REMOTS™ Organism-Sediment Index. A multi-parameter REMOTS™ organism- 

 sediment index (OSI), constructed to characterize habitat quality, was calculated for each 

 site. The REMOTS™ OSI was determined by summing the appropriate subset indices shown 

 in Table 4. The lowest OSI value (-10) was given to those bottoms which had low or no 

 dissolved oxygen in the overlying bottom water, no apparent macrofaunal life, and methane 

 gas present in the sediment. At the other end of the scale, an aerobic bottom with a deeply 

 depressed RPD, evidence of a mature macrofaunal assemblage, and no apparent methane gas 

 bubbles at depth had a REMOTS™ OSI value of +11. Past REMOTS™ surveys had shown 

 the OSI to be an excellent parameter for mapping disturbance gradients in an area and 

 documenting ecosystem recovery after disturbance (see Germano and Rhoads, 1984). 



Table 4. Calculation of the REMOTS™ OSI Value 



CHOOSE ONE VALUE: 



CHOOSE ONE VALUE: 



Methane Present -2 



No/ Low Dissolved Oxygen -4 



REMOTS ORGANISM-SEDIMENT INDEX = Total of above subindices 



RANGE: -10 to +11 



21 



