Intrusion of beach-disposed dredger spoil into the Mhlathuze Estuary, South Africa, and its impact on Zostera capensis

African Journal of Aquatic Science

Volumn 33, Issue 3, 2008, Pages 223-231

  Cyrus, D P ^a   MacKay, C F ^a,b   Weerts, S P ^a,c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND   (South Africa)

^b OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (South Africa)

^c DSI CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre   (South Africa)

Author keywords

Anthropogenic impacts; Dredging; Fine sediment; Sea grass; South Africa; Spoil disposal

Indexed keywords

ZOSTERA; ZOSTERA CAPENSIS;

EID: 58049194067     PISSN: 16085914     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2989/AJAS.2008.33.3.4.616     Document Type: Article

References (35)

1. ADAMS JB and TALBOT MMB (1992) The influence of river impoundment on the estuarine seagrass Zostera capensis Setchell. Botanica Marina 35: 69-75
2. BADALAMENTI F, DI CARLO G, D'ANNA, G, GRISTINA, M and TOCCACELI M (2006) Effects of dredging activities on population of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile in the Mediterranean Sea: the case study of Capo Feto (SW Sicily, Italy). Hydrobiologia 555: 253-261
3. BEGG G (1978) The estuaries of Natal. Report 41, Natal Town and Regional Planning Commission, 657pp
4. BLOOMFIELD AL and GILLANDERS BM (2005) Fish and invertebrate assemblages in seagrass, mangrove, saltmarsh, and nonvegetative habitats. Estuaries 28: 63-77
5. BULTHUIS DA (1983) Effects of in situ light reduction on density and growth of the seagrass Heterozostera tasmanica (Martins ex Aschers.) den Hartog in Western Port, Victoria, Australia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 67: 91-103
6. BURKE MK, DENNISON WC and MOORE KA (1996) Non-structural carbohydrate reserves of eelgrass, Zostera marina. Marine Ecology Progress Series 137: 195-201
7. COPPOOLSE RC, SCHOONEES JS and BOTES WAM (1994) Physical impacts of dredger spoil at Richards Bay, South Africa. Proceedings of the 28th International Navigation Congress, Seville, Spain, 22-27 May 1994, pp 73-85
8. COSTANZA R, D'ARGE R, DE GROOT R, FARBER S, GRASSO M, HANNON B, LIMBURG K, NAEEM S, O'NEILL RV, PARUELO J, RASKIN RG, SUTTON P and VAN DEN BELT M (1997) The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature 387: 253-260
9. COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR) (1993) Physical impacts of the disposal of dredger spoil at Richards Bay. CSIR Report EMAS-C 93028, CSIR, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 67pp
10. COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR) (2000) Dredging of Berth 306 for the South Dunes Coal Terminal in the Port of Richards Bay: numerical modelling of the physical impacts of dredging. CSIR Report ENV-S-C 2000-023, CSIR, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 38pp
11. CYRUS DP and WEPENER V (1998) The impact of dredger spoil on selected components of the Mhlathuze Estuary biota. CRUZ Investigational Report 52: 60pp
12. CYRUS DP, MACKAY CF, WEERTS SP and VILJOEN A (2000) An assessment of the impact of a quantified dredge spoil disposal activity on the Central Beach, Richards Bay, using selected biotic indicator groups. CRUZ Investigational Report 90: 61pp
13. CZERNY AB and DUNTON KH (1995) The effects of in situ light reduction on the growth of two subtropical seagrasses, Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii. Estuaries 18: 418-427
14. DAY J (1981) Estuarine ecology with particular reference to southern Africa. AA Balkema, Cape Town, 411pp
15. dA SILVA JF, DUCK RW and CATARINO JB (2004) Seagrasses and sediment response to changing physical forcing in a coastal lagoon. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 8: 151-159
16. ERFTEMEIJER PLA and LEWIS RRR (2006) Environmental impacts of dredging on seagrasses: a review. Marine Pollution Bulletin 52: 1553-1572
17. FONSECA MS and FISHER JS (1986) A comparison of canopy friction and sediment movement between four species of seagrass with reference to their ecology and restoration. Marine Ecology Progress Series 29: 15-22
18. GORDON DM, GREY KA, CHASE SC and SIMPSON GJ (1994) Changes to the structure and productivity of a Posidonia sinuosa meadow during and after imposed shading. Aquatic Botany 47: 265-275
19. HANEKOM N (1982) An ecological study of the Zostera capensis beds in the Kromme Estuary. SANCOR report, Zoology Department, University of Port Elizabeth, on behalf of SANCOR, 163pp + appendices
20. HANEKOM N AND BAIRD D (1988) Distributions and variations in seasonal biomass of eelgrass, Zostera capensis, in the Kromme estuary, St Francis Bay, South Africa. South African Journal of Marine Science 7: 51-59
21. HECK KL, HAYS G and ORTH RJ (2003) Critical evaluation of the nursery role hypothesis for seagrass meadows. Marine Ecology Progress Series 253: 123-136
22. IWR ENVIRONMENTAL (2000) Mhlathuze system ecological reserve study. Supporting report No.3: report on estuary freshwater requirements Mhlathuze Estuary. Unpublished report, Directorate Project Planning, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa, 194pp
23. JERLING HL (2003) The zooplankton community of the Mhlathuze (Richards Bay) Estuary two decades after construction of the Harbour. African Journal of Marine Science 25: 289-299
24. KOCH MS, SCHOPMEYER SA, KYHN-HANSEN C, MADDEN CJ and PETERS JS (2007) Tropical seagrass species tolerance to hypersalinity stress. Aquatic Botany 86: 14-24
25. LONGSTAFF BJ and DENNISON WC (1999) Seagrass survival during pulsed turbidity events: the effects of light deprivation on the seagrasses Halodule pinifoloa and Halophila ovalis. Aquatic Botany 65: 105-121
26. MILLARD NAH and HARRISON AD (1954) The ecology of South African estuaries, 5: Richards Bay. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 34: 157-179
27. MOORE KA, WETZEL RL and ORTH RJ (1997) Seasonal pulses of turbidity and their relations to eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) survival in an estuary. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 215: 115-134
28. ONUF CP (1994) Seagrasses, dredging and light in Laguna Madre, Texas, USA. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 39: 75-91
29. SHERIDAN P (2004) Recovery of floral and faunal communities after the placement of dredged material on seagrasses in Laguna Madre, Texas. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 59: 441-458
30. TERRADOS J, DUARTE CM, FORTES MB, BORUM J, AGAWIN NSR, BACH S, THAMPANYA U, KAMP-NIELSEN L, KENWORTH WJ, GEERTZ- HANSEN O and VERMAAT J (1998) Changes in community structure and biomass of seagrass communities along gradients of siltation in SE Asia. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 46: 757-768
31. TALBOT MMB AND BATE GC (1987) The distributions and variations in seasonal biomass of eelgrass, Zostera capensis, in a warm-temperate estuary. Botanica Marina 30: 91-99
32. TALBOT MMB, KNOOP WT and BATE GC (1990) The dynamics of estuarine macrophytes in relation to flood/siltation cycles. Botanica Marina 33: 159-164
33. TURPIE JK, ADAMS JB, JOUBERT A, HARRISON TD, COLLOTY BM, MAREE RC, WHITFIELD AK, WOOLDRIDGE TH, LAMBERTH SJ, TALJAARD S and VAN NIEKERK L (2002) Assessment of the conservation priority status of South African estuaries for use in management and water allocation. Water SA 28: 191-206
34. WARNE RH (1994) The effects of light intensity on the growth and photosynthesis of Zostera capensis and Ruppia cirrhosa. MSc thesis, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, 84pp
35. WHITFIELD AK (1992) A characterization of southern African estuarine systems. Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences 18: 89-103