Oil pollution studies of the Solbergstrand mesocosms

Abstract

Two medium-scale ecosystems (mesocosms) were built on the Oslofjord: one a hard-bottom intertidal system and the other a subtidal soft-sediment system. The hard-bottom mesocosm consists of four basins, two controls and two which were dosed with diesel-oil (129 μg 1-1a high oil (HO) dose and 29 μg 1-1a low oil (LO) dose). Both oil doses caused high mortality ofMytilus edulisand growth was reduced in the macroalgaeAscophyllum nodosumandLaminaria digitata. Recruitment ofLittorina littoreawas also affected by oil so that populations declined over time. Subtidal benthic communities have been established in the mesocosm and show variations in sediment chemistry within the range found in the field. Although recruitment of benthic macrofauna is reduced, dominant species and species structure remain closely similar to that in the field over six months. Bioturbation effects studied in the mesocosm have shown the important influence of large, rare species in structuring benthic communities, a finding which would not be possible in nature by diving or by the use ofsubmersibles. Preliminary results from a community taken from 200 m depth and established in the mesocosm suggest that it is now possible to do detailed manipulation experiments on communities simulating the whole continental shelf.