SHORT-TERM MONITORING OF HALIFAX HARBOUR (NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA) POLLUTION REMEDIATION USING BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA AS PROXIES

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 2012 SHORT-TERM MONITORING OF HALIFAX HARBOUR (NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA) POLLUTION REMEDIATION USING BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA AS PROXIES Saad A. Dabbous; Saad A. Dabbous * Department of Earth Sciences and Centre for Environmental and Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H3J5 Canada *Correspondence author. E-mail: saaddabbous@dal.ca Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David B. Scott David B. Scott Department of Earth Sciences and Centre for Environmental and Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H3J5 Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Saad A. Dabbous * Department of Earth Sciences and Centre for Environmental and Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H3J5 Canada David B. Scott Department of Earth Sciences and Centre for Environmental and Marine Geology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H3J5 Canada *Correspondence author. E-mail: saaddabbous@dal.ca Publisher: Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research Received: 06 Oct 2010 Accepted: 24 Apr 2012 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-264X Print ISSN: 0096-1191 © 2012 Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research Journal of Foraminiferal Research (2012) 42 (3): 187–205. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.42.3.187 Article history Received: 06 Oct 2010 Accepted: 24 Apr 2012 First Online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Saad A. Dabbous, David B. Scott; SHORT-TERM MONITORING OF HALIFAX HARBOUR (NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA) POLLUTION REMEDIATION USING BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERA AS PROXIES. Journal of Foraminiferal Research 2012;; 42 (3): 187–205. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.42.3.187 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyJournal of Foraminiferal Research Search Advanced Search Abstract Short-term monitoring of benthonic foraminifera in Halifax Harbour conducted before, during, and after implementation of an enhanced, municipal pollution-abatement program showed that foraminiferal distribution correlated strongly with the amount of pollution flowing into the harbor. Before enhanced treatment the confined, highly polluted inner harbor and North West Arm contained a fauna of low abundance and diversity, dominated by non-calcareous species with a high percentage of shell deformities and organic inner linings. In contrast the foraminiferal assemblage in the outer harbor, where currents carry away waste material to the ocean, had high diversity and abundance, few shell deformities and organic inner linings, and contained calcareous species. During treatment the composition of the inner harbor assemblage changed dramatically to resemble that of the outer harbor fauna, only to revert to its former characteristics after treatment stopped. This study once again shows that benthonic foraminifera are accurate, quick, and cost effective proxies to monitor continuous environmental changes in polluted environments. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.