (development of male sexual characteristics in the female leading to effective sterility) and population level (reduction in juveniles, few females and eventual population disappearance of dogwhelks in badly contaminated areas) but information on community level effects of dogwhelk demise is sparse. Such effects were simulated by dogwhelk removal experiments on well studied, moderately exposed ledges on shores on the Isle of Man. The removal of dogwhelks reduced the size and longevity of newly established Fucus clumps that had escaped grazing. Removal of dogwhelks also increased the likelihood of algal escapes. In a factorial experiment dogwhelks were shown to be less important than limpets \{Patella) in structuring communities but still had a significant modifying effect by increasing the probability of algal escapes. Community level responses to stress on rocky shores are then explored by reference to catastrophic impacts such as oil spills, using the Torrey Canyon as a case study. Recovery of the system in response to this major perturbation took between 10-15 years through a series of damped oscillations. The final case study is that of indicators of ecosystem level change in response to climate fluctuations, using ratios of northern \{Semibalanus balanoides) and southern (Chthamalus spp.) barnacles. Indices derived from counts on the shore show good correlations with inshore sea-water temperatures after a 2-year lag phase. The use of barnacles to measure offshore changes is reviewed. The discussion considers the use of bioindicators at various levels of organisation.

Stress, shredders and streams: using gammarus energetics to assess water quality

This paper reviews the effectiveness of Gammarus scope for growth (SfG) as an indicator of water quality. In addition, the link between physiological changes and effects at higher levels of biological organisation is addressed. Exposure to a range of toxicants resulted in decreases in Gammarus SfG which were qualitatively and quantitatively correlated with subsequent reductions in growth and reproduction. Reductions in SfG were due principally to a decrease in energy intake (i.e. feeding rate) rather than an increase in energy expenditure. Gammarus pulex is an important shredder in many stream communities and stressed-induced reductions in its feeding activity were correlated with reductions in the processing of leaf litter by a semi-natural stream community. Hence, changes in the physiological energetics of Gammarus provide a general and sensitive indicator of stress which can be linked to effects at higher levels of biological organisation. Under long-term stress and hence prolonged reductions in SfG, animals may adapt by modifying their life-history strategies and producing fewer, larger offspring.

Metallothionein as an indicator of water quality: assessment of the bioavailability of cadmium, copper, mercury and zinc in aquatic animals at the cellular level

The study of metallothioneins (MTs) has greatly improved our understanding of body burdens, metal storage and detoxification in aquatic organisms subjected to contamination by the toxic heavy metals, Cd, Cu, Hg and Zn. These studies have shown that in certain organisms MT status can be used to assess impact of these metals at the cellular level and, whilst validation is currently limited to a few examples, this stress response may be linked to higher levels of organisation, thus indicating its potential for environmental quality assessment. Molluscs, such as Mytilus spp., and several commonly occurring teleost species, are the most promising of the indicator species tested. Natural variability of MT levels caused by the organism's size, condition, age, position in the sexual cycle, temperature and various stressors, can lead to difficulties in interpretation of field data as a definitive response-indicator of metal contamination unless a critical appraisal of these variables is available. From laboratory and field studies these data are almost complete for teleost fish. Whilst for molluscs much of this information is lacking, when suitable controls are utilised and MT measurements are combined with observations of metal partitioning, current studies indicate that they are nevertheless a powerful tool in the interpretation of impact, and may prove useful in water quality assessment.

The impact of molecular biology on assessment of water quality: advantages and limitations of current techniques

The advent of molecular biology has had a dramatic impact on all aspects of biology, not least applied microbial ecology. Microbiological testing of water has traditionally depended largely on culture techniques. Growing understanding that only a small proportion of microbial species are culturable, and that many microorganisms may attain a viable but non-culturable state, has promoted the development of novel approaches to monitoring pathogens in the environment. This has been paralleled by an increased awareness of the surprising genetic diversity of natural microbial populations. By targeting gene sequences that are specific for particular microorganisms, for example genes that encode diagnostic enzymes, or species-specific domains of conserved genes such as 16S ribosomal RNA coding sequences (rrn genes), the problems of culture can be avoided. Technical developments, notably in the area of in vitro amplification of DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), now permit routine detection and identification of specific microorganisms, even when present in very low numbers. Although the techniques of molecular biology have provided some very powerful tools for environmental microbiology, it should not be forgotten that these have their own drawbacks and biases in sampling. For example, molecular techniques are dependent on efficient lysis and recovery of nucleic acids from both vegetative forms and spores of microbial species that may differ radically when growing in the laboratory compared with the natural environment. Furthermore, PCR amplification can introduce its own bias depending on the nature of the oligonucleotide primers utilised. However, despite these potential caveats, it seems likely that a molecular biological approach, particularly with its potential for automation, will provide the mainstay of diagnostic technology for the foreseeable future.

The relationship between aquatic macrophytes and water quality in Nta-Wogba Stream, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

An empirical survey of macrophytes distribution and biomass from four stations, along Nta-wogba stream in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was conducted between April and December 2007, to quantify the relationship between biomass, in stream nutrients and dissolved ions. The correlation analysis indicated that the biomass of the aquatic macrophytes under consideration, Einochloa pyramidalis; Diplazum sammatii; Cyperus difformis; Alternathera sessilis and Ludwigia decurrens were significantly (P<0.05) related to the nutrients: sulphate, ammonium; nitrate, and phosphate in all the stations. The measurement of total dissolved solid, which is correlated to ionic concentrations and turbidity, provided a rough indication of in stream light availability.

The effects of water quality on freshwater fish populations - final report

There is a need to determine quantitative relationships between fishery status and water quality in order to make informed judgements concerning fishery health and the setting of environmental quality standards for fishery protection. Such relationships would also assist in the formulation of a system for classifying fisheries. A national database of fisheries and water quality has been collated from the archives of pollution control authorities throughout the UK. A number of probable and potential water quality effects on fish populations have been identified from a thorough analysis of the database, notwithstanding large confounding effects such as habitat variation and fish mobility, and the generally sparse nature of water quality information. A number of different approaches to data analysis was utilised, and the value of each has been appraised. Recommendations concerning the integration of water quality assessment approaches have been made and further research on fishery status, and its measurement, in relation to water quality has been suggested.

A comparison between warm-water fish assemblages of Narragansett Bay and those of Long Island Sound waters

Fish species of warmwater origin appear in northeastern U.S. coastal waters in the late summer and remain until late fall when the temperate waters cool. The annual abundance and species composition of warm-water species is highly variable from year to year, and these variables may have effects on the trophic dynamics of this region. To understand this variability, records of warm-water fish occurrence were examined in two neighboring temperate areas, Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound. The most abundant fish species were the same in both areas, and regional abundances peaked in both areas in the middle of September, four weeks after the maximum temperature in the middle of August. On average, abundance of warm-water species increased throughout the years sampled, although this increase can not be said to be exclusively related to temperature. Weekly mean temperatures between the two locations were highly correlated (r= 0.99; P<0.001). The warm-water fish faunas were distinctly different in annual abundances in the two areas for each species by year (1987–2000), and these differences ref lect the variability in the transport processes to temperate estuaries. The results reveal information on the abundance of warm-water fish in relation to trends toward warmer waters in these region