Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/41308

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Title
Increased heavy metal and nutrient contamination does not increase fluctuating asymmetry in the seagrass Halophila ovalis
Author/Creator
Ambo-Rappe, Rohani;  Lajus, Dmitry L.;  Schreider, Maria J.
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Science & Information Technology, School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Description
Fluctuating asymmetry (random differences between symmetric structures, FA) is one of the stress indices used recently to assess a subtle effect of environmental degradation on organisms and is expected to increase under stress conditions. In this study, we developed an original technique of measuring FA in seagrass, Halophila ovalis. We analysed five metric and meristic characters on leaves of the seagrass from a polluted and several control locations in a lagoon in Eastern Australia. The seagrass was sampled from three sites at each location. The analyses revealed significant spatial heterogeneity of samples in fluctuating asymmetry with the highest variability was observed among sites. There was no increase in FA of H. ovalis from polluted location. Possible explanations suggest that whether existing concentrations of heavy metals do not cause developmental stress in seagrass or their effect is compensated or even surpassed by effect of uncontrolled factors.
Relation
Ecological Indicators Vol. 8, Issue 1, p. 100-103
Publisher Link
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2006.12.004
Date
2008
Publisher
Elsevier
Keyword(s)
fluctuating asymmetry;  Halophila ovalis;  heavy metals;  Lake Macquarie, NSW
Resource Type
journal article
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/41308
Identifier
ISSN:1470-160X
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Subject
"Ecological Indicators"
 
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