Benthic fauna from two stations within a five-year old borrow area and
two control stations off Hillsboro Beach (Broward County), Florida were
sampled quarterly from June 1977 to March 1978. Generally enhanced productivities
occurred within the borrow area, although there was much
seasonal variation among stations. Species diversities were usually
higher at the borrow stations than at the controls. The single exception
was due to a striking concentration of the bivalve Ervilia nitens
at one of the control stations in June. Although the faunal similarity
analysis indicated that a qualitative change in the fauna of the borrow
area had occurred, this change cannot be said to be detrimental. Conspicuous
patterns of heterogeneous distribution of fauna were evident
in this study, particularly with the bivalve Ervilia nitens. No lasting
detrimental effects, in terms of numbers of species, faunal densities,
or species diversity, resulted from the dredging that occurred five
years previously.
Note
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