Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) Assessment Survey of Lavaca and Matagorda Bays

Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) assessment surveys are a common tool for ecosystem assessments to indicate bay health. The triad consists of sediment chemistry, toxicity testing, and benthic community structure and diversity. Sediment contaminant concentrations indicate chemical dose, toxicity tests indicate biological responses, and benthic diversity indicates ecological responses. Together the three measures indicate ecosystem health. The current project was performed in Lavaca Bay and Matagorda Bay because there are industrial discharges into the bays and a legacy Superfund site with mercury contamination.沉积物质量三角（Sediment Quality Triad, SQT）评估调查是一类用于生态系统评估、以表征海湾健康状况的常用工具。该评估框架由三项核心内容构成：沉积物化学分析、毒性试验以及底栖生物群落结构与多样性。其中，沉积物污染物浓度可反映化学暴露剂量，毒性试验可体现生物响应，底栖生物多样性则可表征生态响应。三项指标协同作用，可全面反映海湾生态系统的健康水平。本项目选取拉瓦卡湾与马塔哥达湾作为研究区域，原因在于这两处海湾存在工业排污行为，且遗留有受汞污染的超级基金场地。