R. Mojica et Wg. Nelson, ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECTS OF A HARD CLAM (MERCENARIA-MERCENARIA) AQUACULTURE SITE IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, FLORIDA, Aquaculture, 113(4), 1993, pp. 313-329
The impact of the growout of cultured hard clams was evaluated at a co
mmercial mariculture site in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Selecte
d biological, chemical and physical factors were compared between a ha
rd clam growout facility and two nearby reference locations. Measureme
nts of water column nutrients, chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen concen
trations gave no indication of differences which could be associated w
ith the presence of the clam farm. Alteration of sediments towards a d
ecreased mean sediment grain size associated with an increase in silt/
clay sized particles, as well as an increase in organic content, were
observed within 1 m of clam growout bags. Sediment changes did not res
ult in significant changes in benthic dwelling organisms. Differences
in mobile macrofauna were minimal, and most differences appear to be a
ssociated with variation in seagrass coverage.