AN IN-DEPTH CHARACTERIZATION OF WATER QUALITY AND ITS POTENTIAL THREATS TO REEF ORGANISMS AT TWO NATIONAL PARKS IN ST. CROIX, USVI
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Bayless, Amanda Lee
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Abstract
Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve (SARI) and Buck Island Reef National Monument (BUIS) have major ecological, historical, recreational and commercial importance for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Poor water quality is thought to have a significant impact on these habitats. This study used biological and chemical analyses of sediment, sediment porewater and coral to characterize the aquatic environment at SARI (12 sites) and BUIS (4 sites) as a means of assessing the threat-potential of coastal pollutants to reef organisms. The FORAM (Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring) Index, a bioindicator of suitable coral habitat, indicated that conditions at SARI reefs and BUIS reefs could sustain coral growth and recovery. However, sediment porewater ecotoxicological tests, using the sea urchin fertilization and embryo development bioassays, indicated all sites tested at SARI and BUIS were being adversely affected by pollutants. Trace elements were also measured in the sediment and in <i>Acropora palmata</i> skeletons as proxies for chemical water quality parameters and heavy metal pollutants to determine their correlation with the observed biological toxicity. Each of the 16 sites demonstrated slightly differing elemental and toxicological profiles suggesting a multi-factor toxicity problem. This study provides an extensive site characterization at two national park units along with bioindicator data for reef organisms. This can be used to further forensic investigations aiming to identify specific threats to reef health that will inform resource management and help to develop appropriate interventions to promote healthy reef conditions.