Sediment metal enrichment and ecological risk assessment of ten ports and estuaries in the World Harbours Project.

Ten global harbours were assessed for sediment quality by quantifying the magnitude of anthropogenic change and ecological risk. Anthropogenic change (enrichment) was high for Derwent River and Sydney estuary, moderate for Santander Harbour, Rio de Janeiro and Dublin Port, slight for Hong Kong, minimal for Darwin. All 10 enrichment indices used showed similar results. Derwent River sediment was rated at high ecological risk, followed by Sydney and Santander estuaries with moderate risk. Auckland and Darwin sediments exhibited minimal ecological risk and sediment in the remaining harbours (Dublin, Hong Kong, Ravenna, Ria de Vigo and Rio de Janeiro) were assessed at slight ecological risk. The extraordinary variety of environments and types/quantities/qualities of data investigated resulted in as much a critique and development of methodology, as an assessment of human impact, including unique techniques for elemental normalisation and contaminant classification. Recommendations for an improved technical framework for sediment quality assessment are provided.

Bivalve mollusk assemblages on São Paulo's northern continental shelf, southeast Brazil

Moluscos bivalves de fundos não-consolidados foram amostrados no verão e no inverno entre as profundidades de 10 a 100 m na plataforma norte de São Paulo. Baseado na análise de variância por similaridade não foi verificada diferença sazonal significativa nas associações de bivalves. A análise de agrupamento evidenciou três grupos de estações que correspondem ao gradiente batimétrico. Tanto as curvas de dominância-K, quanto os índices biológicos usados (Shannon e Pielou) mostraram uma maior diversidade biológica e uma maior uniformidade na distribuição dos indivíduos nas áreas rasas. A maioria dos bivalves coletados pode ser classificada como de hábito alimentar suspensívoro. Estes, porém, co-ocorreram com espécies depositívoras, o que sugere uma ausência de correlação negativa entre esses dois grupos tróficos. Diferenças na freqüência de ocorrência de distúrbios ao longo do gradiente batimétrico, causados por ondas de tempestade, mais comuns no inverno, e também causados por predação e atividades antrópicas, tais como dragagens realizadas por barcos de pesca e despejo de esgoto in natura, podem explicar os padrões de diversidade observados.

Bivalve mollusk assemblages on São Paulo's northern continental shelf, southeast Brazil.

Soft bottom bivalve mollusc assemblages were sampled along a depth gradient (10 to 100 m) on the northern São Paulo shelf during the austral summer and winter. A one-way analysis of similarity permutation test revealed there was no seasonal difference in the structure of the bivalve assemblages in the area. A clustering analysis indicated 3 groups of stations corresponding to the bathymetric gradient. Both K-dominance curves and Shannon and Pielou indexes showed higher biological diversity and higher evenness for the shallower area. Most of the bivalves found were classified as suspension-feeders, co-occurring with deposit-feeder species, suggesting an absence of negative interactions between these trophic groups. Differences in the frequency of disturbance along the depth gradient caused by wave storms--more common in winter--and also by predation and anthropogenic activities, such as dredging of fishing boats and input of gross sewage, likely explain the higher diversity found on the inner shelf of Ubatuba.

Biogeographic and species richness patterns of gastropoda on the southwestern Atlantic.

Patterns of richness and biogeography of Gastropoda molluscs were determined based on lists of species from five sites along the southwestern Atlantic. The analysis of the distribution patterns of these sites confirmed the existence of a broader transition zone between southern Espírito Santo State (21 degrees S) and Rio Grande do Sul State (32 degrees S). This zone is very heterogeneous, presenting a low endemism rate and a significant number of species common to the near provinces, and does not show enough consistency to be considered as an independent biogeographic province as proposed by Palacio (1980). Observing the distribution of species along the southwestern Atlantic we find an increase in the proportion of species with greatest latitudinal ranges (occurring from the tropics to Patagonia) from lowest to highest latitudes, following Rappoport's rule.