ASSOCIATION OF BENTHIC MACROFAUNA WITH HABITAT TYPES AND QUALITY IN THE NEW-YORK BIGHT

Previous qualitative and limited quantitative analyses of benthic data from the New York Bight, USA, have suggested associations among macrofauna and sediment characteristics, including levels of chemical contamination. Benthic data from 3 summers (1980 to 1982) of sampling were used to examine more thoroughly these relationships. Factor and canonical analyses confirmed that a limited group of macrofaunal taxa (Ceriantheopsis american us, Nephtys incisa, Capitella spp., Nucula proxima and Ampelisca agassizi), historically considered indicators of habitat quality, were indeed valid indicators. Ordination analyses provided greater detail about the association of, and between, sediment variables and the 80 most frequently occurring species. The results allowed a characterization of the New York Bight benthic habitat, encompassing the range from an undisturbed habitat to the lowest quality habitat. One species group was consistently associated with minimally contaminated sediments and appears to represent a basic natural benthic macrofaunal assemblage for the Bight. This group included taxa such as the sand dollar Echinarachnius parma and several species of amphipods (e.g. Byblis serrata, Corophium crassicorne and Ampelisca agassizi) as well as some polychaetes (e.g. Goniadella gracilis and Exogone hebes). Species that were the most common in the contaminated areas of the Bight were mainly polychaetes (e.g. Tharyx acutus, Nephtys incisa, Pherusa affinis and Capitella spp.) as well as the Nemertinea (Cerebratulus lacteus), an anemone (Ceriantheopsis americanus), a phoronid (Phoronis architecta) and the nut clam Nucula proxima.