MODIFICATION OF CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANICALLY ENRICHED SEDIMENT BY CAPITELLA SP-I

The influence of biological activities of a deposit feeding polychaete , Capitella sp. I to the chemical characteristics of the organically e nriched sediment was examined in the laboratory experiments. The labor atory colonies of Capitella increased very rapidly in the organically enriched sediment of the culturing boxes. In the process of the rapid population growth, the biological activities of the worms apparently p romoted the decomposition of organic matter in the sediment, and decre ased the levels of acid volatile sulphide (AVS) in the sediment. The r esults of the present study indicate that the effect of Capitella impo sed on the sediment may be a method of biological treatment of the org anically polluted sediment.