material dumped at these other sites is much less than the quantity 

 dumped in the Bight. Destruction of benthic organisms, especially 

 meiofaunal, by burial in the Bight is much greater at the dredge spoil 

 site. Dredge spoils usually have greater bulk densities and settle to 

 the bottom faster than sewage sludge or fine muds. 



Finally, the toxic effects on benthic life of waste being dumped in 

 the Bight will have to be more thoroughly investigated. Heavy-metal 

 analyses of some benthic organisms (including bottom-dwelling fish) 

 collected in the Bight dumps, showed increased concentrations in some 

 speciments. The long-term effects of heavy metals on the health of 

 benthic organisms have yet to be investigated. 



(1) Effects on Meiofauna . The SHL study indicated that the meio- 

 fauna, especially the Forarainifera, are the most ubiquitous and abundant 

 animals in the Bight, and are important in the assessment of the effects 

 of ocean dumping. Of the 36 meiofaunal taxa identified by SHL from the 

 Bight, 23 were living Foraminifera. The data from 16 stations are given 

 in the SHL report. Differences in the number of taxa between station 59 

 (in the sewage sludge disposal area) and station 39 (between the dredge 

 spoil and the sewage sludge areas) are concluded to indicate impoverishment 

 of the meiofauna. (Table 13). However, station 47, far from the dump 

 sites, had fewer taxa than station59. Similarly, within-station differ- 

 ence of data were observed, and no replicate samples were obtained at 

 stations with spatial heterogenity. Limited data and lack of replicate 

 sampling led SAC to conclude that only qualitative reliability can be 

 placed on the meiofaunal study (SAC, 1972). 



Reconnaissance studies of the meiofauna in N.Y. Harbor and adjacent 

 waters by Smith in the SUNY-SB report (Gross et al., 1971) differ with 

 some results of the SHL. According to SUNY-SB, few living Foraminifera 

 were found in New York Harbor, but samples taken in the Bight indicate 

 an abundance and diversity typical of the open Shelf, with no apparent 

 adverse effects from dumping. The results of both studies pennit only 

 qualitative evaluation of changes in abundance and diversity of the 

 meiofauna. The low incidence of forams and ostracods in the Harbor 

 suggests that higher concentrations of pollutants may destroy the 

 meiofauna, and that meiofauna animals are not indefinitely insensi- 

 tive to environmental deterioration. On the basis of present knowledge, 

 the relationship cannot be quantified. Qualitatively, it can be con- 

 cluded that waste disposal has had an adverse impact on the meiofaunal 

 communities of the N.Y. Bight dumping grounds. 



(2) Effects on Macrofauna . SHL found that an area about 2 miles 

 in diameter encompassing each of the dumping sites is devoid of macrofaunal 

 benthic life. Areas peripheral to the sludge dumping grounds were domina- 

 ted by large numbers of Cerianthus , a burrowing type of sea anemone. None 

 of these benthic species, however, is of direct economical importance to 

 man. 



Gammarid amphipods in particular are important; they are food for 

 finfishes. The numbers of these species were also found by SHL to be 

 diminished. Finfishes, however, have other sources of food besides 



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