Journal
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
Volume 32, Issue 2, Pages 287-297Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s12237-009-9132-5
Keywords
Hypoxia; Benthic community; Macrobenthos; Low dissolved oxygen; Environmental stressor
Funding
- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
- Essential Fish Habitat Program
- Commonwealth of Virginia
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science [2982]
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We assessed the effects of hypoxia on macrobenthic communities in the York and Rappahannock Rivers, Chesapeake Bay, in box-core samples before and after hypoxic episodes in 2003 and 2004. Hypoxia occurred in both years and was associated with a decrease in biomass and a shift in community structure toward opportunistic species in both rivers. Long-term data indicate that the frequency of hypoxia in the York has increased over the last 22 years. In previous work from similar to 20 years ago, the macrobenthic community structure did not change in response to hypoxia in the York; however, in the present study hypoxia was associated with a reduction in community biomass and a change in community structure. We conclude that currently hypoxia is a more important environmental problem in the York than in previous years. Hypoxia likely negatively affects the estuarine food web, as lower macrobenthic biomass could decrease food availability to epibenthic predators.
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