. Ecology of Buzzards Bay : an estuarine profile. Estuarine ecology -- Massachusetts Buzzards Bay (Bay); Ecology -- Massachusetts Buzzards Bay Watershed. ECOLOGY OF BUZZARDS BAY: An Estuanne Profile 101 in New Bedford Harbor. Unregulated industrial discharges, primarily from two local manufacturers over many years, have resulted in high levels of sev- eral toxic pollutants in the sediments. PCB*s, which were discharged into New Bedford Harbor and Buzzards Bay via the Acushnet River and from the New Bedford Wastewater Treatment Facility at Clarkes Point from 1947 through 1978, are major sources
. Ecology of Buzzards Bay : an estuarine profile. Estuarine ecology -- Massachusetts Buzzards Bay (Bay); Ecology -- Massachusetts Buzzards Bay Watershed. ECOLOGY OF BUZZARDS BAY: An Estuanne Profile 101 in New Bedford Harbor. Unregulated industrial discharges, primarily from two local manufacturers over many years, have resulted in high levels of sev- eral toxic pollutants in the sediments. PCB*s, which were discharged into New Bedford Harbor and Buzzards Bay via the Acushnet River and from the New Bedford Wastewater Treatment Facility at Clarkes Point from 1947 through 1978, are major sources of concern. Heavy metals have also been introduced to the bay, again primarily at New Bedford, including copper, chromium, zinc, silver, cadmium, and lead. Sediment samples from out- side New Bedford Harbor indicate a gradual spread of these contaminants. Fish and shellfish in the area continue to maintain high levels of these contami- nants in their tissues. Because of the retention of these pollutants in the sediments, fishing and shellfishing in many areas will continue to be pro- hibited for years to come. In addition to any imme- diate toxic effects of these pollutants, their bioaccumulation can also seriously affect offspring, such as eggs and juveniles of winter flounder (Camp. Dresser, and McKee, Inc. 1990). This impact is not limited to resident species, but also affects mi- gratory species that return to inshore spawning ar- eas. In addition to the decreased viability of em- bryos, high concentrations of these compounds of- ten reduce or delay spawning activity in adults (Bengtsson 1980; Black etal. 1988). The extreme difficulty and expense of removing, treating, and safely disposing of these compounds (notably the PCB's), however, has led to at least one recom- mendation that they remain in their present environ- ment rather than being moved and reintroduced into a new area. Other sources of toxic pollution to Buzzards Bay include storm water runoff and landfills. S
Size: 2352px × 1063px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionameri, bookcollectionbiodiversity
