Effects of sewage effluent and shorebird exclusion on intertidal infaunal assemblages

This experiment tested the effects of liquid effluents on infauna assemblages in the presence and absence of shorebirds. Small plots of sediment (70cm x 50cm) were dosed with sewage effluent, freshwater, seawater or control ('no dose') and were either open or closed to shorebird predation. The plots were set up in early summer 2000 with replicates of each combination of factors at 4 levels on the shore. Plots were sampled at 0, 4 and 6 weeks for infaunal abundances and biomass and surface sediment chlorophyll a levels.

本实验旨在探究液体流出物对底栖动物群落（infauna assemblages）的影响，实验设置了有滨鸟（shorebirds）及无滨鸟两种处理条件。将尺寸为70cm×50cm的小型底泥斑块分别投加生活污水出水、淡水、海水，或以空白对照（无投加）处理，并设置对滨鸟捕食开放或封闭两种状态。本实验于2000年夏初在潮滩搭建，针对各因子组合设置4个生物学重复。分别于实验开始后第0、4、6周对各斑块进行采样，测定底栖动物丰度、生物量以及表层沉积物叶绿素a含量。