Investigating Bermuda's pollution history through stable isotope analyses of modern and museum-held gorgonian corals. Issue 1 (15th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baker, David M.; Murdoch, Thaddeus J.T.; Conti-Jerpe, Inga; Fogel, Marilyn
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 114:Issue 1(2017:Jan.)
• Page Start: 169
• Page End: 175
• Publication Date: 2017-01-15
• Subjects: Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.08.069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: For centuries, Bermuda has been challenged with wastewater management for the protection of human and environmental health. By quantifying the δ 15 N of the common sea fan Gorgonia ventalina sampled from 30 sites throughout Bermuda we show that sewage-derived nitrogen is detectable on nearshore coral reefs and declines across the lagoon to the outer rim. We also sampled gorgonians from two museum collections representing a 50y time-series (1958–2008). These samples revealed an increase in δ 15 N of > 4.0‰ until the mid-1970s, after which δ 15 N values slowly declined by ~ 2.0‰. A δ 15 N chronology from a gorgonian skeleton exhibited a similar decline over the last 30–40 years of approximately 0.6‰. We conclude that policies have been effective in reducing sewage impacts to Bermudian reefs. However, significant sources of sewage pollution persist and are likely have a strong impact on harbor and nearshore coral communities and human health.