Benthos associated with an estuarine outfall, Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand

Abstract

Benthos near a sewage outfall discharging 69 000 m³ d⁻¹ of municipal sewage into Tauranga Harbour was studied to determine the nature and extent of the impact caused by a small organic input. Sediment samples were collected about the outfall and analysed for particle size, sorting, mud content, readily oxidisable carbon (ROC), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), “oil and grease” (OG), and macroinvertebrates. It is concluded that observed patterns of physical sediment characteristics are mainly natural. Levels of ROC, TKN, TP, and OG were all highest at or nearby the outfall. However, chemical changes in the sediment related to the discharge seemed to be limited to within less than 50 m distance of the outfall. The distributions of ROC, TKN, and TP in the sediments were closely related to natural changes in mud content. The outfall had little effect on the distribution of total numbers of taxa or individuals, or the composition of macro‐invertebrate assemblages. Rather, these were most closely related to the (probably natural) variability in sediment particle size and sorting. Analysis of the distributions of common species showed that several were responding to the discharge, but such responses were limited to within 10 m of the outfall. Trie absence of extensive impact on benthos from the outfall probably related to high water velocities (up to 0.5 m sr⁻¹ on a mean tide) over the outfall diffuser, which would ensure that any drop in sediment oxygen levels is small.

Keywords:

• benthos
• outfall
• pollution
• sediments
• sewage effluent
• Tauranga Harbour