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Research Journal of Environmental Toxicology

Year: 2012 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 1-12
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Authors

A. Al-Farraj Saleh

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Research Article

Effects of Multiple-source Pollution on Spatial Distribution of Polychaetes in Saudi Arabia

A. Al-Farraj Saleh
The present study investigated the impact of multiple sources of pollutants on spatial distribution of polychaete community in the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast. Samples were collected at five stations along the coast. Some physical (Dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity and pH) and chemical (nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and phosphates) variables of the water were also measured at each sampling station. A total of 30 species were encountered. Depending on the pollutant type, the composition and distribution of the polychaete assemblages of this study were varied greatly among sites. Al-Murgan (control station) had the highest number of species richness, diversity and evenness with the dominant polychaete species Owenia fusiformis, Pista herpini and Lumbrineris japonica. Manifa station (adjacent to an oil well) had the lowest values of species richness, diversity and abundance, followed by Half Moon station that is impacted by sewage effluent. The polychaete species Capitella capitata, Notomastus latericeus and Heteromastides similis were dominant and peaked at Half Moon station near the sewage effluent that is influenced by organic pollution. Species richness, abundance, diversity and evenness were moderate to relatively high in stations (Jubail and Tarut) affected by heavy metal pollution. This may be due to their tolerance to high levels of heavy metals or their capabilities to detoxify these metals and store them in a less toxic form.
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