Effects of industrial and urban pollution on the benthic macrofauna in the Bay of Muggia (industrial port of Trieste, Italy)

摘要: The benthic macrofauna of the Bay Muggia and its evolution in time was analysed order to assess impact man-made pollution this port area. north NE zones are totally industrialised while southern zone is mainly used for tourism aquaculture. most important anthropic impacts were stagnation direct urban industrial discharges, which operated until beginning 1990s. Forty-four stations sampled 1981, 12 monitored over (1975, 1981 1994). From 172 taxa 11 783 organisms identified. Polychaetes richest group, followed by molluscs, crustaceans echinoderms. dominant species Corbula gibba (39.5%) Pectinaria koreni (9%). Uni- multivariate analyses showed a declining pattern fauna along gradient environmental stress. very high concentrations heavy metals Bay's sediments, especially Pb, contrasted with diversity biological index values found, indicating that many could survive these conditions. enforcement Italian ecological laws regarding water control benefited local evidenced resilience system. C. constituted good indicator instability (especially sedimentary) intermediate levels pollution.