Ecological studies of wood-boring bivalves and fouling organisms in the vicinity of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Final report, September 1976-December 1982

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5433610· OSTI ID:5433610

Hoagland, K E

The species composition, distribution, and population dynamics of wood-boring bivalves were studied using wood test panels at 20 stations in the vicinity of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Physiological tolerances of three teredinid species were investigated in the laboratory and correlated with field values of temperature, salinity, siltation, precipitation, and plant operations. The interaction of boring and fouling organisms was examined. There is a definite correlation between the operation of the power plant and teredinid outbreaks. Increased salinity and water flow as well as temperature are responsible. After 1976, most of the damage in Oyster Creek was done by the introduced subtropical species Teredo bartschi. It can respond faster than native species to environmental change. Although Oyster Creek contributed larvae to neighboring parts of Barnegat Bay, its role as a breeding ground was limited. Some elements of the fouling community may be antagonistic to shipworm growth. Fouling was increased in both biomass and species richness in Oyster Creek when compared with creek controls, but the fouling community in Oyster Creek was less stable than that in other areas. Lower salinity limits for the teredinids were within the salinity range found in Oyster Creek but not within the range found in the control creeks. 71 references, 9 figures, 39 tables.

• Research Organization: Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, PA (USA). Dept. of Malacology
• OSTI ID: 5433610
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3446; ON: DE84900705
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520400* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Thermal Effluents Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
DATA
DISTRIBUTION
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
INVERTEBRATES
MOLLUSCS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUMERICAL DATA
OYSTER CREEK-1 REACTOR
POPULATION DYNAMICS
POWER PLANTS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
THERMAL EFFLUENTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL REACTORS
TOLERANCE
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS