Sediment Diatoms as Environmental Indicators in New Jersey Coastal Lagoons

Abstract

ABSTRACT Desianti, N.; Potapova, M.; Enache, M.; Belton, T.J.; Velinsky, D.J.; Thomas, R., and Mead, J., 2017. Sediment diatoms as environmental indicators in New Jersey coastal lagoons. In: Buchanan, G.A.; Belton, T.J., and Paudel, B. (eds.), A Comprehensive Assessment of Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. The goal of this study was to explore the possible use of sediment diatoms as environmental indicators in New Jersey coastal lagoons. Diatom samples were collected from 100 sites in Barnegat Bay and Great Bay representing both subtidal and intertidal habitats. A total of 603 diatom taxa were found, with most samples characterized by high species diversity. A strong north-to-south salinity gradient in the study area was a major factor influencing composition of diatom assemblages. Subtidal sediments, especially in highly productive areas in the northern part of the Barnegat Bay, contained a high proportion of planktonic diatoms, especially small-celled Cyclotella and Chaetoceros species. Habita...