Marine larval and benthic ecology
Luis Gimenez, School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University. Email: l.gimenez@bangor. ac.uk
Hypoxia in coastal lagoons (under construction)
We are currently working on a research project quantifying the extent of eutrophication and summer hypoxia and their consequences for benthic communities of coastal lagoons of Uruguay.
The lagoons and shallow (depth < 3 m) and connected intermittently with the sea (open/close), through a narrow entrance made of an inlet or a stream.
A view of the lagoons from the shore:
Rocha Lagoon (72 km2), view from the south (sand bar)
Castillos lagoon (90 km2), view from Valizas stream
Garzon lagoon (18 km2), view from the South
Team members
Previous publications:
Kandratavicius N et al. (2018) Response of estuarine free-living nematode assemblages to organic enrichment: an experimental approach. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 602:117-133.
Pita A, et al. (2017) Benthic trophic status of aquatic transitional environments with distinct morphological and dynamic characteristics on the South-western Atlantic. Marine Freshwat. Res.
Kandratavicius N, et al. (2015) Meiobenthic communities in permanently open estuaries and open/closed coastal lagoons of Uruguay (Atlantic coast of South America). Estuar Coastal Shelf Sci 163:44-53.
Giménez L et al. (2014) Macrofaunal patterns and animal-sediment relationships in Uruguayan estuaries and coastal lagoons (Atlantic coast of South America). J Sea Res 87:46-55.
Muniz P, et al. (2012). Performance of biotic indices in naturally stressed estuarine environments on the Southwestern Atlantic coast (Uruguay): A multiple scale approach. Ecological Indicators 19:89-97
Current field and lab work
Sampling is carried out from a boat. Various types of water and benthic samples are taken by snorkelling in order to quantify:
1) Abiotic variables: oxygen concentration in the sediment and water column,
chemistry of intertitial water, grain size, organic matter
2) Biotic variables: abundance of macrofuna and meiofuna
Oxygen profile in sediment cores. Oxygen levels are determined every 5 mm from surface to ~ 50 mm using a microprobe
Oxygen content in the water column. This is determined through a hand held oxymeter and by the Winkler method.
More information will be added soon