Seasonal hypoxia regulates macrobenthic function and structure in the Mississippi Bight

Chet F Rakocinski; Daneen P Menke

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.006

Seasonal hypoxia regulates macrobenthic function and structure in the Mississippi Bight

Mar Pollut Bull. 2016 Apr 15;105(1):299-309. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.006. Epub 2016 Feb 23.

Authors

Chet F Rakocinski¹, Daneen P Menke²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Coastal Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi - Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA. Electronic address: chet.rakocinski@usm.edu.
² Department of Coastal Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi - Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA.

PMID: 26920427
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.006

Abstract

Hypoxic conditions are escalating to the east of the Mississippi River within the Mississippi Bight. The objective of this study was to examine changes in macrobenthic function and structure relative to seasonal hypoxia over a 3.5year period at the 10m (Site 6) and 20m (Site 8) isobaths within the Mississippi Bight. Seasonal hypoxia acted as a regular periodic disturbance during the study period, although the magnitude and duration of hypoxia varied inter-annually. Macrobenthic metrics revealed seasonal hypoxia effects on secondary production potential and community maturity, which agrees with previous studies. In addition, metrics were notably higher at the 20m isobath during the latter half of the study period, following the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill. This study confirms hypoxia as a major driver affecting the function and structure of soft-bottom macrobenthos in the Mississippi Bight.

Keywords: Gulf of Mexico; Macrobenthos; Mississippi Bight; Seasonal hypoxia; Secondary production.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem*
Environmental Monitoring*
Eutrophication
Gulf of Mexico
Hypoxia
Mississippi
Petroleum Pollution / analysis
Rivers / chemistry
Seasons