McMahon, Kathryn, Bengston-Nash, Susan, Eaglesham, Geoff, Müller, Jochen F., Duke, Norman C., and Winderlich, Steve (2005) Herbicide contamination and the potential impact to seagrass meadows in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 51 (1-4). pp. 325-334.

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Abstract

Low concentrations of herbicides (up to 70 ng l⁻¹), chiefly diuron (up to 50 ng l⁻¹) were detected in surface waters associated with inter-tidal seagrass meadows of Zostera muelleri in Hervey Bay, south-east Queensland, Australia. Diuron and atrazine (up to 1.1 ng g⁻¹ dry weight of sediment) were detected in the sediments of these seagrass meadows. Concentration of the herbicides diuron, simazine and atrazine increased in surface waters associated with seagrass meadows during moderate river flow events indicating herbicides were washed from the catchment to the marine environment. Maximum herbicide concentration (sum of eight herbicides) in the Mary River during a moderate river flow event was 4260 ng l⁻¹. No photosynthetic stress was detected in seagrass in this study during low river flow. However, with moderate river flow events, nearshore seagrasses are at risk of being exposed to concentrations of herbicides that are known to inhibit photosynthesis.

Item ID:	34947
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1879-3363
Keywords:	seagrass; Zostera muelleri; habitat; contamination; runoff; herbicides; diuron; Hervey Bay; Queensland; Australia; IWP; flood
Funders:	Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)
Date Deposited:	30 Sep 2016 02:47
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050204 Environmental Impact Assessment @ 40% 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl Marine Ichthyology) @ 40% 05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050206 Environmental Monitoring @ 20%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970105 Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences @ 20% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9605 Ecosystem Assessment and Management > 960503 Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Coastal and Estuarine Environments @ 50% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960802 Coastal and Estuarine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 30%
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