Abstract:

Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) assessment surveys are a common tool for ecosystem assessments to indicate bay health. The triad consists of sediment chemistry, toxicity testing, and benthic community structure and diversity. Sediment contaminant concentrations indicate chemical dose, toxicity tests indicate biological responses, and benthic diversity indicates ecological responses. Together the three measures indicate ecosystem health. The current project was performed in Lavaca Bay and Matagorda Bay because there are industrial discharges into the bays and a legacy Superfund site with mercury contamination.

Suggested Citation:

Montagna, Paul A., Jasmine Caillier, Marie E. DeLorenzo, and Pete Key. 2023. Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) Assessment Survey of Lavaca and Matagorda Bays. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/9syzmzrd

Purpose:

This project was performed to determine if pollution is responsible for a long-term decline in benthic infauna in Lavaca and Matagorda Bays.

Data Parameters and Units:

Salinity (psu), Dissolved Oxygen saturation (%), Dissolved Oxygen concentration (mg/L), pH (pH units), Secchi depth (m), Infauna Biomass (g/m²), Infauna Abundance (n/m²), Infauna Diversity (S/sample), Mollusk shell lengths (mm), Invertebrate Survival (%), Microtox toxicity (EC50), Sediment Moisture (%), Sediment Lipid (%), Sediment Grain Size (%), Sediment metals (mg/Kg), Sediment Solids (%), TOC (%), Total Alkanes (µg/g), Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (µg/g), Total Resolved Hydrocarbons (µg/g), Unresolved Complex Mixture (µg/g), Total HCH (ng/g), Total Chlordane (ng/g), Total DDT (ng/g), Total PCB (ng/g), Total PAH (ng/g)

Methods:

Chemical analyses were performed by B&B Laboratories, Inc., A TDI-Brooks Affiliate. All methods and results are described in the Technical Report 22-4291, entitled, "Determination of: Grain Size (GS), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Trace Elements (TM), Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (ALI), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and Organochlorine Pesticides/Polychlorinated biphenyls (OC) in Sediment Samples." Benthic analyses were performed by the Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi under the supervision of Paul A. Montagna. Methods are described in: Kalke, R. and P.A. Montagna. 1991. The effect on freshwater inflow on macrobenthos in the Lavaca River delta and upper Lavaca Bay, Texas. Contributions in Marine Science 32: 49-77. https://tamucc-ir.tdl.org/handle/1969.6/96397 Pollack, J.B., J.W. Kinsey, and P.A. Montagna. 2009. Freshwater Inflow Biotic Index (FIBI) for the Lavaca-Colorado Estuary, Texas. Environmental Bioindicators 4:153-169. http://doi.org/10.1080/15555270902986831 Toxicity studies were performed by the Ecotoxicology Branch, Stressor Detection and Impacts Division, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, NOAA National Ocean Service under the supervision of Marie E. DeLorenzo. Toxicity to three estuarine species: the grass shrimp Paleomon pugio, the amphipod Leptochirus plumolusus, and the polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata was measured. Also, a Microtox® assay was performed. Each of the tests used standard methods described in: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USEPA/USACE) (1991) Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed for Ocean Disposal – Testing Manual. EPA 503-89-1-001, February 1991. USEPA/USACE (1998) Inland testing manual. Evaluation of dredged material proposed for discharge in waters of the U.S. – Testing Manual. EPA-B-98-004, February 1998. American Society for Testing and Materials Guide E 1611 (ASTM 2013). Standard guidelines for conducting sediment toxicity tests with polychaetous annelids. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA. American Society for Testing and Materials Guide E 1391 (ASTM 2014). Standard guide for collection, storage, characterization and manipulation of sediments for toxicological testing and for selection of samplers used to collect benthic invertebrates. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA. Microbics Corporation. 1995. Microtox® Acute Toxicity Solid-Phase Test. Microbics Corporation, Carlsbad, CA. Ringwood AH, DeLorenzo ME, Ross PE, Holland AF. 1997. Interpretation of Microtox® solid-phase toxicity tests: The effects of sediment composition. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 16:1135–1140. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1996) Ecological Effects Test Guidelines OPPTS 850.1740 Whole Sediment Acute Toxicity- Invertebrates, Marine EPA 712–C–96–355

Provenance and Historical References:

Bissett, W., Adams, L.G., Field, R., Moyer, W., Phillips, T., Scott, H.M., Wade, T., Sweet, S., Thompson, J.A. 2008. Bayesian spatial modeling of Lavaca Bay pollutants. Marine Pollution Bulletin 56: 1781-1787. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.06.010 Harris, E.K., P.A. Montagna, A.R. Douglas, L. Vitale, and D. Buzan. 2023. Influence of an industrial discharge on long-term dynamics of abiotic and biotic resources in Lavaca Bay, Texas, USA. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 195:40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10665-w Montagna, P.A. and R.D. Kalke. 1995. Ecology of infaunal Mollusca in south Texas estuaries. American Malacological Bulletin 11: 163-175. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45940964 Montagna, P.A., T.A. Palmer, R.D. Kalke, and A. Gossmann. 2008. Suitability of using a limited number of sampling stations to represent benthic habitats in Lavaca-Colorado Estuary, Texas. Environmental Bioindicators 3: 156 – 171. http://doi.org/10.1080/15555270802374690 Pollack, J.B., T.A. Palmer, and P.A. Montagna. 2011. Long-term trends in the response of benthic macrofauna to climate variability in the Lavaca-Colorado Estuary, Texas. Marine Ecology Progress Series 436: 67-80. http://doi.org/10.3354/meps09267

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