| Using benthic community and sediment data collected in the vicinity of British Columbia salmon farms in 2000 and 2001, an analysis was conducted of the relationship between previously defined sulphide or redox threshold conditions and community successional stages of benthic macrofauna as defined by Pearson and Rosenberg (1978). The influence of other sediment properties was also evaluated in relation to the benthic macrofauna structure. From the structural analysis of the benthic community the functional capacity was then qualitatively appraised.;Results of impact from data analyzed from salmon aquaculture facilities in 2000 and 2001 showed significant organic enrichment of near-field sediments. The documented changes to benthic architecture related to physicochemical stressors include; loss of species diversity and richness, eliminated taxa, increased dominance, increased similarity, elimination of food source for pelagic organisms, reduced reworking of sediments and impact to the biogeochemical processes. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
