Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
Benthic faunal repopulation of a newly created borrow pit off Delray
Beach, Florida was monitored from 15 June 1978 to 23 June 1979. For
comparative purposes, a single sampling of an adjacent five year old
borrow pit was conducted concurrently with the final sampling of the
new pit. Repopulation of the new pit was rapid, with 35 species and
1081 inds./m^2 collected at the initial sampling, 21 days postdredging.
Abundance peaked at 1761 inds./m^2 in the third sampling
period (169 days postdredging) and species richness peaked at the
fifth sampling period (325 days post dredging) with 57 species. Polychaete annelids and peracarid crustaceans were the numerically
most important initial colonizers of the new pit, together comprising
91.8% of the fauna. Species diversity (H') and equitability were
lowest during the first sampling period (4.21 and 0.82, respectively)
and, although variable, increased toward the end of the study (5.10
and 0.92, respectively). The disturbed area showed complete recovery
based on several aspects of community structure, although differences
in species composition were still evident between the new and old
pits.
Beach, Florida was monitored from 15 June 1978 to 23 June 1979. For
comparative purposes, a single sampling of an adjacent five year old
borrow pit was conducted concurrently with the final sampling of the
new pit. Repopulation of the new pit was rapid, with 35 species and
1081 inds./m^2 collected at the initial sampling, 21 days postdredging.
Abundance peaked at 1761 inds./m^2 in the third sampling
period (169 days postdredging) and species richness peaked at the
fifth sampling period (325 days post dredging) with 57 species. Polychaete annelids and peracarid crustaceans were the numerically
most important initial colonizers of the new pit, together comprising
91.8% of the fauna. Species diversity (H') and equitability were
lowest during the first sampling period (4.21 and 0.82, respectively)
and, although variable, increased toward the end of the study (5.10
and 0.92, respectively). The disturbed area showed complete recovery
based on several aspects of community structure, although differences
in species composition were still evident between the new and old
pits.
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