A Study of the Benthic Macrofauna at the Central Long Island Sound Disposal Site.

Abstract

Sediments of multiple sites within the Central Long Island Sound (CLIS) disposal site of New Haven, CT, were examined for grain size distribution, heavy metals content, volatile solids, and benthic organisms as part of a study of the effects of dredged material disposal and capping operations. CLIS sediments can be classified according to their grain size, content of heavy metals, and volatile solids. It is shown that a greater percentage of samples were collected from the natural bottom were higher in heavy metal and volatile solid content than was seen at the center of the capped disposal mounds. This indicated the success of the capping operation in isolating the highly contaminated underlying dredge spoil from the surrounding sediments. The study also showed the striking effect of sediment grain size and composition on the community structure of the benthic population as well as the remarkable ability of benthic organisms to recolonize recently deposited sedimentary material.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 14, 1984
Accession Number
ADA141987

Entities

People

  • A. L. Brooks

Organizations

  • Naval Underwater Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Corps Of Engineers
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemistry
  • Classification
  • Databases
  • Fish
  • Grain Size
  • Heavy Metals
  • Long Island Sound
  • Materials
  • Monitoring
  • New England
  • Observation
  • Oceanography
  • Physical Properties
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Surveys

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Geotechnical Engineering.