"A" (5-E) , exhibits a Stage I successional status. The benthic 

 results also indicate that some recolonization by deeper- 

 dwelling deposit feeders (Stage III infauna) has occurred in this 

 area. The maldanid, Euclymene zonalis , is the second most 

 abundant polychaete in the samples, and small numbers of Nephtys , 

 and the bivalves Nucula and Yoldia are present. The REMOTS® 

 stations immediately adjacent to station 5-E to the north, east, 

 and west reveal Stage III infauna. It is apparent from these 

 data that benthic recolonization of disposal point "A" is 

 occurring, but at a reduced rate relative to other Long Island 

 Sound disposal sites. This reduced rate of recovery does not 

 appear to be due to any character of the dredged material 

 disposal operations, but rather to the widespread ecosystem 

 stresses (i.e., hypoxia) which are occurring in the western 

 Sound. 



The benthic community results from the Reference 

 station support this conclusion. In terms of the types of 

 species present, the samples revealed a Nucula - Nephtys deposit- 

 feeding community characteristic of silt-clay bottoms of central 

 Long Island Sound. However, few mature individuals and lower 

 densities of species were found at this station relative to the 

 CLIS Reference station. The REMOTS® analysis detected Stage III 

 seres in only 30% of the Reference images. This area, and 

 western Long Island Sound in general, is apparently experiencing 

 severe ecological stress. 



4.5 Body Burden Analysis 



Lead was the only element that showed significantly 

 (p<0.05) higher concentrations in Nephtys collected from the WLIS 

 mound "A" compared to levels at the Reference station. The mean 

 lead concentrations were 3.7 ppm at WLIS-A and 2.9 ppm dry weight 

 at the Reference station (Table 3-6) . These concentrations from 

 both sites are very similar to the levels that Munns et al . (in 

 preparation) reported for the reference station at the Central 

 Long Island Sound Disposal Site (Table 4-3) . On dredged 

 material, Munns et al. (in preparation) measured lead 

 concentrations in Nephtys of about 4.7-8.9 ppm. Because the 

 Nephtys analyzed in the present study were purged of gut contents 

 and those analyzed by Munns et al. (in preparation) were not 

 purged, the higher levels for some elements in that study may be 

 due to sediment in the gut of the organisms. 



The concentrations of zinc and cadmium were 

 significantly (p<0.05) higher in Nephtys collected from the 

 Reference location when compared to organisms from WLIS-A in the 

 present study. In both cases, however, the levels were similar 

 to or lower than what Munns et al. (in preparation) found at the 

 Central Long Island Sound Reference station (Table 4-3) . The 

 cadmium concentrations found in the present study are all lower 



16 



