167 
inc respiration) or a compensatory increase in the gas-exchange capacity of 
-e blood (O'Conner ect al., 1977b). Turbidity plumes associated with 
.-odged material disposal are so brief that there is no significant threat 
-5 fish. a 
After dumping, fish are often attracted to disposal sites by the 
exposure of food items in the dredged material and by the mound formed by 
smping (Oliver et al., 1977). Adverse effects are not expected because 
“1) disposal has only short-term, transient effects on water-column 
sarameter, (2) foraging activity by the fish is not restricted to the 
disposal site, and (3) fish have not been shown to accwmulate contaminants 
associated with dredged material. 
3ENTHOS 
Benthic animals live on (epifauna) end in (infauna) the sediments. 
Eplfauna are usually dominated by echinoderms and crustacea, whereas the 
infzuna primarily consise of small, segmented worms (polychaetes) and 
zollusks. Sedentary benthic organisms are important indicators of 
disposal-related effects because they are directly exposed to a stressed 
environment. They are also important because many are commercially 
valuable (e.g., shellfish) or are food sources (e.2., polychaetes or 
amphipods) for demersal finfish. 
Weight (1978) concluded that dredged material way physically bury 
sessile and possible some mobile organisms. Some organisms survive by 
burrowing through the overburden material, but others cannot and die as a 
Tesult. The intensity of this effect varies with type of dredged material, 
thickness of the overburden, frequency of dumping, and benthic organisms 
involved. The factors discussed below are the basis for comparing the 
effects of disposal on the benthos at the sites. 
