Benthic organisms as indicators of environmental change on subarctic tidal flats, Iqaluit, Baffin Island, Northwest Territories

The biota, sediment and freshwater streams of Koojesse Inlet, near the town of Iqaluit, Baffin Island were analyzed to examine the change in benthic communities along the environmental gradient of the tidal flat, as well as along gradients of environmental disturbance resulting from human activity. The main sources of environmental disturbance include the sewage lagoon, dump sites and an area of the tidal flat that is bulldozed every spring for the mooring of boats. Sampling of the tidal flats included 300 biological sediment cores and 77 sediment samples taken along 7 transects. Polychaetes dominate the sediment cores and are the focus of this study. Water samples were taken from the 13 sources which drain onto the tidal flats, identifying the sewage lagoon as a potential impact.;Statistical analysis did not reveal a significant variation in the tidal flat communities, in terms of the number of species, density, diversity or evenness values with the tidal flat gradient or with sources of environmental disturbance. In addition, no significant statistical relationships between the sedimentary environment and the biological environments was established. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...