ML20084F334
| ML20084F334 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Saint Lucie  |
| Issue date: | 04/30/1984 |
| From: | APPLIED BIOLOGY, INC. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML17215A365 | List: |
| References | |
| AB-530, NUDOCS 8405040087 | |
| Download: ML20084F334 (229) | |
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APPLIED BIOLOGY, INC. AB-530 FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY ST. LUCIE PLAXT AXXUAL XOX-RADIOLOGICAL ENVIROXMEXTAL MOXITORIXG REPORT ,B 1983
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FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
( ST. UICIE PLANT ANNUAL NON-RADIOLOGICAL
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ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT 1983 APRIL 1984 l
APPLIED RIOLOGY, INC.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
s ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT l
L TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
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TABLE OF CONVERSION FACTORS FOR METRIC UNITS --------------- 11 EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
iii A. INTRODUCTION ----------------------------------------------- A-1 Background ------------------------------------------ A-1
( Area De s c ri pt i o n ------------------------------------ A-3 P1 a nt De se ri pt i o n ----------------------------------- A-5 Literature Cited ------------------------------------ A-7 Figures --------------------------------------------- A-8
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B. NEKTON ----------------------------------------------------- B-1
( Introduction ---------------------------------------- B-1 l Materials and Methods ------------------------------- B-3 Re s ul t s and Di sc u s s i o n ------------------------------ B-5 S u mma ry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-13 f Literature Cited ------------------------------------ B-16 Figures ------------------------------------------- - B-18 Tables ---------------------------------------------- 3-26 7
L C. MACROINVERTEBRATES ----------------------------------------- C-1 Introduction ---------------------------------------- C-1 Materi al s and Methods ------------------------------- C-3 Re sul t s a nd D i sc u s s i o n ------------------------------ C-7 S u mma ry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C-49 Literature Cited ------------------------------------ C-53 Figures --------------------------------------------- C-56
[ Tables ---------------------------------------------- C-68 Appendix Tables ------------------------------------- C-78
[ D. TURTLES --------------------------------------------------- D-1 I n t ro d u c t i o n - -- - - - -- - - ---- - -- - - - - ----- - -- - - - - - - -- - - D-3 Ma te ri al s a nd Me thods ------------------------------ D-5
( Resul t s and Di scus si o n ----------------------------- D-10 S u mm a ry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - D-29 Literature Cited ----------------------------------- D-33 Figures -------------------------------------------- D-36 Tables --------------------------------------------- D-49
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TABLE OF CONVERSION FACTORS FOR METRIC UNITS
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f To convert Multiply by To obtain I centigrade (degrees) (*C x 1.8) + 32 fahrenheit (degrees) l centigrade (degrees) *C + 273.18 kelvin (degrees) centimeters (cm) 3.937 x 10-1 inches centimeters (cm) 3.281 x 10-2 feet centimeters /second (cm/sec) 3.281 x 10-2 feet per second cubic centimeters (cm3) 1.0 x 10-3 liters
[ grams (g) 2.205 x 10-3 pounds grams (g) 3.527 x 10-2 ounces (avoirdupois)
( hectares (ha) 2.471 3
acres kilograms (kg) 1.0 x 10 grams kilograms (kg) 2.2046 pounds kilograms (kg) 3.5274 x 10 1 ounces (avoirdupois) kilometers (km) 6.214 x 10-1 miles (statute) kilometers (km) 1.0 x 10 0 millimeters liters (1) 1.0 x 103 cubic centimeters (cm3)
[ liters (1) 2.642 x 10-1 gallons (U.S. liquid) meters (m) 3.281 feet meters (m) 3.937 x 101 inches meters (m) 1.094 yards microns (p) 1.0 x 10-6 meters milligrams (mg) 1.0 x 10-3 grams milligrams / liter (mg/1) 1.0 parts per million milliliters (ml) 1.0 x 10-3 liters (U.S. liquid) millimeters (mm) 3.937 x 10-2 inches
, millimeters (un) 3.281 x 10-3 feet square centimeters (cm2) 1.550 x 10-1 square inches square meters (m2)
( 1.076 x 10 1 square feet square millimeters (mm2) 1.55 x 10 3 square inches
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N e
L EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION This document is the eighth consecutive annual report on biotic
( monitoring at the Florida Power a Light Company St. Lucie Plant. These reports have been prepared as requi red by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Appendix B Environmental Protection Plan i
Technical Specifications to St. Lucie Unit 1 Facility Operating License No. DPR-67, the Appendix B Environmental Protection Plan to St. Lucie
( Unit 2 Facility Operating License No. NPF-16, and to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Number FL0002208.
( The St. Lucie Plant is an electric generating station on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida. The plant consists of two nuclear-
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fueled 850-MW units; Unit I was placed on-line in March 1976 and Unit 2
( in May 1983. Both units use the Atlantic Ocean as a source of water for once through condenser cooling. The objective of the regulatory require-ments, and of the study, is to assess the effects of plant construction and operation on the major biotic communities in the nearshore marine
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environment at the plant site.
NEKTON Studies showed that fish were not accumulating in the intake canal and that, compared to the number of fish collected near the ocean intake structures, the number entrapped in the intake canal was low. This low f iii
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L entrapment rate was attributed primarily to the velocity caps at the f
ocean intakes.
There were no significant differences in the numbers of fish collected by gill netting among ocean intake and discharge stations. The
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most fish were found at an intake station in 1982 and at a discharge station in 1983. No thermal plume effects have been observed. Large numbers of fish were found during only part of the year, which showed that the intake and discharge structures were not important enough fish attractants to offset natural fish movements or migratory instincts.
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( MACROINVERTEBRATES Two major habitats, each supporting a unique assemblage of macroin-vertebrates, were identified. Communities inhabiting the sandy sediments of the relatively shallow beach terrace exhibited lower densities, spe-cies richness and biomass than communities inhabiting the deeper shelly
( substrates. Natural turbulence on the beach terrace appears to create transient communities as evidenced by frequent changes in species com-position and dominant taxa. Discharge stations adjacent to the Y-port diffuser on the beach terrace were under minimal plant influence during 1982 and 1983 because this line was not in use. Community charac-teristics at these stations did not differ significantly_ from those at.
their control station during either year of monitoring.
In the shellhash environment, benthic communities at two stations immediately adjacent to the multiport diffuser line had significantly iv A
L lower densities and species richness than the community at a comparable
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control station. Communities adjacent to the multiport diffuser line also displayed more temporal variability than those farther away.
Alteration of existing substrate regimes and sediment instability asso-( ciated with discharge construction and subsequent discharge turbulence, rather than temperature, were thought to be responsible for observed dif-
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ferences in community structure at these stations. During a period of
[ single unit operation, plant effects appear to be confined to a small area immediately adjacent to the multiport diffuser line.
TURTLES There have been considerable year-to-year fluctuations in sea turtle nesting activity on Hutchinson Island since monitoring began in 1971. In the vicinity of the plant, low nesting activity in 1975 and 1981 - 1983 was attributed to construction of plant intake and discharge systems.
Nesting returned to nonnal levels following construction in 1975 and is expected to do so again when current construction activities are
( completed. No relationship between total nesting on the island and power plant operation or intake / discharge construction was indicated.
J Twenty-seven loggerhead turtle nests were relocated from the plant intake construction area in 1983. The mean hatch success for these relo-( cated nests (72.0 percent) was not signifi,cantly different from that for 53 undisturbed nests (76.8 percent).
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Since plant operation began in 1976, 920 turtles have been removed
( from the intake canal. Differences in the numbers of turtles found during different years and different months were attributed to natural variations in the occurrence of turtles in the vicinity of the plant, rather than to any influence of the plant itsel f. The majority _ (90
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percent) of the turtles removed from the intake canal were captured alive
( and released back into the ocean. The cause of death for those turtles found dead in the canal was, for the most part, unknown. Evidence did not suggest that drowning or injury sustained from passage through the intake pipes were significant factors causing mortality. Similarly, studies showed that turtles entrapped in the intake canal were caught and
( released within a relatively short time span, so length of time in the canal was not considered a mortality related factor. The poor condition k of many turtles found alive in the canal suggested the possibility that some individuals, already in poor condition, may have entered the ocean intakes seeking refuge and died in the intake canal from causes unrelated to plant operations.
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L r A. INTRODUCTION l
( BACKGROUND This document has been prepared as required by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Appendix B Environmental Protection Plan Technical Specifications to St. Lucie Unit 1 Facility Operating License No. DPR-67, the NRC Appendix B Environmental Protection Plan to
[ St. Lucie Unit 2 Facility Operating License No. NPF-16, and to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Pollutant Di scharge Elimination System Permit Number FL0002208.
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In 1970, Florida Power a Light Company (FPL) was issued Pennit No.
( CPPR-74 by the United States Atomic Energy Commission, now the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, that allowed construction of Unit 1 of the St.
Lucie Plant, an 850-MW nuclear-powered electric generating station on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida. St. Lucie Plant Unit I was placed on-line in March 1976. Unit 1 operation was intenaittent during the remainder of 1976 but, except for brief outages, has been in operation from 1977 through February 1983, when it was taken off-line for a maintenance outage. In May 1977, FPL was issued Permit No. CPPR-144 by the NRC for the construction of a second 850-MW nuclear-powered unit.
Unit 2 was placed on-line in May 1983 and began commercial operation in August.
( St. Lucie Plant Units 1 and 2 use the Atlantic Ocean as a source of water for once-through condenser cooling. Since 1971, the potential
( environmental effects resulting from the intake and discharge of this -
j water use have been the subject of FPL-sponsored studies at the site.
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A-1 b
The Florida Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Marine Research Laboratory conducted baseline environmental studies of the marine environment adjacent to the St. Lucie Plant from September 1971 to July
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1974. From these studies, a series of reports was published by the f Florida DNR entitled "Nearshore Marine Ecology at Hutchinson Island, F1orida: 1971-1974" (Florida DNR, 1977, 1979). These publications describe the marine environment off Hutchinson Island prior to operation of the St. Lucie Plant.
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( In order to provide Unit 1 operational and Unit 2 preoperational monitoring of the aquatic environment at the St. Lucie Plant, Applied Biology, Inc. (ABI) was contracted by FPL in 1975 to conduct the ecologi-cal studies program. The results and interpretation of the ABI moni-
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toring program cor. ducted from 1976 through 1981 have been presented in
( six annual reports. Two of these annual reports were entitled
" Ecological Monitoring at the Florida Power a Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, Annual Report" (ABI, 1977,1978) and four were entitled " Florida Power a Light Company St. Lucie Plant Annual Non-Radiological Environmental Monitoring Report, Biotic Monitoring" (ABI, 1979, 1980, 1981a , 1982 ).
In January 1982, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System s (NPDES) permit was issued to FPL by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NPDES permit provided the EPA guidelines for the St.
Lucie site biological studies. Guidelines were based on the ABI-(1981b) document entitled " Proposed St. Lucie Plant Preoperational and
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Operational Biological Monitoring Program - August 1981". In May 1982, h the NRC biological study requirements were deleted from the NRC
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, Environmental Technical Specifications. With the exception of those stu-dies related to sea turtles, jurisdiction of biological studies at the St. Lucie Plant was thus passed from the NRC to the EPA.
( Jurisdiction for sea turtle studies remained with the NRC, con-sidered to be the lead federal agency relative to consultation under the Endangered Species Act. Sea turtle study guidelines relative to a light screen to prevent turtle disorientation are included in the St. Lucie Unit 1 Appendix B - Part II Environmental Protection Plan Technical Specifications. The majority of the sea turtle studies, including the beach nesting survey and intake canal monitoring, are contained in the NRC Environmental Protection Plan to St. Lucie Unit 2.
The present plan of study was fully instituted in May 1982. Final summaries of previous study efforts and the first-year results using the
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new study plan were presented in the document entitled " Florida Power a
, Light Company St. Lucie Plant Annual Non-Radiological Aquatic Monitoring Report" (AB I, 1983 ) . The present study report presents the results for
( 1983, the second year of study under the new plan.
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AREA DESCRIPTION The St. Lucie Plant is located on a 457-ha site on Hutchinson Island on Florida's east coast (Figures A-1 and A-2). The plant is approxi-mately midway between the Ft. Pierce and St. Lucie Inlets. It is bounded on its east side by the Atlantic Ocean and on its west side by the Indian River, a shallow lagoon.
A-3
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Hutchinson Island is a barrier island that extends 36 km between L
inlets and obtains its maximum width of 2 km at the plant site. Eleva-tions approach 5 m atop dunes bordering the beach and decrease to sea level in the mangrove swamps that are common on much of the western side.
( Island vegetation is typical of southeastern Florida coastal areas; dense stands of Australian pine, palmetto, sea grape and Spanish hayonet are present at the higher elevations, and mangroves abound at the lower ele-vations. Large stands of black mangroves, including some on the plant site, have been killed by flooding for mosquito control over past deca-des.
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f The ocean bottom immediately offshore from the plant site consists entirely of sand and shell sediments with no reef obstructions or rock outcroppings. The unstable substrate limits the establishment of rooted macrophytes or permanent attached benthic communities. Worm reefs occur
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in some intertidal areas and provide a substrate more suitable for plant
( and animal habitation. However, worm reefs are limited both in locations found and area covered.
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The Florida Current, which flows parallel to the continental shelf margin, begins to diverge from the coastline at West Palm Beach. At Hutchinson Island, the current is approximately 33 km offshore. Oceanic water associated with the western boundary of the current periodically meanders over the inner shelf, especially during summer months.
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PLANT DESCRIPTION The St. Lucie Plant consists of two 850-MW nuclear-fueled electric generating units that use nearshore ocean waters for ths plant's once through condenser cooling water system. Water for the plant enters
( through three submerged intake structures located about 365 m offshore.
Each of the intake structures is equipped with a velocity cap to minimize fish entrapment. Horizontal intake velocities are less than 30 cm/sec.
From the intake structures, the water passes through submerged pipes under the beach and dunes that lead to a 1500-m long intake canal. This canal transports the water to the plant. After passing through the
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plant, the heated water is discharged into a 670-m long canal that leads
[ to two buried discharge pipelines. These pass underneath the dunes and beach and along the ocean floor to the submerged discharges, the first of which is approximately 365 m offshore and 730 m north of the intake.
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Heated water leaves the first discharge line from a Y-shaped nozzle (diffuser) at a design velocity of 396 cm/sec. This high-momentum jet entrains ambient water resulting in rapid heat dissipation. The ocean depth in the area of the first discharge is about 6 m. Heated water leaves the second discharge line through a series of 48 equally spaced high velocity jets along a 323-m manifold (multiport diffuser). This diffuser starts 168 m beyond the first discharge and terminates 856 m from shore. The ocean depth at discharge along this diffuser is from about 10 to 12 m. As with the first diffuser, the purpose of the second diffuser is to entrain ambient water and rapidly dissipate heat. From the points of discharge at both diffusers, the warmer water rises to the
( surface and forms a surface plume of heated water. The plume then 1
A-5 1
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spreads out on the surface of the ocean under the influence of-wind and
( currents and the heat dissipates to the atmosphere.
[ When only one unit is on-line, the Y-port diffuser discharge line is closed off at the discharge canal headwall and only the multiport dif-fuser is used. This was the mode of operation during 1982 and 1983.
When both units are on-line, as anticipated for 1984, both diffusers are scheduled for use.
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s LITERATURE CITED r
L ABI (Applied Biology, Inc.) 1977. Ecological monitoring at the Florida Power & Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, annual report 1976 Volumes I and II. AB-44. Prepared Ly Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
( Light Co. , Miami.
. 1978. Ecological monitoring at the Florida Power & Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, annual report 1977. Volumes I and
{ II. AB-101. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
Light Co. , Miami .
( . 1979. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1978. Volumes II and III, Biotic monitoring. AR-177. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
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. 1980. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
[ Lucie Plant annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report L 1979. Volumes II and III, Biotic monitoring. AB-244. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
( . 1981a. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant annual non-radiological envi ronment monitoring report 1980. Volumes II and III, Biotic monitoring. AB-324. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. Florida Power & Light Co. , Miami.
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. 1981h. Proposed St. Lucie plant preopera-
[ tional and operational Biological monitoring program - August 1981.
L AB-358. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
( . 1982. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1981. Volumes II and III, Biotic monitoring. AB-379. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co. , Miami.
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. 1983. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant annual non-radiological aquatic monitoring report 1982.
( Volumes I and II. AB-442. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
Florida DNR (Department of Natural Resources). Nearshore marine
( ecology at Hutchinson Island, Florida: 1971-1974. Parts I, II and 1977.
III. Florida Marine Research Publication No. 23; Part IV, Publication No. 24; Part V, Publication No. 25. Florida Department of Natural
[ Resources Marine Research Laboratory.
. 1977. Nearshore marine
( ecology at Hutchinson Island, Florida: 1971-1974 Parts VI through X.
Florida Marine Research Publication No. 34. Florida Department of Natural Resources Marine Research Laboratory.
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[ B. NEKTON EPA NPDES Permit Required Condition (issued January 1982; as delineated in ABI [1981a] and approved by the EPA)
Nektonic Organisms - Samples will be collected by gill netting once per month during April through September and twice per month during October through March. Kind and abundance of organisms present will be determined.
Physical measurement will be made at the same time as the nektonic sample collections.
Parameters measured will be water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.
INTRODUCTION Fish distribute themselves within the aquatic ecosystem according to their biological limitations and needs. A consequence of this distribu-tion has been the development of fish communities or assemblages that depend on the physical conditions and resources of an area. The aquatic faunal communities off Hutchinson Island are unique because they are transitional between temperate northern faunas and tropical southern faunas. Natural variations in physical conditions, such as seasonal tem-perature changes or fluctuations in the proximity of the Florida Current to the island's coastline, could cause variations in the composition or abundance of fish in this area. Similarly, although on a much more lo-calized scale, operation of the St. Lucie Plant could potentially affect these fish assemblages.
Applied Biology, Inc. began monitoring in Deccaber 1975 to examine the composition and abundance of fish near the St. Lucie Plant and to evaluate the habitat, distribution and life history of these fish in B-1
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terms of plant operation. Monitoring studies were conducted in the intake and discharge canals and in the ocean. Canal samples were taken by gill netting. Samples from the ocean were taken by gill netting, trawling and beach seining. In analyzing canal samples, the emphasis was on the impact on fishes of becoming entrapped in the intake canal . In analyzing ocean samples, the emphasis was on the possible effects of the ocean thermal discharge upon migratory fi sh of sport and commercial l 1
importance. Ichthyoplankton sampling was conducted in the canals to eva-luate entrainment effects and in the ocean to evaluate thermal discharge effects.
The data obtained during environmental monitoring were compared among operational study years and between operational study years and preoperational (baseline) study years (ABI, 1977 - 1980, 1981b , 1982 ) .
Beginning in 1982 (ABI, 1983), fish monitoring station locations and sampling frequency for ocean gill netting were changed, as delineated in the methods section. These sampling changes enabled a more accurate
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assessment of fish distribution and abundance in the immediate vicinity
. of the ocean discharges and intakes. Canal gill netting was retained to monitor fish entrapment in the intake canal. Trawling, beach seining and ichthyoplankton sampling were deleted from the monitoring program after the May 1982 samples were collected.
Fish sampling in 1983 consisted of gill netting in the intake canal and in the ocean near cooling water intake and discharge locations. As
, during other study years, emphasis was placed on potential plant effects
_ on the migratory fishes of sport and commercial importance.
B-2
I As stated previously, Unf t 2 went on-line in May 1983 and began com-mercial operation in August; consequently, Unit 2 monitoring shifted from a preoperational to an operational phase. Unit 1, however, went off-line at the end of February 1983 and remained off-line for the rest of the year. Thus, the plant was not operating for approximately 2-1/2 months a (March-May) and was operating with one unit on-line during the balance of 1983.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Canal Gill Nets Monthly gill net collections were taken at two stations in the
, intake canal to determine if fish were accumulating in the canal because of entrapment. Both stations were located between the Highway A1A bridge and the plant intake screens (Figure B-1), although exact location varied because of dredging operations or construction activities. Sampling also I
was conducted during Ma'rch 1983 in the discharge canal when the circu-lating water pumps were operating at reduced flow.
l The canal gill nets were 61 m long by 3 m deep and were constructed of 76-mm stretch mesh. At each station a net was set on the bottom and
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completely spanned the canal. Sampling duration covered consecutive 24-hour periods at each station during each month. After each 24-hour period, fish and shellfish were removed from the nets. Specimens were
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identified to species, counted, measured and weighed. Standard length, the distance from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail, .as q measured for most fish. Total length was measured for sharks and other fishes with indiscernible tail-fin bases. Disk width was measured for 5
B-3
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rays. Carapace (shell) length was measured for lobsters and carapace width was measured for crabs. The taxonomic nomenclature for fishes is in accordance with Robins et al. (1980).
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To facilitate data comparisons, the species data were often sum-marized by taxon in the text and tables. Taxa are groups of closely related fishes, such as those within the same family.
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Ocean Gill Nets
( Gill net collections were taken at Stations F1 and F2 in the vici-nity of the ocean intakes, Stations F3 through F7 in the vicinity of the ocean discharges, and at Station C1 further offshore (Figure B-2). These eight stations were established to enable comparison of fish distribution and abundance 1) in relation to distance from the thermal discharge, 2) between ocean intake and ocean discharge, 3) between ocean intake and intake canal and 4) among years (Stations F3 and C1 were formerly
( Stations 1 and 2, respectively). Sampling was conducted once per month during the months of April through September and twice per month during the months of October through March. The increased sampling frequency in the late fall and winter months coincided with the expected increased
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abundance of the important migratory fishes in the area.
The ocean gill net was 183 m long by 3.7 m deep and was made up of five 36.6-m panels sewn end-to-end. The mesh sizes of the panels were 64, 74, 84, 97 and 117 mm in stretch lengths. The net was set on the bottom, perpendicular to shore, and fished for 30 minutes at each sta-( tion. On several occasions, when large numbers of fish were encountered, B-4
l j the net was fished for shorter periods of time and the catch extrapolated to a 30-minute set. Specimens collected by ocean gill netting were ana-( lyzed by the same methods described under Canal Gill Nets.
1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION r
Canal Gill Nets Intake canal gill netting resulted in the collection of 526 fish during 1983 (Tables B-1 and B-2). Total fish weight recorded was 234 kg; however, this weight included fragments (partially eaten fish) so the undamaged weight would have been somewhat greater. A total of 12 shellfish, weighing 3 S kg, was al so found during intake canal gill netting (Table B-1).
The intake canal gill netting data show that fish were not accumu-lating there. The average catch rate over the past eight years has ranged from 3.5 to 12.5 fish per 30 m of net per day (Figure B-3). Peaks
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of abundance in 1977 and 1978 (Figure B-3) were caused primarily by influxes of blue runners and crevalle jacks. The average catch rate was
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highest in 1980 when influxes of spot (a member of 'the drum family) f inflated the average number of fish present. The reasons for these influxes of certain fishes into the intake on limited occasions are not i known. The lack of any concentration of fish in the intake canal is con-sidera the result of predation, sampling or attrition.
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[ The hardhead catfish, a non-food fish, was the most abundant species found in the intake canal during 1983. It accounted for 20.0 percent of
( the total number of fishes collected and 14.0 percent of the weight B-5
(Table B-1). The hardhead catfish also was the most abundant species in the canal in 1982. Based on taxa, catfish were followed in abundance by f Jacks (including crevalle jack, blue runner and Atlantic bumper), porgies (sheepshead, pinfish and silver porgy), grunts (porkfish, black margate and sailor's choice) and lesser numbers of other groups (Table B-2). As in previous study years, blue crabs were the predominant shellfish found in 1983 (Table B-1).
Some fishes collected in the intake canal were of sport or commer-cial importance. These included snappers, sheepshead, crevalle jack, drum and mullet. However, the loss to sport or commercial interests was negligible, particularly as compared to the weight of fishes in the com-mercial landings (Table B-3). The primary commercial fishes in St. Lucie and Martin Counties are Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and bluefish.
During the past eight years, only 5 Spanish mackerel,10 king mackerel and 37 bluefish have been collected in the intake canal. Thus, entrap-ment of mackerel and bluefish, which pass Hutchinson Island during seasonal migrations, is negligible,
(
f In addition to the wide variations in capture rates over the past seven years (Figure B-3), the taxa represented in the intake canal collections varied considerably (Table B-4). For example, drum were abundant during 1976 and 1980 and less common during the intervening years, jacks were more abundant in 1978 than in either the previous or following years, and catfish accounted for large proportions of the catch in 1982 and 1983, although previously they were less abundant.. These differences are attributed to natural yearly variations in fish popula B-6
L p tion composition, the chance occurrence of schooling fishes, and to l
variations in the total yearly sample sizes from which the percentage compositions of the taxa are calculated. For all fishes collected during
{
the eight years combined, grunts accounted for about 20 percent of the gill net catch, followed by snapper, Jacks, porgies and drum at 12 to 13 percent, and catfish, mullet and searobin at 4 to 6 percent (Figure B-4).
These fishes are all common off Hutchinson Island and were the ones com-monly found in the intake canal.
In contrast to the number of fish collected during ocean studies (discussed in the next section), the number of fish entrapped in the intake canal was low. This low entrapment rate is attributed primarily to the velocity caps at the offshore inlets of the intake pipes, which maximize the horizontal flow of water into the intake. Fishes may be entrapped by a downward flow but are more likely to detect and avoid a horizontal flow (Clark and Brownell,1973).
Gill nets were set in the discharge canal in March, when the cir-culating water pumps had been operating at reduced flow for five days.
( Three blue crabs were the only fish or shellfish collected. Studies in 1980 (ABI, 1981b) showed that very few fish or shellfish enter the discharge canal when the circulating pumps are operated at low-flow rates; therefore, a considerable amount of time would be required for populations to beconie established.
(
B-7
t Ocean Gill Nets A total of 5,598 fish, weighing 2,787 kg, was collected by gill netting at ocean stations in 1983 (Table B-5). Bluefish was the predomi-nant species collected, closely followed in abundance by Spanish mackerel. Bluefish accounted for 18.8 percent of the number and 28.7 i percent of the weight of fishes collected; Spanish mackerel comprised 18.7 percent of the number and 21.0 percent of the weight. Spot, Atlantic bumper, Atlantic croaker and menhaden followed bluefish and Spanish mackerel in abundance. Because several species of drum were collected, they made up the largest percentage of the catch based on taxa (Table B-6).
i The largest number of fish was collected during November when the catch averaged 102 fish per net set (Figure B-5). Spanish mackerel were particularly abundant in November and composed 51 percent of the catch during that month. The second most abundant catch occurred in January when an average of 79 fish per net set was collected. Bluefish accounted for 61 percent of this catch. The fewest fish were found during July when the average catch was 3.5 fish per net set.
No statistically significant differences (P<0.05; ANOVA) were found in the numbers of fish collected among Stations F1 through F7 and C1.
This is attributed to the large variation within each station among months (Table B-7). The largest number of fish was the 1,601 collected at Station F3 (Table B-7). This collection made up 28.6 percent of all fish collected (Figure B-6). The number of fish collected at the other 1
stations ranged from 344 to 788 or from 6.1 to 14.1 percent of the total.
B-8
- m. .. u.a. .m. - - - - '
( The majority of the fish collected at Station F3 in January were bluefish and, in November, most were Spanish mackerel. The reason why the largest number of fish were collected at Station F3 is believed to be the fortuitous occurrence of large numbers of schooling fish on several occasions. The Y-port diffuser line was closed at the discharge headwall during all of 1983 so there was no thermal discharge that could have acted as a potential fish attractant.
The 1982 studies (ABI,1983) showed that more fish occurred near the intakes than in the vicinity of the discharges. It was postulated that this may have been caused by differences in the structural configurations f
of the intakes and disharges. In contrast, the 1983 studies revealed fewer fish in the intake area than at the discharge. Nevertheless, both studies showed that, regardless of their location, fish remained in the area for only part of the year (Figure B-5) before moving on. This has particularly important implications for migratory species such as Spanish mackerel, because it shows that these structures are not an important enough attractant to offset natural migratory movements.
Stations F3 through F5 (Figure B-6) were established to enable com-parisons of fish abundance at the Y-port diffuser and at two down-current locations potentially influenced by the thermal plume. However, as in
{ 1982, the Y-port diffuser line was not in use during 1983 and, instead, the multi-port diffuser line was used. Additionally, the heat discharged from the multi-port diffuser line dissipated so rapidly that only slight temperature differences were recorded at multi-port diffuser Stations F6 and F7. Thus, no comparisons of fish abundance down-current from the B-9
)
i point of discharge could be made for either 1982 or 1983. However,
{ because of the lack of a thermal gradient, it is doubtful if there were 4
any differences related to thermal conditions.
t Water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity were measured at the same time and location as the ocean gill net samples.
With the exception of a few high turbidity measurements recorded in February and March, little variation was found in these parameters among stations on any given sampling date (Table B-8).
Migratory Fishes Migratory species of sport and commercial value found during ocean gill netting were Spanish mackerel, king mackerel and bluefish. As pre-viously stated, bluefish and Spanish mackerel were the abundant fishes collected during 1983. Spanish mackerel migrate north in the spring to spawn during the summer months in the northern part of their range (north of Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic coast) and then migrate south in the fall (Wollam, 1970). Commercial landings of Spanish mackerel in 1982 (the latest data available) in St. Lucie and Martin Counties totaled 1.4 million kg or. 60 percent of the entire Florida east coast landings of this species (Table B-3). Landings in each of these counties have fluc-tuated widely over the past several years, ranging between about 0.2 and 2.3 million kilograms (Figure B-7).
Ocean gill netting in 1983 resulted in the collection of 1,047 Spanish mackerel. Eighty percent of these were collected in November (Table B-5) as they were migrattrq southward. The largest number of B-10 U
(
Spanish mackerel, 272, was found at discharge Station F3 (Table B-6).
From 73 to 182 individuals were found at the four other discharge sta-( tions, 54 and 104 at the two intake stations and 52 at Station C1 further offshore. The high number of Spanish mackerel collected at Station F3 is attributed to chance.
The seasonal migratory habits of king mackerel are similar to those of the Spanish mackerel although king mackerel are usually found further offshore. In addition to its commercial importance (Table B-3; Figure B-7), the king mackerel is the most prominent marine fish in the Florida sport fishery (Beaumariage, 1973). Thirty-five king mackerel were collected during offshore gill netting in 1983. The number of king mackerel collected was similar among stations a1d ranged from 2 to 7 individuals (Table B-6).
Bluefish occur off the St. Lucie area in the winter and, like Spanish mackerel, are generally found near the shore. They move north during spring and summer (Beaumariage,1969) and spawn in offshore waters north of Florida in early summer (Deuel et al.,1966). The northward movement of bluefish along the Florida coast is probably part of a spawning migration by that part of the population that extends its winter range into south Florida waters (Moe,1972). This species is also impor-tant in sport and commercial fishing. A total of 557,000 kg was landed commercially in St. Lucie and Martin Counties in 1982 (Table B-3; Figure B-7).
i B-11 i
L
(
A total of 1,053 bluefish was collected by ocean gill netting in 1983, with the majority (74 percent) found during January (Figure B-5).
( By far the largest number, 769, was found at Station F3; the number collected at other stations ranged from 17 to 63 (Table B-6). As with Spanish mackerel and fishes in general, the high number at Station F3 is attributed to chance, particularly because 97 percent of the bluefish I
collected at Station F3 were found on only one occasion. I hon-migratory fishes of sport and/or commercial importance also were l l
found during ocean gill netting. These included menhaden, sheepshead, Florida pompano and the drums, such as weakfish, kingfish and spot (Table B-5). As shown by the gill netcing results, a high diversity of large pelagic fishes occurs off liutchinson Island.
Comparisons Among Study Years The numbcr of fish collected during ocean gill netting has varied considerably over the past several years. From 1977, the first full year of plant operation, and continuing through 1983, the catch per unit effort has ranged from 15.7 to 94.2 fish per net set-at discharge Station 1 (F3) and from 7.9 to 25.9 fish per net set at Station 2 (C1) located further offshore (Figure B-8). Stations 1 (F3) and 2 (C1) were the two locations sampled during all study years. The differences in the catches at the two stations is probably related to distance from shore and the attractant effect of offshore structures (Station F3 is located at the Y-port diffuser). Differences among years at either station primarily are attributed to natural annual variations in fish abundance and to the chance occurrence of the highly motile, often migratory fishes encoun-tered.
B-12 e
(
The taxa of fish making up the catch each year also has varied I
(Table B-9). These variations also are attributed to chance occurrence, I although natural fluctuations in abundance could also alter the relative abundance of species. For example, during 1977 the percentage com-position for Spanish mackerel (33.3 percent) was higher than that found during any other full study year (Table B-9). Spanish mackerel commer-cial landings also were higher in 1977 than during the other years (Figure B-7). This yearly variation in the occurrence of a migratory species could be caused by year-class success, water temperature and current pattern differences, nearshore versus offshore movement of the f fish, or other factors. Because of the large size of the study area and the highly motile, often migratory habits of the fishes involved, it is doubtful whether variations in species occurrence or percentage com-position in relation to othtr taxa could be attributed to any plant-related effect.
SUMMARY
Environmental monitoring at the St. Lucie Plant has been conducted to examine fish composition and abundance and to evaluate the local habi-
{ tat, distribution and life history of these fish in tenns of plant opera-tion. This is the eighth annual environmental monitoring report presenting the results of these studies. Beginning in February 1982, gill netting was intensified in the immediate vicinity of the plant to enable a more accurate . assessment of fish distribution and abundance at the cooling system's ocean intakes and discharges. Gill netting was con-tinued in the intake canal, but trawl, beach seine and ichthyoplankton study components were deleted from the monitoring program following the May 1982 sampling.
B-13
L i
(
Gill netting data showed that fish were not accumulating in the intake canal and that, compared to the number of fish collected at the ocean intake structures, the number entrapped in the intake canal was
{
low. This low entrapment is attributed primarily to the velocity caps at the ocean intakes. These appeared to be effective in enabling fish to avoid being drawn into the intake pipes. Several of the fishes collected in the intake canal, such as snappers, sheepshead, drum and mullet, were species of sport and commercial importance. However, the loss of these fishes to sport or commercial interests was negligible considering the f
low numbers encountered. It is particularly noteworthy that the impor-tant migratory fishes usually avoid entrapment; only 15 mackerel and 37 bluefish have been collected in the past eight years.
During the intensified ocean gill netting program, there were no statistically significant differences in the numbers of fish collected among stations in the vicinity of the plant. The largest number of-fish (as well as the largest numbers of Spanish mackerel and bluefish) was collected at discharge Station F3 during 1983, whereas the largest number was found at an intake station in 1982. The reason for the large number of fish at Station F3 in 1983 was considered fortuitous, resulting from the chance occurrence of a large number of schooling fish on several occasions. In both 1982 and 1983, concentrations of fish in intake and discharge areas only occurred during part of the year, showing that fish were not held there and eventually moved on. This has particularly important implications for the nigratory species such as the Spanish mackerel, because it shows that these structures are not important enough as an attractant to offset. natural migratory movements.
B-14
I L
There have been year-to-year variations in both the number of fish
(
collected during ocean gill netting and in the taxa of fish making up the catch. These variations are attributed to chance occurrences of the c fishes encountered and to natural variations in species abundance.
Because of the large size of the study area and the highly motile, often migratory habits of the fishes involved, it is doubtful whether variations in species occurrence or percentage composition could be attributed to any plant-related effect.
t B-15
}
LITERATURE CITED t ABI (Applied Biology, Inc.). 1977. Ecological monitoring at the Florida Power & Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, annual report 1976.
Volume 1. AB-44. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
. 1978. Ecological monitoring at the Florida Power & Light Company, St. Lucie Plant, annual report 1977. Volume
- 1. AB-101. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
Light Co., Miami.
f . 1979. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
] Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1978. Volume II, Biotic monitoring. AB-177. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co. Miami.
. 1980. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological enviromental monitoring report 1979. Volumes II and III, Biotic monitoring. AB-244. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co. Miami.
._ . 1981a. Proposed St. Lucie Plant preoper-ational and operatioral biological monitoring program. August 1981.
AB-358. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
Light Co. Miami.
. 1981b. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1980. Volume II, Biotic monitoring. AB-324. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
. 1982. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1981. Volume II, Biotic monitoring. AB-379. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
. 1983. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1982. Volumes 1 and 2. AB-442. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc.
for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
Beaumariage, D.S. 1969. Returns from the 1965 Schlitz tagging program including a cumulative analysis of previous results. Florida Department of Natural Resources Marine Laboratory, Technical ' Series No. 59. 39 pp. (from Moe, 1972).
. 1973. Age, growth, and reproduction of king mackerel
_Scomoeromorus cavalla, in Florida. Florida Department of Natural f Resources Marine Laboratory, Publication No.1. 45 pp.
B-16
L k
LITERATURE CITED (continued)
Clark, J. and W. Brownell. 1973. Electric power plants in the coastal zone: environmental issues. American Littoral Society, Special Publication No. 7, Highlands, N.J.
Deuel, D.G., J.R. Clark and A.J. Mansueti. 1966. Description of embryonic and early larval stages of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix.
Transactions American Fisheries Society 95(3):264-271.
Moe, M. A. , Jr. 1972. Movement and migration of south Florida fishes.
Florida Department of Natural Resources Marine Research Laboratory, Technical Series No. 69. 25 pp.
Robi ns, C.R. , R.M. Bail ey, C.E. Bond , J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N.
Lee and W.B. Scott. 1980. A list of common and scientific names of l fishes from the United States and Canada, 4th ed. American l Fisheries Society, Special Publication No.12. 174 pp.
Wollam, M.B. 1970. Description and distribution of larvae and early juveniles of king mackerel , Scomberomorus cavalla (Cuvier), and f Spanish mackerel , Scomberomorus maculatus (Mitchill); (Pisces:
Scombridae); in the western North Atlantic. Florida Department of Natural Resources Marine Research Laboratory, Technical Series No.
- 61. 35 pp.
}
}
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r B-20
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SPANISH MACKEREL l l BLUEFISH 40-
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( B-23
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B-24
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B-25 a
TABLE B-1 NUMBER, SIZE Ato PERCENTAGE COWOSITION OF SHELLFlSHES Ato FISHES COLLECTED BY GILI. NETTING AT INTAKE CANAL STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
. Percentage composition Number of Range of Total Number of Total Species Individuals lengths (mm) welaht (a) Individuals welaht blue crab 7 114-177 1,232 58.3 34.3 spiny lobster 5 76-99 2,385 41.7 65.7 Total 12 -
3,590 100.0 100.0 hardhead catfish 105 189-304 32,825", 20.0 14.0 crevalle Jack 52 170-354 18,919, 9.9 8.1 si1ver porgy 45 146-225 10,699 8.5 4.6 Irish pompano 33 142-270 7,029 6.3 3.0 sheepshead 26 233-312 19,173 4.9 8.2 blue runner 24 222-318 8,628 a 4.6 3.7 porkfish 24 144-242 5,559 4.6 2. 4 spotted scorpionfish 20 146-198 5,704 3.8 2.4 Atlantic spadefish 17 150-279 12,721 3.2 5.4 black margate 17 152-373 7,567 a 3.2 3.2 lane snapper 16 188-279 5,378 3.0 2.3 Atlantic bumper 12 148-234 1,404 a 2.3 0.6 f southern flounder 11 229-495 9,706 a 2.1 4.2
( white mullet 10 269-346 5,977 a 1.9 2.6 pinfish 10 132-284 3,550 a 1.9 1.5 gray snapper 9 212-293 4,304 1.7 1.8 smoth dogfish 8 529-687 6,186 1.5 2.6
( sailor's cholce 8 181-235 1,991 a 1.5 0.9
( cownose ray 7 531-642 23,640 1.3 10.1 sand drum 7 229-312 2,434 1.3 1.0 Atlantic croaker 7 134-306 2,309 1.3 1.0 spot 7 190-224 1,599 1.3 0.7 l sea bream 6 225-268 3,079 1.1 1.3 striped mullet 5 242-424 3,303 1.0 1.4 Iady f I sh 3 250-462 2,023 0.6 0.9 gulf flounder 3 272-307 1,302 0.6 0.6 mutton snapper 3 196-255 1,137 0.6 0.5 white grunt 3 225-247 1,122 0.6 0.5 pigfish 3 203-231 808 0.6 0.3 nurse shark 2 669-830 4,610 0.4 2.0 r Atlantic guitarfish 2 592-604 1,246 0.4 0.5
( broad flounder 1 562 4,100 0.2 1.8 black drum 1 439 2,575 0.2 1.1 spotted moray 1 899 1,728 0.2 0.7 great barracuda 1 564 1,608 0.2 0.7 scalloped hammerhead 1 717 1,504 0.2 0.6 purplemouth moray 1 869 897 0.2 0.4 snoon 1 361 723 0.2 0.3 bluefish 1 376 681 0.2 0.3 southern kingfish 1 328 680 0.2 0.3 weakfish 1 340. 598 0.2 0.3 tarpon snook 1 352 563 0.2 0.2 bluestriped grunt 1 249 455 0.2 0.2 doctorfIsh 1 233 440 0.2 0.2
( bonnethead 1 490 438 0.2 0.2 L sharksucker 1 477 343 0.2 0.1 redfin parrotfIsh 1 207 253 0.2 0.1 southern stargator 1 187 252 0.2 0.1
( lookdown i 117 58 0.2 <0.1 l
striped croaker 1 106 40 0.2 <0.1 scaled sardine 1 84 ll a 0.2 <0.1 yellow Jack 1 220 -
0.2 -
Total 526 -
233.879 100.0 100.0
" Includes one or more fragments.
B-26 l
TABLE B-2 a
NUMBER OF FISHES COLLECTED PER MONTH BY GILL NETTING AT INTAKE CANAL STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Total by Percentage Taxon Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec taxon composition catfish 6 12 29 17 12 14 3 1 2 9 105 20.0 jack 2 17 9 3 5 14 6 8 8 11 7 90 17.1 porgy 18 9 5 8 7 2 6 1 3 4 17 7 87 16.5 grunt 7 9 2 7 4 2 1 10 5 6 3 56 10.6 mojarra 1 7 2 7 4 12 33 6.3 snapper 4 1 1 2 4 2 1 6 3 4 28 5.3
" drum 2 11 4 2 2 1 2 1 25 4.8 0 shark, ray 1 10 3 2 1 2 1 1 21 4.0 scorpionfish, 4 5 -1 1 2 4 3 20 3.8 searobin spadefish 4 1 1 4 3 1 2 1 17 3.2 mullet 1 1 4 1 4 2 2 15 2.9 other fish 5 2 5 4 2 2 1 3 1 4 29 5.5 D
Total 50 67 68 42 45 52 22 4 31 43 51 51 526 100.0 a
Four 24-hour net sets per month.
b Nets clogged with algae.
L
( TABLE B-3 COMMERCIAL FISHERY LANDINGS FOR ST. LUCIE COUNTY, MARTIN COUNTY AND THE FLORIDA EAST C0AST
[ 1982a
( Commercial catch (kg)
St. Lucie Martin Florida Speciesb County County east coast ,
bluerunner 21,595 46,911 76,215 bluefish 236,146 321,168 910,835
[ bonito 19,680 6,770 31,740 catfish, sea 2,112 15,834 18,887 crevalle (Jacks) 197,590 98,661 336,774 croaker 9,403 13,031 43,254
[ dolphin 7,858 1,475 36,235 goatfish 329 46,113 56,908 groupers and scamp 26,130 11,116 305,591
( herring, thread 0 5,618 5,618 king mackerel 641,863 82,054 2,108,059 king whiting (kingfish) 9,655 20,503 401,167
( marlin and sailfish 8,319 340 15,569 mullet, black (striped) 111,416 67,769 1,186,465 pompano 21,565 26,878 99,733 sand perch (mojarra) 388 63,052 67,775 i sea trout, gray 8 923 590 79 926 sea trout, spotted 28,,090 2,868 6, 332,,161 sharks 20,344 413 69,073
( sheepshead 6,101 85,730 165,121 snapper, mangrove 5,490 3,232 28,466 Spanish mackerel 899,944 541,769 2,385,302 spot 195,582 29,314 2,010,010
{ swordfish 451,503 0 1,368,954 tenpounder (ladyfish) 0 53,739 63,188 tilefish 587,654 38,327 1,467,289
{- tuna 12,553 71 66,709 unclassified, food 15,912 11,838 71,530 unclassified, misc. 137 8,201 188,425
{ other fishc 23,055 20,723 6,471,348d Total 3,569,327 1,630,108 20,468,327 k
a Data provided by NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fishe les Center, Miami.
b Species in which over 4536 kg (10,000 lb) were landed in either St.
Lucie or Martin Counties.
( cSpecies in which less than 4536 kg (10,000 lb) were landed in both St.
Lucie and Martin Counties.
( d Menhaden compose 73 percent of this amount; menhaden landings are insignificant in St. Lucie and Martin Counties.
k B-28 i
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ .-
. TABLE B-4 l 1
NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF FISHES COLLECTED l BY GILL NETTING AT INTAKE CANAL STATIONS DURING ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING !
ST. LUCIE PLANT l 1976 - 1983 1976 1977 1978 1979 Number Number Number Number of Percentage of Percentage of Percentage of Percentage Taxon fishes composition fishes composition fishes composition fishes camposition drum 111 25.0 23 5.7 33 2.3 27 4.1 nel1et. 90 20.3 28 7.0 103 7.1 6 0.9 grunt 63 14.2 41 10.2 309 21.2 96 14.5 snapper 62 14.0 49 12.2 244 16.7 151 22.9
.[e jack 37 8.3 56 14.0 336 23.1 70 10.6 scorpionfish, 16 3.6 8 2.0 92 6.3 23 3.5 searobin porgy 11 2.5 47 11.7 103 7.1 172 26.0 mojarra 10 2.3 3 0.8 18 1.2 28 4.2 spadefish 2 0.4 84 21.0 57 3.9 6 0.9 shark, ray 2. 0.4 34 8.5 23 1.6 14 2.1 catfish 0 0.0 1 0.2 64 4.4 20 3.0 other. fish 40 9.0 27 6.7 73 5.1 48 7.3 Total 444 100.0 401 100.0 1455 100.0 661 100.0 Meters of net 5670. -
3292 -
4267 -
4389 -
fished TABLE CONTINUED
~ ?
- - - - - - - - c--
(TABLE B-4 continued)
NUltBER AND PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF FISHES COLLECTED BY GILL NETTING AT INTAKE CANAL STATIONS DURING ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING ST. LUCIE PLANT 1976 - 1983 1980 1981 1982 1983 Number Number Number Number of Percentage of Percentage of Percentage of Percentage Taxon fishes composition fishes composition fishes composition fishes composition drum 485 32.3 59 6.5 8 2.0 25 4.8 mullet 19 1.3 52 5.8 25 6.3 15 2.9 grunt 283 18.8 299 33.1 91 22.8 56 10.6 snapper 136 9.1 118 13.1 48 12.0 28 5.3
{o- jack 106 7.1 109 12.1 20 5.0 90 17.1 scorpionfish, 50 -3.3 13 1.4 23 5.8 20 3.8 searobin porgy 197 13.1 111 12.6 65 16.3 87 16.5 mojarra 38 2.5 34 3.8 12 3.0 33 6.3 spadefish 17 1.1 22 2.4 3 0.8 17 3.2 l l
shark, ray 66 4.4 3 0.3 3 0.7 21 4.0 l catfish 40 -2.7 46 5.1 95 23.8 105 20.0 other fish 64 4.3 34 3.8 6 1.5 29 5.5
-l Total 1501 100.0 903 100.0 399 100.0 526 100.0 Meters of net
. fished 4389 -
4145 -
2760 -
2880 -
l
s I
L t
TABLE B-5
[
NLMBER, SlIE AND PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF FISHES COLLECTED BY GILL NETTING AT OCEAN STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Percentage composition Number of Range of Total Number of Total Species Individuals lengths (nun) weight (g) Individuals weight bluefish 1053 248-419 798,894 10.8 28.7 Spanish mackerel 1047 243-576 583,914 18.7 21.0 spot 550 133-207 67,158 9.8 2.4 Atlantic bumper 422 65-235 34,184 7.5 1.2 Atlantic croaker 374 163-249 60,967 6.7 2.2 Atlantic menhaden 304 172-317 109,979 5.4 3.9 yellowfin menhaden 291 189-290 76,235 5.2 2.7 creval le Jack 278 142-518 114,809 5.0 4.1 blue runner 273 167-367 98,361 4.9 3.5 banded drum 271 141-198 41,548 4.8 1.5 weakfish 70 251-406 36,344 1.3 1.3 Atlantic cutlassfish 61 575-1312 22,857 1.1 0.8 southern kingfish 55 208-311 16,398 1.0 0.6 Atlantir: thread herring 54 142-217 4,106 1.0 0.1 leJyfish 50 267-578 47,495 0.9 1.7 hardhead catfish 38 207-292 8,846 0.7 0.3 Atlantic sharpnose shark 37 532-977 38,755 0.7 1.4 silver seatrout 37 206-372 11,266 0.7 0.4 gaf f topsail catfish 37 132-349 11,079 0.7 0.4 pigfish 37 148-231 7,4 54 0.7 0.3 bonnethead 36 383-982 28,158 0.6 1.0 king mackerel 35 274-629 16,782 0.6 0.6 sand drum 27 172-267 6,148 0.5 0.2 blacktlp shark 19 752- % 3 66,752 0.3 2.4 scalIoped hammerhead 16 357-2000 356,000 0.3 9.2 sheep shead 14 204-388 10,484 0. 3 0.4 Florida pompano 14 169-276 5,7 51 0.3 0.2 gult kingfish 14 227-287 3,862 0.3 0.1 leatherj acket 10 212-256 1,384 0.2 <0.1 Atlantic moonfish 10 115-191 1,056 0.2 <0.1 smooth dogfish 9 559-642 6,339 0.2 0.2 hybrid menhaden 8 200-231 1,784 0.1 <0.1 coble 6 322-595 6,794 0.1 0.2 pinfIsh 6 122-163 560 0.1 <0.1 blacknose shark 5 669-1168 26,200 <0.1 0.9 finetooth shark 4 715-1385 48,975 <0.1 1.8 shark (Carcharhinus sp) 2 1590-1600 N 00,000 <0.1 3.6 Atlantic spadefish 2 216-243 1,462 <0.1 <0.1 sharksucker 2 253-412 548 <0.1 <0.1 tomtate 2 177-202 347 <0.1 <0.1 strIpod croaker 2 176-184 336 <0.1 <0.I lookdown 2 131-145 191 <0.1 <0.1 spotted eagle rey 1 700 4,600 <0.1 0.2 banded rudderfish 1 312 700 <0.1 <0.1 blgeye scad 1 222 214 <0.1 <0.1 barbu 1 184 158 <0.1 <0.1 gray triggerfish 1 156 155 <0.1 <0.1 gray snapper 1 16 0 125 <0.1 <0.1 rodear sardine 1 158 106. <0.1 <0.1 frlsh pompano 1 146 100 <0.1 <0.1 o
harvestfish 1 124 99 .<0.1 <0.1 bighaad searobin 1 152 96 <0.1 <0.1 silver Jenny 1 131 84 <0.1 ~<0.1 lined solo 1 104 55 <0.1 <0.1 leopard seerobin 1 149 54 .< 0.I <0.1 striped anchovy 1 109 20 <0.1 <0.1 Total 5598 - 2,787,12B 100.0 100.0 B-31
- - , v TABLE B-6 NUMBER OF FISHES COLLECTED PER STATION BY GILL NETTING AT OCEAN STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Total by station Total by Percentage Taxon F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 C1 taxon composition druma 172 64 201 136 281 65 387 95 1401 25.0 bluefish 39 39 769 46 17 63 61 19 1053 18.8 Spanish mackerel 104 54 272 158 152 182 73 52 1047 18.7 menhaden 76 75 36 32 75 80 101 127 602 10.8 Atlantic bumper 87 32 68 49 49 67 51 19 422 7.5 as crevalle jack 31 15 140 18 15 26 33 -
278 5.0 La blue runner 21 19 49 79 15 42 35 13 273 4.9 shark 8 18 12 6 7 7 9 62 129 2.3 catfish 6 5 14 10 2 12 10 16 75 1.3 Atlantic cutlassfish 44 - -
8 6 1 1 1 61 1.1 Atlantic thread herring 3 4 4' 35 5 2 1 -
54 1.0 ladyfish 4 - 5 11 -
12 13 5 50 0.9 jackb 1 2 19 6 3 1 3 3 38 0.7 king mackerel 2 6 4 2 7 6 2 6 35 0.6 other fishc 3 11 8 18 6 4 8 22 80 1.4 Total' 601 344 1601 614 640 570 788 440 5598 100.0 a
Spot, Atlantic croaker and 7 other species.
Six species other than Atlantic bumper, blue runner and crevalle jack.
c Eighteen species.
k I
L TABLE B-7 NUMBER OF FISH COLLECTED DURING EACH SAMPLING PERIOD BY GILL NETTING AT OCEAN STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 f Station Date F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 C1 Total
{ 17 Jan 0 0 795 0 0 59 109 22 985 24 Jan 12 6 28 21 6 22 95 93 283 17 Feb 22 31 0 13 16 65 4 20 171 23 Feb 19 17 7 18 13 6 15 22 117 10 Mar 0 1 7 0 0 1 17 0 26 29 Mar 42 51 6 9 39 25 225 39 436 21 Apr 62 33 24 29 41 2 23 0 214 26 May 6 10 7 40 2 0 2 0 67 14 Jun 48 11 83 49 57 3 8 11 270 15 Jul 8 3 6 3 1 3 3 1 28 23 Aug 57 a _a _a 2 -
i _a _a 60 16 Sep 8 3 11 76 101 7 38 5 249
{ 5 Oct 113 40 5 65 42 61 23 5 354 12 Oct 9 18 53 43 44 5 14 15 201 9 Nov 71 32 38 27 44 48 109 117 486 18 Nov 75 36 457 125 142 195 66 49 1145 6 Dec 3 6 4 57 6 24 5 35 140 f 29 Dec 46 44 70 39 86 43 32 6 366 TOTAL 601 344 1601 614 640 570 788 440 5598 a i Sampling terminated be::ause of dense algal accumulations that clogged the net.
B-33
s L
TABLE B-8 e
RANGES OF PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS RECORDED DURING OCEAN GILL NET COLLECTIONS ST LUCIE PLANT 1983 Date Water temperature Salinity Olssolved Oxygen Turbidity Current
(*c) (ppt) (ppm) (JTU) direction to 17 January 16.9-18.2 35.0 6.9-7.8 2.4-12.0 south 24 January 17.5-18.2 34.5-35.0 7.2-7.7 5.4-14.6 south ,
17 February 18.2-19.1 33.9-34.5 6.7-7.2 6.2-96.0" north 23 February 21.3-22.1 34.5-35.5 6.4-6.8 4.6-41.2 north 10 March 21.2-21.7 34.5-35.0 6.3-6.9 0.0-3.3 no current 29 March 19.5-19.8 34.0-34.5 7.1-7.5 3.5-24.5 south 21 April 21.2-22.0 35.0-35.5 6.8-7.4 2.4-15.4 south d
26 May 20.8-24.1 35.0-35.5 6.9-7.8 0.5-7.1 no current 14 June 25.3-28.0* 34.5-35.0 5.6-6.5 3.1-14.2 north 15 July 29.0-30.2 34.5-35.5 5.7-6.3 0.1-5.9 north 23 August 28.1-29.3 35.0-35.5 5.4-5.7 1.7-3.1 -
16 September 27.1-28.1 33.5-35.0 4.7-5.6 4.0-14.6 south 05 October 27.1-28.2 34.5-35.0 5.8-7.3 1.9-7.4 south 12 October 27.5-29.0 34.5-35.0 5.2-6.7 1.3-5.6 north 09 November 24.1-25.2 33.0-34.5 5.1-7.5 2.8-13.1 south 18 November 21.0-22.7 33.0-34.0 5.9-8.4 1.1-8.1 south 06 December 24.1-25.2 34.5-35.5 6.1-6.7 0.7-4.6 north 29 December 19.0-19.8 34.0-35.0 7.5-8.0 1.9-12.8 north
'96.0 at F1, 68.8 at F2, <20 at other stations.
b 41.2 at F1, 23.6 at F2, <20 at other stations.
24.5 at F1 and F2, <20 at other stations.
d Temperature extremes recorded at of f shore Station C1.
Maximum temperature recorded at Station F1.
f Data for 3 stations; sampIIng terminated.
B-34
b t
L TABLE B-9
[ NUMBER (AND PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION) 0F FISHES COLLECTED l BY OCEAN GILL NETTING DURING ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING ST. LUCIE PLANT 1976-1983
(
Taxon
( 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 Atlantic bumper 557(32.1) 21117.2) 48255.1) 24715.3) 9510.0)
{ crevalle jack 327(18.9) 50.4) 46 5.3) 222 13.8) 13 1.4)
('
blue runner 273(15.7) 71 5.8) 9110.4) 77 4.8) 10711.3) other jacks 26(1.5) 48(3.9) 7(0.8) 33(2.1) 20 2.1)
Spanish mackerel 179(10.3) 407(33.3) 61(7.0) 238(14.8) 218 23.0) king mackerel 3(0.2) 29(2.4) 1(0.1) 12(0.8) 212.2) bluefish 91(5.3) 331(27.1) 12(1.4) 221(13.7) 74 7.8) menhaden 85(4.9) 12(1.0) 12(1.4) 81(5.0) 123(13.0) drum 42(2.4) 35(2.9) 12(1.4) 240(14.9) 136(14.4) shark 9(0.5) 20(1.6) 31(3.5) 169(10,5) 97(10.3) other fish 142(8.2) 54(4.4) 119(13.6) 70(4.3) 42(4.5)
Total 1734(100.0) 1223(100.0) 874(100.0) 1610(100.0) 946(100.0)
Number of net sets 60 72 72 72 72 1976-1982a - Stations 0-5; monthly sampling.
f 1982b-1983 - Stations F1-F7, C1; monthly or bi-monthly sampling.
1982a - January-May; 1982b - February - December.
TABLE CONTINUED
(
(
B-35
L
)
L TABLE B-9
( (continued)
L NUMBER (AND PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION) 0F FISHES COLLECTED L BY OCEAN GILL NETTING DURING ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING l
ST. LUCIE PLANT
( 1976-1983
[ Taxon 1981 1982a 1982b 1983 Atlantic bumper 235(17.2) 3(1.7) 474(11.4) 422(7.5)
[ crevalle jack 31(2.3) 0(0.0) 212(5.1) 278(5.0)
( blue runner 64(4.7) 15(8.3) 241(5.8) 273(4.9) other jacks 13(0.9) 1(0.6) 65(1.6) 38(0.7)
Spanish mackerel 153(11.2) 78(43.3) 1072(25.8) 1047(18.7) king mackerel 5(0.4) 4(2.2) 34(0.8) 35(0.6) l bluefish 103(7.5) 15(8.3) 224(5.4) 1053(18.8) menhaden 409(30.0) 3(1.7) 773(18.6) 602(10.8) drum 196(14.4) 10(5.6) 787(19.0) 1401(25.0) shark 84(6.1) 4(2.2) 45(1.1) 129(2.3) other fish 72(5.3) 47(26.1) 225(5.4) 320(5.7)
Total 1365(100.0) 180(100.0) 4152(100.0) 5598(100.0)
Number of net sets 72 30 127 139 1976-1982a - Stations 0-5; monthly sampling.
1982b-1983 - Stations F1-F7, C1; monthly or bi-monthly sampling.
g .
TABLE CONTINUED B-36
k
)
L C. MACR 0 INVERTEBRATES EPA NPDES Permit Required Condition (issued January, 1982; as delineated in ABI [1981] and approved by the EPA)
Benthic Organisms - Benthic organisms will be collected quarterly and inventoried as to kind and abundance. Physical measurements will be made at the same time as benthic sample collections.
Parameters measured will be water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.
INTRODUCTION Benthic macroinvertebrates comprise the majority of larger organisms inhabiting the sea bottom. They exhibit a vast diversity of tonn and function and, as a result, occupy a myriad of habitats and virtually all trophic levels. Although most macroinvertebrates are of no direct econo-mic importance, they are important members of marine food webs and constitute a major food source for many species of commercially important fish and shellfish.
Benthic organisms respond to a variety of physicochemical variables
(
such as temperature, salinity, oxygen tension and substrate type.
Organisms having similar requirements tend to fonn integrated assemblages characteristic of prevailing environmental conditions. Relative to nek-tonic fonns, benthic macroinvertebrates have limited motility and, once established in an area, may be unable to escape subsequent unfavorable changes occurring there. Depending on the duration and magnitude of these changes, resident organisms unable to adapt or relocate may be replaced by a new group of species better suited to the altered environ- I C-1
ment. Consequently, benthic communities serve as useful indicators of changing environmental conditions. They have been used successfully to assess the impact of environmental stress induced by deteriorating water quality (Holland al .,1973; Reish et al .,1980).
Near power plants, benthic macroinvertebrate communities have been used to gauge the magnitude of biotic changes occurring as a result of stress induced by artificially elevated temperatures. The localized t
impact of thermal discharges on benthic communities has been manifested by shifts in faunal density, biomass, species richness, diversity and species composition (Warinner and Brehmer,1966; Virnstein,1972; Logan and Maurer,1975; Blake et al .,1976).
Benthic communities have been used to monitor the nearshore marine environment adjacent to the St. Lucie Plant since biological baseline studies began in September,1971. The current NPDES-required program, initiated in January,1982, was intended to provide continued operational monitoring of Unit 1 and both preoperational and operational monitoring of Unit 2. Sampling design for the NPDES program was slightly modified from that used during ETS monitoring conducted from March 1976, when Unit I went on-line, to May 1982 when the EPA assumed jurisdiction over biolo-gical monitoring programs. This modification was necessary to provide additional near-field data relative to an expanded discharge configura-tion and a projected increase in thermal discharge dispersal area.
C-2
L s
L s Although Unit 2 began commercial operation in August,1983, Unit 1 L
e was inoperative throughout all but the first two months of the year.
i Thus, as in previous years, data collected during 1983 reflect responses
[
of benthic communities to the operation of a single unit. As a result.
[ two years of preoperational data are now available for assessing poten-tial impact from the simultaneous operation of two units. During 1983, the structure of benthic communities at each station was characterized and community parameters compared among stations potentially affected by thermal effluents and those spatially removed from their effects.
_ MATERIALS AND METHODS Station Locations and Rationale As in 1982, seven permanent benthic stations were sampled during monitoring in 1983 (Figure C-1). Station B1, established during baseline studies and sampled quarterly since operational monitoring began in 1976, was located adjacent to the Y-port diffuser in about 8.3 m of water.
Station B2 was located about 100 m north of Station B1 and slightly inshore (7.3 m). Both were situated on a topographic shelf referred to as the beach terrace. When the Y-port diffuser is in use, prevailing currents transport a portion of the discharge plume north along the beach terrace. As it moves and mixes with receiving waters, heat is dissi-pated. Consequently, Stations B1 and B2 represent a gradient of decreasing thermal effects. During 1983, the Y-port diffuser was not used because the NPDES permit requires using only the multiport diffuser under certain plant operating conditions.
C-3
L
/
k Sediments on the beach terrace consist primarily of hard packed fine sands and differ appreciably from those at stations farther from shore in deeper water. Because sediments within the study area play an important role in the structure of resident benthic communities, a comparable
{ control station was needed on the beach terrace. That station (Station BC) was located about 4.3 km south of the plant in about 6.7 m of water (Figure C-1). It has been used as a control since 1977 and is well out-side the zone of potential plant impact.
l The four remaining stations were located in a broad trough lying between the beach terrace and an offshore bar about 3 km from shore I (Figure C-1). Sediments within the trough are very coarse, consisting primarily of broken mollusc shells, and support a very diverse assemblage of benthic organisms. The discharge line with the multiport diffuser extends into this shellhash environment. Stations B4 and B5 were located toward the end of the multiport diffuser in about 10 m of water. Both stations were about 50 m away from the line to the south and north, respectively.
Station B3 was established during baseline studies and has been sampled quarterly since 1976. It was located approximately 2.6 km north of the multiport diffuser and 2.1 km from shore in about 11 m of water (Figure C-1). This station was previously demonstrated to be distant enough from the Y-port diffuser to be unaffected by plant operations.
However, currents within the study area flow predominantly to the north.
Consequently, Station B3 was maintained during the NPDES program because C-4
L I
h the thermal plume resulting from the simultaneous operation of two units e
may drift into this area.
( Station C1, the control for Stations B3, B4 and B5, was located about 2 km from shore and east of the multiport diffuser in 11 m of water
{
(Figure C-1). Similar to Station B5, it was established during baseline f studies and has been sampled quarterly since 1976. It was also outside the influence of Unit 1 operations. Because ocean currents in the vicinity of the discharge system are estimated to travel eastward only 4 percent of the time (ABI, 1981), Station Cl is not expected to be affected by thermal effluents even when both units are operating.
Operating Procedures Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected with a Shipek sediment grab which samples a surface area of 400 cm2 (Holme and McIntyre,1971).
This device has been used throughout baseline and operational monitoring f at the St. Lucie Plant. Because of the Shipek's ability to shear obstructing materials caught in its rotating jaws, it operates more effectively than other grabs in the shelly substrata found at the trough stations (EPA,1973). The principal deficiency of the Shipek grab is that it does not operate with the same efficiency (depth of penetration) in all substrate types and, within a substratum, it does not consistently remove the same volume of sediments. Previously, statistical tests applied to data from both beach terrace and shellhash habitats showed no significant correlations between the number of organisms collected and depth of sediments within the sample bucket (AB1,1983). Thus, within a C-5
(
L substratum, inferences regarding community structure are assumed to be free of bias introduced by minor differences in grab operating effi-ciency.
Four replicate samples were collected quarterly (March, June, September and December) at each of the seven stations. Three were used for examining community structure, and the fourth was used for sediment
(
grain-size analyses. All samples were preserved in a 10-percent buf-fered, fonnali n-seawates solution, and the biological samples were i stained with rose bengal dye. In the laboratory, a No. 25 standard sieve (0.710 mm mesh) was used to remove fine sediments and particulate matter from the three biological samples. All material retained on the sieve f
was subsequently hand sorted under low magnification and all organisms
( removed, counted and identified to the lowest practicable taxon.
( Following taxonomic determinations, organisms from all three repli-cates at each station were combined by major group (annelids, molluscs,
{
arthropods, echinoderms and other), and biomass was detennined. Samples f were dried at 105*C to constant weight, measured to the nearest 0.001 g, combusted in a muffle furnace at 500*C for one hour and reweighed to pro-vide ash-free dry weights (APHA, 1981).
The substrate material of the fourth replicate was rinsed, dried, f disaggregated and placed in a graduated nest of nine sieves (mesh widths of 16, 8, 4, 2,1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.063 mm, respectively). The nest of sieves was then shaken for 15 minutes on a Tyler Ro-Tap sieve C-6
L
(
shaker to separate the sample into size-clasi fractions. Particle size class distribution, mean particle diameter and sorting coefficients were subsequently calculated according to the procedures of Folk (1966).
(
f Water temperature, sal inity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity were measured at surface, mid-depth and bottom during collections at each sta-tion. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were measured with a YSI Model 54 00 meter, and salinity was measured with a temperature-f compensated, hand-held refractometer. Water samples were collected with a Kemmerer water bottle, stored on ice and returned to the laboratory where a Hellige Turbidimeter was used to detennine turbidity levels.
Physical data collected at benthic stations were combined with similar data from the nekton program (Section B. NEKTON) to provide a better measure of temporal variability in water quality within the study area.
Data Analysis A variety of statistical methods and biological indices were used to evaluate benthic data collected at the St. Lucie Plant during monitoring in 1983. These tests and their applications are provided in Appendix Table C-2. All statistical tests were perfonned at the P10.05 level of significance.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Physical Environment A variety of physicochemical variables, acting independently and interactively on different life stages of individual species, contribute C-7
s
?
L to the shaping of benthic macroinvertebrate coumunity structure. During
[ 1983 monitoring, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity were measured concurrently with biological collections to assess the potential effects of these water quality parameters on observed patterns of community structure. Additionally, substrate composition was analyzed quarterly at each station. Because benthic collections were made only
( four times during the year, monthly water quality data from the nekton program (Section B. NEKTON) were used to provide more point measurements over time. Data from all stations were used to calculate a mean value for each sampling date. Station F1 (Figure B-1), a station adjacent to the ocean intake structure, was considered to be representative of f ambient conditions when comparing beach terrace stations, while data from Station C1 represented ambient conditions at trough stations.
Temperature In marine environments, temperature is one of the most important agents affecting benthic community dynamics. It establishes geographical
(
limits of distribution and within those boundaries affects the behavior, f reproduction, metabolism and growth and development of resident species (Kinne,1963; Giese and Pearse,1974; Sastry,1975).
In addition to the seasonal changes in temperature associated with climatic conditions, temperatures in the study area are also influenced f by the proximity of the Gulf Stream and intrusions of Gulf Stream eddies over the Florida Shelf (ABI,1980). Additionally, an upwelling phenome-non typically occurs during the summer, whereby relatively cold offshore C-8
)
s I
L bottom water is drawr towards shore to displace surface waters forced offshore by persistent winds. Finally, on a much smaller scale, heated effluents discharged from the St. Lucie Plant may locally modify ambient
(
temperature patterns.
During 1983, mean bottom water temperatures ranged from 17.2 C in
( January to a high of 29.1*C in July (Figure C-2). This pattern deviates somewhat from past years when warmest temperatures have generally
{
occurred during September (ABI,1982 and 1983). However, it should be noted that point measurements taken monthly are generally inadequate to accurately depict prevailing temperature conditions.
Another anomalous feature of the 1983 annual temperature cycle was
{
the apparent absence of a summer upwelling. This phenomenon, which may depress bottom water temperatures by as much as 8*C over a span of several weeks, has occurred with regularity since operational monitoring began in 1976 (ABI,1982,1983). Daily water temperatures taken from the beach during the summer of 1983 showed about a 4*C decline in water tem-perature over a period of several days in late May. However, this
( depression was extremely localized, much less pronounced and of much shorter duration than those previously observed.
Thennal impact from the St. Lucie Plant was relatively minor during 1983, as only one unit was operating at any time and, for several months (March through mid-June), no heated water was being discharged. On the beach terrace, the highest observed difference (at) in bottom water tem-C-9
t e
L peratures between discharge and control stations was 1.8'C. This
( occurred in May before Unit 2 began discharging heated water and reflects natural variability. During the months when heated water was discharged, temperature differentials on the beach terrace were generally less than 1*C. At trough stations, the difference in bottom water temperatures at control and discharge stations never exceeded l'C.
In both habitats, observed differences in temperatures throughout the water column were slight. Stations adjacent to the multipc,rt dif-fuser line (Stations B4 and B5) experienced the greatest differences in temperature between surface and bottom. However, the maximum observed
{ difference was only 1*C. The diversion of effluents away from the bottom via surface-oriented high velocity jets helps to reduce the impact of heated discharges on local benthic communities.
Salinity Salinities within the study area are relatively uniform. During 1983, measured salinities were within the narrow range of 33.4 to 35.5
/oo. No apparent water column gradients were observed, and seasonal variations were ill-defined.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Because of the turbulence created by waves and currents, dissolved
( oxygen levels within the study area do not fluctuate as greatly as in more protected coastal waters; consequently, adequate D0 is available to the marine life present. Mean D0 levels measured concurrently with C-10
L f
L biological collections ranged from 4.8 ppm in September to 7.8 ppm in December. The highest and lowest values recorded during sampling were 8.1 and 4.2 ppm.
{
f Dissolved oxygen levels were lowest during late summer when large quantities of decomposing algae created a nigher than usual oxygen demand. This phenomenon has occurred regularly throughout years of both pre-operational and operational monitoring and is unrelated to power plant operations (ABI,1983).
Both vertical and horizontal spatial variation of D0 levels within the study area were minimal. Differences between surface and bottom seldom exceeded 1 ppa. Comparison of D0 data from control and discharge stations indicates that levels at discharge stations were as high or higher than those at their respective control stations.
Turbidities Turbidity, which reflects the amount of particulate matter in the water column, may influence the type of benthic communities present.
Some deposit-feeding organisms may require the constant deposition of potential food materials onto the bottom, while many suspension feeding organisms may be adversely affected by heavy concentrations of par-ticulate matter in suspension. Turbidity can also influence benthic macroinvertebrate communities by altering substrate composition. Areas of high turbidity are usually sites of deposition for fine sediment par-ticles.
C-11 a
r L
Mean turbidities (expressed as Jackson Turbidity Units; JTU)
( measured concurrently with biological collections ranged from 0.7 JTU in March to 28.7 JTU in February. Within the study area, turbidities varied considerably both spatially and temporally. Highest turbidities occurred during the winter when turbulence from storms was greatest, and lowest values were recorded during the summer when ocean conditions were relati-vely calm. However, values often changed appreciably over short periods
{
of time in response to constant changes in sea state.
Turbidities were generally highest at beach terrace stations because sediments are finer and more easily suspended and because turbulence exerts greater influence on the bottom in relatively shallow depths. The highest observed turbidity (96 JTU) occurred at the beach terrace control station. At trough stations, turbidities never exceed 20 JTU.
When high turbidity occurred, it was confined primarily to the bot-tom. During such periods, surface and bottom turbidities differed by as much as 80 JTU. Bottom turbidities at discharge stations were very simi-( lar to those at corresponding control stations when ocean turbulence was heavy. However, during periods of relative calm, bottom turbidities at discharge stations were slightly higher than at corresponding . control stations. This suggests that turbulence associated with cooling water discharges may periodically elevate turbidity above background levels.
C-12
s I
L Substratum
( The composition and distribution of marine benthic macroinvertebrate communities is largely influenced by substrate type (Sanders, 1958).
Within the nearshore marine environment adjacent to the St. Lucie Plant, sharp distinctions in community structure exist between relatively hard
{ '
substrates represented by biogenically-derived shellhash sediments and
( soft substrates represented by fine, homogeneous quartz sands. The shellhash sediments have been shown throughout years of operational moni-toring to support a very diverse benthic community composed of both infaunal and hard substrate elements (ABI,1983). By contrast, the soft substrates support primarily infaunal fonns, and macroinvertebrate den-f sities and species richness are typically lower than in the shellhash environment.
Based on substrate characteristics (Table C-1), the study area may be divided into two distinct zones: 1) the beach terrace; and 2) the
( trough located between the beach terrace and an offshore bar. As in pre-vious years, beach terrace substrates during 1983 were composed of fine to very fine, moderately sorted, gray, quartz sands. Trough substrates consisted primarily of pebbly to very coarse, poorly sorted particles of mollusc shells, barnacle plates and sand dollar tests in various stages of decomposition and fragmentation.
The Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test (Sokal and Rohlf,1981; Appendix Table C-2) was used to determine if significant differences in sediment tex-ture, as evidenced by differences in grain size distributions, existed C-13
1 L
It also was used to evaluate quarterly variation in
~
between stations.
( substrates at each station.
( As in 1982, substrate composition at Stations BC, B1 and B2 was significantly different from that at Stations B3, 84, B5 and C1 (Figure C-3). Along the beach terrace, grain size distributions at Stations BC
( and B2 were significantly different during only one sampling period (Figure C-3; Table C-1). This occurred in June when a few large shell fragments were collected in the sediments at Station B2. Substrate com-position for both stations remained relatively constant throughout 1983.
The similarity among these stations and the seasonal stability of
( substrates at both also were documented during 1982 (AB1,1983).
Sediment grain size distributions at Station B1 differed signifi-cantly each quarter from those at Stations BC and B2 (Figure C-3; Table C-1). As a result of a steady increase in mean grain size throughout the
( year, sediment composition at Station B1 also differed significantly among quarters. Sediments at Station B1 have differed from those at Stations BC and 82 in the past and have shown considerable variation over time. However, until 1983 a directional change in mean grain size had
( not been noted. It is not known whether this variability was the result of collections made over a naturally patchy substrate, actual substrate
(
changes induced by natural physical processes, or continued physical f disturbance associated with cooling water discharges.
I C-14
L During 1983, grain size distributions of sediments at trough sta-tions differed more from each other and exhibited more seasonal variabi-lity than was reported in 1982 (Figure C-3; ABI,1983). However, except
{
for June when increases in the relative proportion of fine sediments
( occurred at Stations B4 and B5, mean grain size at trough stations was quite similar throughout the year (Table C-1). Stations B4 and B5,
( located near the seaward edge of the discharge line (Figure C-1), shared similar sediment characteristics and exhibited similar seasonal shifts in mean grain size, even though grain size distributions differed signifi-( cantly between them every quarter. Sediments at these stations were well sorted and contained a higher percentage of fine to very fine sand par-ticles than those at Stations C1 and B3. This would be expected from their proximity to the beach terrace.
{ The appreciable increase in very fine sand particles at Stations B4 and BS in June occurred during a period of intermittent plant operations.
The increase may have resulted from the settling of fine sediments near the discharge pipe when turbulence from cooling water discharges was minimal. However, because of the high degree of temporal substrate
( variability observed elsewhere in the study area, natural processes unre-lated to plant operations also may have been responsible.
The sediments at Station 83 were most like those at Station C1,
(
although grain-size distributions differed significantly during June and September (Figure C-3). Sediments at these stations were coarser and
{
exhibited less, although still appreciable, seasonal variability than was C-15
[
s
(
observed at Stations 84 and 85. Ocean turbulence is probably reduced in the deeper waters of these stations, thus somewhat enhancing substrate stability.
The gross pattern of substrate composition and distribution in 1983
{
was relatively unchanged from previous years. The mean diameter of the
( substrates increased with increasing distance from shore and those sta-tions nearest to the discharge pipes had the greatest variability in
( sediment texture among quarters. There were more significant differences in sediment composition between stations and quarters in 1983 than in 1982. However, it should be noted that small-scale patchy distribution of substrate types has been noted on numerous collecting trips.
Relatively small deviations in the positioning of the sampling vessel may
{ account for some of the differences in substrate composition otherwise attributed to seasonal effects. This, coupled with the highly dynamic
[
physical nature of the nearshore environment makes interpretation of
( observed short-tenn sedimentary processes difficult.
Ber.thic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure Density Nearly 19,000 macroinvertebrates were collected and identified from
( benthic collections made during 1983. Samples from trough Stations B3, B4, B5 and C1 consistently had greater numbers of individuals than beach
( terraceStationsBC,B1and82(TableC-2). Along the beach terrace, the largest density recorded for the year (1025 individuals /m2) occurred at
(
Station R2 in December and the smallest (308 individuals /m2)atStation l
C-16
(
B1 in March. Although there were sometimes apprectable dif ferences in the number of individuals collected at these stations during each quarter, mean densities for the entire year were very similar (Table C-2). Densities recorded at beach terrace stations during 1983 woro cm.
parable to those reported for 1982 (1982 range = 522-829 individuals /m2;
(
ABI,1983).
k At trough stations, the largest density recorded during 1983(18,508
( individuals /m2) occurred at Station C1 in September and the smallest (1,400 individuals /m2) at Station 04 in March (Table C 2). Station C1 consistently had the largest number of individuals and, except for September, Stations 04 and 85 (adjacent to the multiport dif fuser) had the fewest. Unlike beach terraco stations, mean annual densttles among trough stations varied appreciably. However, mean densities in 1983 wore generally comparable to those observed in 1982, the only major difference
[
occurring at Station 05. In 1903, quarterly densitics at Station 05 woro
( more closely aligned wtth those observed at Station U4, whereas in 1982, they approximated densities at trough Stations f arther away from tho dischargo system (Stations 03 anJ C1). The factors accounting for this decline are uncertain but apparently are unrolated to the operating capa-city of tho St. Lucio plant, since only ono unit operated during either year.
(
When data for all stations woro combined, the highest mean quarterly density occurred in September and the lowest in Narch (Table C 2). This generally has been the caso sinco operational monitoring began in 1976 C 17
L
(
( ABI, 1982, 1983) . towever, seasonal shif ts in macrotnvertebrate den-( sities always have vaaled considerably among stations and, as in previous years, no consistent patterns were apparent during 1983 (figures C-4 and C5).
(
hamination of long tenn abundance data for both beach terrace
( (Stations DC and 01) and trough stations (Stations 03 and C1) shows that macrotnvertebrate cavnunttles within the study area undergo drenatic seasonal fluctuations in abundance levels (figures C6 and C-?).
However, no consistent annual patterns are apparent nor are the anplitu-(
det of peak abundances constant anong yearn. The imprecision of tequen-tial peaks of abundance anong years is a phenanonon cwwwn to coastal
[
benthic macrotnvertebrate attemblaget and does not necettarily imply that
( they are unstable (frankenber0, 19116 Frankenberg and to Iper, 19116 Livingston,19166 Heurer et al.,1916). In fact, these conmunttlet may k
be quite stable over time, with faunal composition renalning relattysly
[ constant but individual special population levels undergoing continual change in responto to phytical and biological fluctuations in their
( envirorwnent (Livingston et al.,1916).
( 3pecies Nichnelt Species richnost, based tolely on the number of species in a collec=
[
tion, in the atmplett and rett direct coalure of faunal divertily.
( During 1903, 469 macrotnvertebrate tous were identifleil from benthic collections (Appendix f able C 1), At with dentitles, beach terrace sta=
tions supported the fewett number of specten, while trough tLations sup=
l c=to
s I
L ported the greatest number (Table C-2). Along the beach terrace, the largest number of taxa (42) were collected at Station B1 in December and the fewest (20) at Stations B1 and B2 in March. The number of distinct
[
taxa collected for the entire year was almost identical between Stations BC and B1, whereas Station 82 had considerably fewer species. The mean
(
number of taxa collected quarterly at beach terrace stations in 1983 was very similar to that observed in 1982 (ABI,1983).
At trough stations, the largest number of taxa (155) was collected at Station C1 in June and the fewest (54) were taken at Station B4 in March (Table C-2). Corresponding to patterns of density, mean quarterly species richness was lower at Stations B4 and B5 than at Stations B3 and C1 farther away from the discharge system. In addition to a decline in mean quarterly abundance between 1982 and 1983, Station B5 also experienced a decline in the average number of taxa collected each quarter (ABI,1983). Conversely, Station B4 experienced an increase in
[ the average number of taxa collected per quarter between 1982 and 1983.
When collections from all stations were combined, the highest seaso-nal species richness (285) occurred in June and the lowest (186) occurred in March (Table C-2). However, as with abundance data, annual patterns of species richness varied considerably among stations.
When data for all stations were combined, species richness was found to be positively correlated (r=0.932) with faunal abundance (Table C-3).
This positive correlation also existed when the two major station
[
C-19 f
k groupings (beach terr' ace and trough) were examined separately.
Thus,
[ both within and between habitats, communities with the greatest number of individuals also had the largest number of species. This relationship has persisted throughout all years of operational monitoring and is a phenomenon common to biological assemblages (Krebs,1978).
Biomass
(
During 1983, ash-free dry weight determinations were used instead of dry weights to quantify the standing-crop of macroinvertebrate biomass at each station. Ash-free dry weight provides the most meaningful measure of biomass, because it represents only the amount of organic carbon available to other trophic levels. This is of considerable ecological importance, as only the organic portion of total carbon consumed by pre-
[ dators can be used to provide energy for body metabolism. The use of ash-free dry weight biomass eliminates much of the bias encountered when dry weight measurements are used to compare the biomass of communities containing a disproportionate number of heavy bodied foms (e.g.,
molluscs and echinoderms) with that of communities containing primarily
( soft-bodied forms (e.g., polychaetes and sipunculans).
As expected, mean quarterly biomass was lowest at beach terrace sta-
{
tions where faunal abundances were low and highest at trough stations
( where abundances were high (Table C-2). Similarly, when data for all stations were combined, mean quarterly biomass was greatest during
[ September when average densities were highest.
(
{
C-20 l
r L
On the beach terrace, both the highest (1.869 g/m2) and lowest (0.028 g/m2 ) quarterly biomass was measured at Station B1 (December and June, respectively). Biomass at Stations BC and B2 appeared more stable l
over time, even though mean annual biomass at these stations was lower '
{ than at Station B1 (Table C-2).
[ At trough stations, the highest quarterly biomass (5.361 g/m 2) was collected at Station B3 in June and the lowest (0.562 g/m2 ) at Station B4 in March. Similar to density and species richness, mean quarterly biomass at Stations B4 and B5 was lower thar. at Stations B3 and C1 (Table C-2).
As with all biomass measures, ash-free dry weight is affected by both the relative number and size of individuals within a collection.
Not surprisingly, biomass measured during 1983 was positively correlated with both faunal abundance and species richness when data for all dates
( and stations were combined (r=0.750 and 0.778, respectively; Table C-3).
The relationship between numbers of individuals and total weight is apparent. The relationship between species richness and biomass reflects the increased chance of acquiring relatively large individuals of spar-
[
sely distributed species as the number of species within a habitat increases.
When the beach terrace and trough habitats were examined separately, biomass was found to be significantly correlated with abundance and spe-cies richness only in the shellhash environment (r=0.595 and 0.635,
{
C-21 i
s 4
respectively; Table C-3). This is probably related to the greater
( variation in community parameters among stations in the trough. On the beach terrace, numbers of individuals and species richness did not fluc-tuate, either seasonally or spatially, as greatly as they did at trough stations. Consequently, the relationship between these parameters and biomass was less apparent.
Diversity Diversity (H') based on the Shannon-Weaver infomation function (Pielou,1966) is a more complex measure of faunal diversity than species richness. Besides the number of species present, diversity also con-siders the number of individuals present and their distribution among the different species. Communities in healthy non-stressed environments theoretically should have higher diversities than communities in similar systems experiencing various fonns of physical stress (EPA,1973).
During 1983, diversities at all stations recovered from the univer-( sal decline observed during December, 1982 (ABI, 1983). Unlike 1982, diversity values at beach terrace stations during 1983 were not appre-ciably different from those at trough stations (Table C-2), and all were representative of communities in non-stressed environments (Wilhm and
{
Dorris,1968).
(
On the beach terrace, the highest diversity value obtained during
(
1983 (4.797) was at Station B1 in December and the lowest (3.357) was at Mean quarterly diversity values at Station B2 in December (Table C-2).
all beach terrace stations were higher in 1983 than in 1982 (ABI,1983)
C-22 1
h e
L and were relatively stable throughout the year. As with density and spe-cies richness, no consistent annual pattern of diversity was apparent for beach terrace stations (Figure C-4).
At trough stations, a greater range of diversity values was observed over time than at beach terrace stations, even though diversities remained relatively stable throughout the last three quarters of the year (Figure C-5). The highest value (5.331) was recorded at Station 85 in December and the lowest (3.126) at Station C1 in March (Table C-2).
Contrary to trends of density and species richness, mean quarterly diver-sity values at Stations B4 and B5 were greater than those at Stations B3 ,
and C1.
f During 1983, diversity was positively correlated (r=0.385) with spe-cies richness when data for all stations and quarters were combined (Table C-3). Although significant, the correlation was not very strong; when individual quarters and station groupings were examined separately, no significant correlations were found. Faunal abundance was not signi-( ficantly correlated with diversity even when data from all stations and quarters were combined. Thus, the presence of large numbers of indivi-( duals and species does not assure high diversity because dominance by a relatively few species may depress the overall diversity of the com-munity.
Long-term data for both beach terrace (Stations BC and B1) and trough stations (Stations B3 and C1) have shown dramatic fluctuations in C-23
t r
L diversity over time (Figures C-6 and C-7). These modulations have no r
l apparent recurrent annual )attern and show no consistent trends between stations potentially affected by thermal effluents (Stations B1 and B3) and those more distant from the discharge system. Thus, the long-term operation of one electric generating unit does not appear to have had any adverse effects on the diversity of benthic communities within the cooling water discharge area.
Evenness values (J') numerically describe the distribution of indi-viduals among the taxa present in a collection. In environments experiencing physical stress, . certain organisms may gain a competitive advantage over others and become numerically dominant. As dominance increases, evenness declines.
Unlike other community parameter trends, mean quarterly evenness values were higher at beach terrace stations than at trough :tations f during 1983 (Table C-2). This pattern, which also was observed in 1982 (ABI, 1983), indicates that individuals at beach terrace stations are more evenly distributed among species than at trough stations.
{
On the beach terrace, evenness ranged from 0.706 to 0.957 (Station B2 in December and Station B1 in June, respectively), while at trough stations values ranged from 0.436 to 0.856 : (Station C1 in March and Station B4 in March, respectively). As with diversity, trough stations
/
adjacent to the multiport diffuser line had higher mean quarterly even-ness values than trough stations farther away. No consistent seasonal trends were apparent.
C-24
I L
Rarefaction is another method for examining the relationship between species richness and faunal abundance. This method produces a set of station curves depicting the expected number of taxa in a community at
[
various faunal densities. It thus allows for comparison of data from different sample sizes (i.e., abundances). Curves with sharp slopes represent communities with a relatively large number of taxa per unit number of indiviudals, and gentle slopes indicate fewer taxa for that same number of individuals. The absolute height of the curve represents species richness and the end point total faunal abundance. -
Rarefaction curves for 1983 were generated using total faunal abun-dance for the year. On the beach terrace, Stations BC and 81 exhibited very similar rarefaction diversity, while the slope of the curve at Station B2 was less steep and the height lower (Figure C-8). Thus, fewer
( taxa were collected per urit number of individuals at Station B2 than at the other two beach terrace stations. At trough stations, Stations B3, B5 and C1 displayed similar rarefaction diversity curves, while Station B4 accumulated taxa at a faster rate (Figure C-9).
Rarefaction curves at Stations B2 and B4 differed appreciably from those at other stations within their respective habitats. This may relate to the fact that the curves were generated from annual data, and 1
species turnover rates within the community that are disproportionately high or low can elevate or depress, respectively, the curves relative to those at stations where species turnover is more moderate.
t
/ ! C-25
N
/
Rarefaction curves at all stations lacked plateaus at highest faunal l
L densities, which indicates that more species would have been collected with increased replication and/or sampling frequency. However, earlier
{
saturation studies have shown that those species which are being missed are rare forms represented by very few individuals (ABI,1978). Their absence from collections probably has little bearing on measured com-munity parameters other than species richness and evenness.
Community Composition During 1983, annelids numerically predominated the macroinvertebrate communities at all stations except Station B2 and accounted for about 63 percent of all organisms collected (Figure C-10). On the beach terrace, annelids contributed between 21 (Station B2) and 50 (Station B1) percent of total faunal abundance; at trough stations they contributed between 50 (Station B4) and 75 percent (Station B5).
(
Community composition differed more among beach terrace stations in 1983 than in 1982 (ABI,1983). At Stations BC and B2, differences bet-( ween years also were appreciable. For example, in 1982, annelids collected at beach terrace stations were at least twice as abundant as
{
any other major group. The remaining individuals were divided among molluscs, arthropods and miscellaneous minor phyla (primarily nemerteans). During 1983, this pattern was observed only at Station Bl.
At Station BC, annelids, molluscs and arthropods each were represented by similar numbers of individuals, while at Station B2. molluscs predomi ,
nated, accounting for 47 percent of the total fauna. The remainder was f
j C-26
/
s distributed equitably among annelids, arthopods and miscellaneous minor r
L taxa. Long-term data for Stations BC and B1 indicate that annual shifts in the relative contribution of major macroinvertebrate groups on the beach terrace are not uncommon. These result from natural shifts in population densities of individual species within the various groups (ABI,1982).
At trough stations, community composition in 1983 was very similar to that observed in 1982 with the exception that arthropods contributed substantially more and sipunculans substantially less to total abundance at Stations B4 and B5, respectively. During 1982, sipunculans were the second largest contributors to total abundance everywhere but at Station B4 where they were replaced by arthropods. In 1983, sipunculans remained the second most abundant group at Stations 83 and C1. However, at Station B5, where annelids accounted for all but 25 percent of all macro-invertebrates collected, remaining individuals were relatively evenly distributed among other major groups. At Station B4, arthropods remained the second most abundant group during 1983. Cephalochordates and echino-denns contributed re'atively little to total annual faunal abundance at either beach terrace or trough stations during 1983.
As mentioned earlier, biomass is affected by both the number and absolute size of individuals contained in a collection. Annelids were numerically dominant at most stations but, because of their relatively small size, other groups often accounted for the majority of biomass (Figure C-10). On the beach terrace, the main contributor to biomass j C-27
t differed at each station. At Station BC, miscellaneous minor taxa, pri-( marily nemerteans and sea pansies (Renilla sp.), accounted for 50 percent of total biomass, with arthropods contributing the next highest percen-tage (29 percent). At Station B1, arthropods comprised the largest com-ponent of total biomass (52 percent) with annelids providing the second highest percentage (23 percent). Molluscs, which were numerically predo-minant at Station B2, also contributed the most to total biomass (45 percent), and the remainder was equitably distributed among annel ids ,
cephalochordates and miscellaneous minor taxa.
At trough stations, biomass contributions also differed among sta-tions. At Station .B3, echinoderms, which accounted for less than two percent of total faunal abundance, contributed 44 percent of the biomass collected for the year. The remainder was relatively evenly distributed among all other groups. At Station B4, arthropods were the principal contributors to biomass (48 percent) and, together with annelids ,
accounted for 81 percent of the total annual biomass. This closely approximates the 83 percent that arthropods and annelids contributed to '
total faunal abundance at Station B4. Annelids and arthropods were also the principal contributors to biomass at Station B5, collectively accounting for 68 percent of total biomass collected during 1983. At Station C1, biomass was more equitably distributed among major groups.
f Besides dominating macroinvertebrate densities, annelids accounted for the majority of taxa collected at each station during 1983 (Figure C-10).- On the beach terrace, arthropods were the second most diverse C-28
/
f L
group at Stations BC and 81, while molluscs and arthropods were represented by nearly equal numbers of taxa at Station B2. At trough stations, molluscs were the second most diverse group at Stations B3 and C1, whereas
(
arthropods contributed more taxa to total species richness at Stations B4 and B5.
Dominance Dominance relates to the disproportionate contribution of some taxa to r
total community abundance. Communities experiencing physical stress often i
display high levels of dominance as certain species may gain a competitive advantage over others under adverse conditions. However, dominance by cer-tain taxa also occurs naturally because some forms are better adapted to the existing physical environment. In this situation, changes in dominant taxa over time may reflect the natural changes in prevailing conditions.
The criterion used for selecting dominant taxa was determined a_
priori . All taxa at each station were ranked from most to least abundant.
Beginning with the most abundant, those taxa whose cumulative abundances exceeded 50 percent of all organisms present were designated as dominants.
Sometimes several taxa had the same abundances and, because of their arbitrary listing within the ranking column, some were included as domi-nants and others were not. In those cases, all taxa with that abundance I
were designated as ~ dominants. Using this criterion, 48 taxa -were classified as dominants at one or more stations during 1983 -(Table C-4).
Twenty-three annelids, nine molluscs, eleven arthropods and individuals of five minor phyla (Cnidaria, Nemertinea, Sipuncula and Cephalochordata) were included in this group.
C-29
(
L On the beach terrace, Stations BC and B1 had more taxa classified as
[ dominants during at least one quarter (21 and 19, respectively, versus 9) than did Station B2. These stations also had a higher average number of dominant taxa per quarter (6.7 and 7.0, respectively, versus 3.5) and had more taxa classified as dominants for all quarters combined (10 and 14, respectively, versus 5) than did Station B2. Because fewer taxa contri-f buted the same proportion of individuals, the degree of dominance was greater at Station B2 than elsewhere on the beach terrace. This, together with the relatively low overall species richness at Station B2, accounts for the low slope and height of the rarefaction curve at this beach terrace station (Figure C-8).
When abundance data for all quarters were combined, only two taxa were ranked as daninants at all beach terrace stations: unidentified individuals of the phylum Nemertinea and the mollusc, Parvilucina multi-lineata (Table C-4). The majority of dominant taxa were ephemeral, occurring as dominants during.only one quarter. Among the beach terrace stations, Station BC had the highest turnover of dominant taxa; 18 of the f
21 taxa ranked as dominants during at least one quarter occurred as domi-nants during only one quarter. At all three beach terrace stations, only two taxa were ranked as dominants during three or more quarters.
At trough stations, Stations B3 and C1 had . fewer taxa classified as dominants during at least one quarter (5 and 7, respectively, versus 20 and 11, respectively) than did Stations B4 and B5. Stations B3 and C1 also had a lower average number of dominant taxa per quarter (3.0 and C-30
k 3.3, respectively vers'us 6.7 and 5.5, respectively) and had fewer taxa f
L classified as dominants for the entire year (3 and 4, respectively, ver-sus 8 and 6, respectively) than did Stations B4 and B5. Thus, Stations B3 and C1 exhibited a greater degree of dominance than Stations B4 and B5.
As on the beach terrace, when abundance data for all quarters were combined, only two taxa were ranked as dominants at all trough stations:
the polychaetes Filogranula sp. A and Prionospio cristata (Table C-4).
Unidentified individuals of the phylum Sipuncula comprised another demi-nant taxon shared between Stations B3 and C1. In addition to the two dominants occurring at all trough stations, Stations B4 and B5 also shared three other dominant taxa: unidentified individuals of the phylum Nemertinea and the polychaetes Pseudeurythoe spp. and Mediomastus californiensis. These data again indicate the relatively close alignment of Stations B4 and B5 adjacent to the multiport diffuser line and their dissimilarity with Stations B3 and C1.
Station B4 had the highest turnover of dominant taxa among trough stations; 15 of the 20 taxa classified as dominants during the year were ranked as dominants during only one quarter. This high degree of tem-poral variability probably accounted for the relatively steep slope of the rarefaction curve at Station B4 compared with other trough stations (Figure C-9).
h f
C-31 l
1 k
Community Similarities
(
L Morisita's (1959) index of faunal similarity (C ) is an index used to compare species composition between two collections. It takes into account the total number of individuals in the two collections and the relative abundance of species common to both. Samples having the largest number of numerically abundant species in common will have the highest C values, t
During 1982, similarities among stations were very pronounced and closely approximated what was anticipated from community structure data (ABI,1983). Beach terrace Stations BC, B1 and B2 were all very similar to one another and exhibited very low to moderately low similarity with trough stations. Trough Stations B3, B5 and C1 were very similar to each other but exhibited moderately low similarity with trough Station B4.
Station affinities during 1983 were less pronounced. On the beach terrace, Station BC exhibited moderately high similarity with Stations B1 and B2 when data for all dates were combined (Figure C-11). However, similarities' between control and discharge stations varied considerably over time. This suggests that community composition at one or more stations was changing independently of the others, particularly in f
regards to the most abundant species. Stations B1 and B2 were the most dissimilar of beach terrace stations, exhibiting moderately low simi-larity when data for all quarters were combined.
1 l
l C-32
?
r The similarity between beach terrace Stations BC and 82 was most L
apparent when these stations were compared against trough stations. Both stations exhibited very low similarities with trough stations when data for all quarters were combined. Furthermore, when individual quarters were examined separately only once did either Station BC or 82 exhibit anything other than very low similarity with trough stations. Even though Station B1 had only moderately low similarities with trough sta-tions when data for all quarters were combined, it occasionally exhibited t
moderately high simi!arities when individual quarters were examined separately (Figure C-11).
Trough stations separated into two groups based on faunal similarities: 1) Stations B4 and B5 adjacent to the multiport diffuser line, and 2) Stations B3 and C1 farther away. Stations B4 and B5 f
displayed moderately high similarity for all dates combined, even though similarities were moderately low during all but one quarter. Thus, it appears that although the two stations had many species in common, the time of year when those species were in greatest abundance may have dif-fered. Stations B4 and B5 had moderately low similarities with both Stations B3 and C1 when data for all quarters were combined. However, similarities between the two groups were sometimes moderately high when individual quarters were examined separately.
Trough Stations B3 and C1 were the most similar of any stations s
during 1983, having a similarity of 0.95 when data for all dates were combined. They also differed little in similarity over time, exhibiting very high similarity during every quarter.
C-33
s L
The degree of temporal variability in faunal composition differed appreciably among stations during 1983 (Figure C-12). Stations B3 and C1 were the most seasonally stable in regard to faunal composition. This was affected to a large degree by the seasonal stability of dominant taxa at those stations (Table C-4). Station 85 was also relatively stable showing moderately high similarity in faunal composition between four of f the six possible quarterly comparisons (Figure C-12j. Station B4, by contrast, was appreciably more variable, showing moderately low or very low similarity in most of the quarterly comparisons. This was probably caused by the high turnover among dominant taxa referred to previously.
( Of the beach terrace stations, Station B1 appeared to be the most seasonally stable despite the fact that 13 of the 19 taxa ranked as dami-nants at that station during the year occurred as dominants during only one quarter. Shifts in faunal cmposition at Stations BC and B2 were considerable. Only at one beach terrace station and only on one occasion was faunal composition highly similar between quarters (Station B2 in June and September). Thus, beach terrace communities appeared to be more i transient than those at trough stations. However, these shifts cannot be attributed to plant operation, because the control station (Station BC) was the most seasonally variable of any beach terrace station.
General Response of Benthic Communities to Physical Variables Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure is influenced by the exposure of constituent species to the physical forces within their environment. Although monthly measurements of water quality parameters C-34
s
(
cannot be used to describe prevailing environmental bonditions at a par-l ticular location, they do serve to document major seasonal trends and to delineate persistent spatial patterns.
Of the four water quality parameters measured during monitoring, f
temperature probably has the most influence on community structure within this system. During 1983, temperature was not significantly correlated with any community parameter except biomass (r=0.385) when data from all stations and quarters were combined (Table C-3). However, as documented during previous study years, densities and species richness tended to increase as water temperatures increased (Figure C-2). The lack of correlations with temperature when all stations are combined results from both the paucity of samples over time and the imprecise timing of seaso-nal abundance peaks among stations. When station groupings (beach terrace and trough) were examined separately, temperature was found to be significantly correlated with species richness (r=0.519), diversity (r=0.520) and biomass ( r=0.518) at trough stations (Table C-3). No significant correlations were noted for beach terrace stations. Thus, it appears that benthic communities at stations in the shellhash environment -
exhibit a more synchronous response to changes in prevailing temperature conditions.
f The effects of thermal effluents on the spatial distribution of com-munities within the study area are difficult to assess. This again re-lates to the scarcity of point measurements over time as well as to the relatively low temperature differentials observed at discharge stations C-35
s d
s when only one unit is operating. During 1983, temperatures were well within the known tolerance limits for most temperate and subtropical spe-cies as reported by Bader and Roessler (1972) and Virnstein (1972), and no stress on benthic communities adjacent to the discharge structures was indicated.
(
During the 1982 monitoring program, community structure was shown to be strongly influenced by substratum (ABI, 1983). This same relationship was evident during 1983. Sediments at beach terrace stations were simi-lar to one another (Table C-1) and communities at these stations showed relatively high degrees of similarity. Adjacent trough stations also were similar to one another in both community and sediment charac-teristics. Within the shellhash environment trough Stations B4 and B5 exhibited sediment and community characteristics intermediate to those at other trough and beach terrace stations.
When all stations and quarters were combined, a significant negative correlation was found between mean sediment grain size and abundance (r=-0.761), species richness (r=-0.824) and biomass (r=-0.683) (Table C-3). Many of these correlations remained evident when individual quar-ters were examined separately. However, when major station groupings were examined separately, this relationship did not persist. Thus, major differences in sediment composition accounted for much of the variation in community structure between habitats but, within each habitat, unde-termined factors appear to have exerted influence on community parameters equal to or greater than that resulting from sediment composition.
C-36
s I
L Many of the observed changes in community structure within each 1
habitat are affected by the combined influence of substrate and water quality. In certain cases substrate variability may exert a greater influence on benthic communities than seasonal changes in water quality f parameters. For exampl e, in June the relatively low densities at Stations B4 and B5, as compared with the other trough stations, coincided with noticeable decreases in mean grain size (Table C-1). Thus, the increases in faunal densities generally experienced during the summer were offset at these stations by changes in substrate composition.
{ However, there are other examples where substrate characteristics dif-fered appreciably between stations, but community composition was very similar. This was the case for beach terrace Stations BC and Bl. The fact that population sizes of individual species experience natural fluc-tuations unrel ated to physical forces in the environment complicates interpretation of the complex interrelationship between physical variables and community structure.
Power Plant Impact: Statistical Tests of Null Hypotheses The primary function of current monitoring is to test null hypothe-ses concerning the impact of thennal discharges from the St. Lucie Plant.
Effluents from the plant can potentially affect the structure of benthic communities in two principal ways: 1) within the boundaries of the ther-mal plume, water temperatures may adversely affect physiological pro-cesses of constituent species, and 2) near the discharge lines, increased water velocity and turbulence may physically disturb the sedi-ment and displace its inhabitants or may alter substrate characteristics.
C-37
To properly utilize statistical inference testing, assumptions and I
L null hypotheses must be made a_ priori and clearly stated. Assumptions made during this study were: 1) triplicate grabs taken quarterly ade-quately and unambiguously sample the communities, 2) treatment stations can be compared with valid control stations, and 3) all stations of simi-(
lar habitat type are equally accessible to all potential macroinver-tebrate colonizers.
These assumptions are considered valid, but some amplification is warranted. Triplicate grab sampling is adequate for the more common species but not for the rare species (ABI,1978). However, in areas that are as biologically diverse and physically dynamic as the St. Lucie Plant study area, it is impractical to analyze the large number of samples required to reach species saturation. To compensate for the loss of rare species in collections, most indices used to evaluate community structure were those that are affected primarily by numerically abundant taxa.
Secondly, quarterly sampling is sensitive to major changes in benthic community structure but may not be frequent enough to detect short-tena changes. Nevertheless, considering the high natural degree of temporal and spatial community variability, it is the long-term trends that are considered important relative to assessing potential power plant effects.
Regarding assumption 2, based on sediment analyses conducted quarterly since 1976, Stations BC and C1 serve as valid control stations for beach terrace and trough stations, respectively. Finally, because of existing current patterns and the large volume of water naturally moving through the study area, it seems- obvious that pelagic larval forms would have equal probabilities of settling at any particular location.
l C-38
s f
L
, The null hypothesis used to examine spatial differences in total l
4 faunal density, species richness, diversity and relative abundance pat-terns between treatment and control stations was:
{
H:
o Stations in the vicinity of the power plant discharge system are not different in the criteria variable from their control station.
( One-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer multiple range tests were used for testing total faunal density and species richness, while the t-test method described by Poole (1974) was used to compare diversities. The pair-wise Kolmogorov-Smirnov procedure was employed to examine relative abundance
(
patterns between stations. Each of these tests are described in Appendix Table C-2, and ANOVA results are provided in Appendix Tables C-3 through C-22.
Total Faunal Density
(
When data from all quarters (used as replicates) of 1983 were tested, significant diffe: ences were found between densities at shellhash control and discharge stations (Table C-5). The control, Station C1, had greater annual mean numbers of individuals than all other trough sta-tions. Densities at Station B3 were higher than at Stations B4 and B5,
(
and the latter two stations were not significantly different. This dif-fers from the findings of 1982 when only Station B4 had annual mean den-sities significantly lower than the control (ABI, 1983). No other station pairs were significantly different during 1982. The variation between years was primarily a function of increased densities at Station C1 and slight decreases at Stations B3 and B5 in 1983.
C-39 l
s r
t In 1982, annual mean densities directly paralleled the results of s
individual quarters. Such was not the case for 1983 (Table C-5). During March, densities were greater at Station C1 than at all other stations except Station B3. Thus, the null hypothesis of no plant effect must be rejected for Stations B4 and B5. However, at the time of March sampling,
(
no thermal effluent was being discharged. Therefore, observed differen-ces in densities may reflect: 1) incomplete recovery of discharge com-munities from thermal stress following cessation of cooli ng water discharges in February or 2) existing di fferences in sediment type caused by placement of the discharge pipe and subsequent turbulence from
(
power plant cooling water discharges.
During June, Stations C1 and B3 still did not differ significantly but, as in March, densities were lower at Stations B4 and B5 than at the control. Unit 2 was discharging cooling water during the latter portion
(
of this quarter, and decreased densities at the stations closest to the f discharge pipes may represent direct thermal effects. However, as stated earlier, observed differences in bottom water temperatures between
( control and discharge stations were minor. Appreciable shifts in sedi-ment texture were noted during June at Stations B4 and B5, and densities at these stations were most likely affected indirectly by these changes in substrate. )
During both September and December, there were no significant dif-ferences in density among trough stations. Thus, even though annual den-sities at all trough stations differed significantly from control values, quarterly values were often similar, particularly at Station B3.
C-40
s
/
L On the-beach terrace, neither annual nor quarterly faunal densities r
L differed significantly between treatment and control stations (Table C-5).
Species Richness
(
When data from all quarters of 1983 were used to compare mean annual species richness, Stations B4 and B5 had fewer species than Station C1 (Table C-5). Station B3 did not differ significantly from the control.
( In 1982, all trough stations had statistically indistinguishable annual mean numbers of species, except for Station B4 which had lower species
{
richness. As for density,1982 comparisons for each quarter were similar f to the annual mean comparisons. However, in 1983, other differences were noted in quarterly evaluations.
During March, Station B4 was the only site with fewer species than the control. In June both stations B4 and B5 had significantly fewer species than Station C1. Numbers of species inhabiting Stations B4 and B5 were only one-half to two-thirds that of the control station.
In September, species richness at Station B4 did not differ from the control, but significantly fewer species were collected at Stations B3 and B5. As compared to June, the number of species collected at both Stations B4 and B5 increased during September. However, species richness at Station B5 (65.33111.50), although only slightly less than that at Station B4 (69.3317.51), had not recovered sufficiently to prevent it from differing significantly from the control. Mean _ species richness at C-41
s y both stations was substantially lower than the mean value of 94.00+10.39 4
computed for the control.
Relative to June, the mean number of species collected per replicate
( at Station B3 decreased during September. By the nature of statistical testing, one must conclude that plant operations affected the number of
( species present at Station 33. If this impact was real, it was of short duration, because during December there were again no differences in numbers of species collected at Stations B3 and C1. December species
( richness at Stations B4 and B5 similarly did not differ significantly from the control .
On the beach terrace, neither annual nor quarterly species richness at treatment stations differed from the control (Table C-5).
Species Diversity During 1983, there were no instances of any station having signifi-cantly lower diversities than its control (Table C-6). In 1982, Station B5 was the only station having a lower diversity than its control (June).
At control Station C1, diversities tended to be lower during the first
{
half and higher in the 'second half of 1983 relative to 1982. On the beach terrace, control Station BC tended to have higher diversities in 1983 than in 1982. Between-year differences were not tested for
( significance.
/
C-42
W
, Relative Abundance Patterns L
In 1983, the distribution of individuals among species at Station B4 was significantly different from that of its control, Station C1, during
{
every quarter (Table C-7). In 1982, this station only differed from the
( control during March and September (ABI,1983). Conversely, Station B5 differed from the control in March and September of 1983, while it was
( different from the control in every quarter of 1982. Station B3 differed from the control during every quarter except June in 1983 and differed in every quarter of 1982.
Relative abundance patterns at bea::h terrace Stations B1 and 82 dif-fered from that of their control during June and September of 1982 (ABI, 1983). During 1983, Station B1 never differed from the control, while Station B2 was different from the control in September and December
( (Table C-7).
When each station was compared to itself for different quarters of 1983, a great deal of temporal variation was noted at trough stations, but not at beach terrace stations (Table C-8). At trough stations, every
[ comparison except one showed a significant difference in relative abun-dances. At beach terrace stations, comparisons of adjacent quarters (i.e., March vs. June, June vs. September ) revealed no significant dif-ferences. These patterns closely paralleled those of 1982 and provide f
additional evidence that beach terrace stations have a temporally and spatially more constant distribution of individuals among species than do trough stations. However, relative abundance patterns give no indication
(
C-43
s
?
L of what particular species are present and, as demonstrated earlier, turnover among species is generally greater at beach terrace stations than at trough stations.
Synthesis of Impact Assessment
(
Throughout 1982 and 1983, only one unit at the St. Lucie Plant was operating at any time. Thus, data collected to date represent background conditions prior to the simultaneous operation of both Units 1 and 2. A summary of plant effects detected during monitoring is presented in Table C-9.
{
f On the beach terrace, the Y-port diffuser line was not used during either 1982 and 1983, and stations adjacent to this structure (Stations B1 and B2) did not have significantly different faunal densities, species richness or diversities than a comparable control station (Station BC).
Obviously, thermal effects and turbulence associated with cooling water f discharges were minimal at beach terrace stations during both years.
( Data show that the high turnover among species, especially dominant taxa, is a natural phenomenon on the beach terrace. This is probably related to the dynamic physical nature of this habitat where turbulence from currents and waves exerts more influence than at deeper stations.
Because many of the species present may be adapted to living in a tur-( bulent environment, physical disturbances from future plant discharges may be of lesser consequence to beach terrace communities than to trough communities.
(
C-44
s I
L Differences between treatment (Stations B3, B4 and B5) and control L stations (Station C1) in the shellhash environment were more pronounced than at beach terrace stations. At Station B3, the least likely station to be affected by plant operations, quarterly densities during 1983 never differed significantly from those at the control station. However, the
(
cumulative difference in quarterly densities between these two stations was sufficient to account for the significantly lower annual density at Station B3. During 1982, neither annual nor quarterly densities differed significantly between these stations. Furthennore, long-tenn density data for Stations B3 and C1 indicate that the observed difference in 1983
(
probably reflects natural variability which has been appreciable over years of environmental monitoring (Figure C-7).
( Only during September of 1983 did species richness at Station B3 differ significantly from that of the control. During that same quarter
(
of 1982, species richness at Station B3 was significantly greater than at
( the control stations. This again suggests that natural variability rather than plant operations has been responsible for observed differ-
[ ences in community parameters between these stations. During both years.
only one unit was operating.
[
Diversities have never differed significantly between Station 83 and C1. Conversely, relative abundance patterns of species have differed in f nearly every quarter. The large degree of temporal and spatial varia-bility of relative abundance patterns at all trough stations, including the control, suggests that within the shellhash environ.sent population C-45
s L
sizes of constituent species are naturally in a constant state of flux.
However, community stability is not necessarily impaired as a result.
Communities at both Stations 83 and C1 appear very resistant to permanent change. Both exhibit very high similarity in composition over time and,
( most importantly, have consistently been very similar to each other.
There is no compelling evidence to indicate any adverse effects of single unit operation on the benthic community at Station B3.
( By contrast, the data collected over the last two years suggest that plant operations have had a localized impact on shellhash communities immediately adjacent to the multiport diffuser. During 1983, Station B4 and 85 had significantly lower densities and species richness for all quarters combined than did the control. Many of the corresponding quar-terly comparisons also differed significantly. The principal difference between results obtained in 1982 and 1983 was a noticeable divergence of
(
community parameters at Station B5 away from those at Stations B3 and C1
( and toward those at Station 84. During 1982, density and species rich-ness were consistently lower at Station B4 than at the control, while only once (September species richness) were these parameters different between Station B5 and the control.
[
( Based on dominant taxa, trough stations were partitioned into two major groups during 1983: Stations 84 and B5 adjacent to the mulitport diffuser ard Stations B3 and C1 farther away. Stations B4 and B5 had more dominant taxa in common with each other than with either Stations B3 or C1. They also had more taxa classified as dominants both for indivi
(
C-46
{
s I
L dual sampling periods and for all dates combined. Additionally, turnover among dominant taxa was greater at Stations B4 and 85 than at Stations B3 and C1. These high turnover rates were substantiated by similarity
( indices which showed greater constancy in community composition over time at Stations B3 and C1 than at Stations B4 and B5.
{
( Mean quarterly diversities at Stations B4 and 85 increased con-siderably between 1982 and 1983. In 1982, diversities at these stations k were generally lower than those at Stations 83 and C1, while in 1983 they were consistently higher. However, the relatively high diversities observed in 1983 do not necessarily imply improved community health.
( Rather, they probably reflect the greater temporal variability of com-munities adjacent to the multiport diffuser line. When turnover rates among species, particularly dominant taxa, are high, ephemeral and fugi-tive species that might otherwise be excluded from the community are able to colonize areas previously unavailable (Gonor and Kemp,1978). Thus, a
( reduction in the degree of dominance coupled with increased species rich-ness (relative to species richness of that same community at equilibrium)
~
might produce relatively high diversity values.
l Communities adjacent to the multiport diffuser line experienced more appreciable changes in faunal composition over time than did communities t
farther away from the discharge system. However, a gradient of temporal change appeared to exist. At Station B4, the annual rarefaction curve -
was steeper, mean quarterly diversity higher, turnover; among ' dominant-taxa higher, and community composition less similar between sampling .
C-47
~
L periods than at Station B5. These data show that temporal variabiltiy was greater at Station B4 than at Station B5 and support the contention that the community at Station B5 was changing between 1982 and 1983.
Community characteristics had diverged from those at Stations B3 and C1 but were not yet fully comparable to those at Station B4,
{
Observed bottom water temperatures at Stations B4 and B5 during 1982 and 1983, although higher than those at Stations C1, were probably of
( insufficient magnitude to thermally stress resident organisms. More likely, communities adjacent to the multiport diffuser line were being
[
directly or indirectly impacted by turbulence created by cooling water h discharges. Substrate appears to be the single most important physical variable presently affecting patterns of community structure within the study area. Probably as a result of power plant operations (turbulence),
sediments near the discharge line varied more with time than those farther away. Consequently, communities near the discharge structure
( experienced more change over time. This instability ultimately led to reduced faunal densities and species richness.
Although the actual physical forces affecting observed changes in community structure at Station B5 between 1982 and 1983 are unclear, one
( possibility may relate to the placement of the discharge pipe in 1981.
When the pipe was installed, the substrate at Station B4 may have been more directly affected than that at Station B5, particularly if the dredged spoil was placed south of the pipe. Thus, community charac-k teristics at Station 84 would have been expected to differ appreciably
[
C-48
(
- l. -
1
r L
, from those at Station B5 during 1982. However, continued turbulence over L
time, both natural and that associated with cooling water discharges, may have redistributed spoil sediments so that substrates on both sides of
{
the pipe were homogenized. This would then account for the convergence
[ of community characteristics between Stations B4 and B5 during 1983.
[-
SUMMARY
Monitoring conducted during 1983 continued to document background
{
conditions in the near-field study area prior to the simultaneous opera-
[ tion of Units 1 and 2. Seven stations were sampled quarterly, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities at stations adjacent to the discharge-structures were compared with those at stations outside the potential impact of plant operations.
[
[ Two major habitats were identified from sediment analyses. Beach terrace substrates were composed of fine to very fine, moderately sorted, nonbiogenic sands, while sediments of the adjacent trough consisted of very coarse, poorly-sorted, biogenic materials referred to as shell hash.
[
Each substratum supported a unique assemblage of organisms. The shellhash
( communities exhibited higher densities, species richness and biomass than beach terrace communities.
Once through cooling water from the St. Lucie Plant may be dis-(
charged into the study area through two diffuser lines. .The Y-port dif- ;
fuser on the beach terrace has not been used since February 1982 and,
( '
consequently, thermal effects and turbulence from cooling water k
C-49 L
t r discharges have been minimal at stations adjacent to this structure (Stations B1 and B2). During both 1982 and 1983, densities, species ~
[ richness and diversities of beach terrace discharge stations were not significantly different from those at a comparable control station (Station BC).
[
Communities on the beach terrace appeared to undergo appreciable
( shifts in community composition over time, particularly with regard to dominant taxa. However, communities at the control station have been
( equally, if not more, transient in nature than discharge communities.
This community characteristic may relate to the relatively high degree of
( turbulence naturally experienced on the beach terrace. Consequently, beach terrace stations may be less affected by turbulence from cooling
{
water discharges than are the deeper trough stations where natural tur-( bulence is relatively low.
The second discharge line, a multiport diffuser, extends into the shellhash environment. Two stations near the end of the diffuser
{
(Stations B4 and B5) were negatively impacted by plant operations during 1983. Both exhibited significantly lower numbers of individuals and spe-cies than a comparable control station (Station C1). During 1982, only Station B4, south 07 the discharge structure, exhibited signs of negative plant impact. However, during 1983, Station B5 experienced a convergence of community characteristics towards Station B4 and away from the
( control. It currently appears to occupy an intermediate posi tion, sharing several community features with both Stations B4 and other trough stations farther away from the discharge system.
C-50
u-L During 1982 and 1983 monitoring, only one unit operated at any time.
I L
During this period, observed differences in temperatures between trough discharge and control stations did not appear to have been of sufficient magnitude to account for observed differences in community parameters.
( The primary influence of plant operations to date appears to have been through changes in substrate characteristics at Stations B4 and B5. This may have resulted from placement of the multiport diffuser line and/or from chronic turbulence associated with plant discharges. Sediments at
( Stations B4 and B5 were less seasonally stable than those at trough sta-tions more distant to the diffuser and, consequently, communities at
{
these stations experienced more appreciable shifts in community com-
[ position over time.
l Station B3 is considerably distant from the discharge system and, during a period of single unit operation, most community parameters did
{
not differ significantly from those at its control station (Station C1).
( Differences which did exist were ascribed to natural variablility.
Community parameters at both stations have fluctuated considerably throughout eight years of benthic monitoring. Community composition be-tween Stations B3 and C1 was very similar during both years .of moni-l toring.
In conclusion, power plant operation during 1983 affected only those benthic communities immediately adjacent to the multiport diffuser line.
Near-field effects on community structure included significant reductions in numbers of individuals and speutes and' increased turnover of species
(
C-51
l L
, relative to comparable communities in unaffected areas. These effects
{
were very localized and appeared to result from sediment instability and turbulence associated with the high velocity discharge of cooling water.
l
[
(
{
l
(
{
l l
C-52
1 L
LITERATURE CITED
( ABI (Applied Biology, Inc.). 1978. Ecological monitoring at the Florida Power & Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, annual report 1977. Vol. I.
AB-101. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
Light Company, Miami.
{
. 1980. Florida Power & Light Co., St. Lucie Plant; effects of increased water temperature on the marine biota
[ of the St. Lucie Plant area. AB-261. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Company, Miami.
( . 1981. Proposed St. Lucie Plant preopera-tional and operational biological monitoring program. AB-358.
Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Com-pany, Miami .
{
. 1982. Florida Power & Light Co., St. Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological environmental monitoring report
( 1981. Vol . II. Biotic monitoring. AB-379. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Company, Miami.
[ . 1983. Florida Power & Light Company, St.
t Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological aquatic monitoring report 1982. Vol. I. AB-442. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Company, Miami.
APHA (American Public Health Association). 1981. Standard methods for examination of water and wastewater. Fifteenth Edition. American
[ Public Health Association, Washington, D.C. 1134 pp.
Bader, R.G. and M.A. Roessler, eds. 1972. An ecological study of South
[ Biscayne Bay and Card Sound. Progress report to United States
( Atomic Energy Commission AT (40-1) - 380-4 . Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami.
( Blake, N.J. , L.J. Doyle and T.E. Pyle. 1976. The macrobenthic community of a ttennally altered area of Tampa Bay, Florida. Pages 296-301 in G.W. Esch and R.W. McFarlane, eds. Thermal ecology II. NTIS II6. CONF-750425. Technical Infonnation Center, Energy Research
{ and Development Administration, Springfield.
r EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). 1973. Biologic 61 field and
( laboratory methods for measuring the quality of surface waters and effluents. EPA 670/4-73-01. C. I. Weber, ed. Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental Research Center, f Ci ncinnati .
Folk, R.L. 1974. Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Hemphill Publishing Co., Austin. 63 pp.
C-53
L Frankenberg, D. 1971. The dynamics of benthic communities of Georgia, r U.S.A. Thalassia Jugoslavica 7:49-55.
L Frankenberg, D. and A.S. Leiper. 1977. Seasonal cycles in benthic communities of the Georgia continental shel f. Pages 383-398 in
( B.C. Coull , ed. Ecology of marine benthos. University of SouH Carolina Press, Columbia.
Giese, A.C. and J.S. Pearse. 1974.
Introduction:
General principles.
Pages 1-49 in A.C. Giese and J.S. Pearse, eds. Reproduction of marine invertebrates. Vol. I. Academic Press, New York.
( Gonor, J.J. and P.F. Kemp. 1978. Procedures for quantitative ecological assessments in intertidal environments. EPA-600/3-78-087.
Environmental Research Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon. 104 pp.
Green, R.H. 1979. Sampling design and statistical methods for environ-mental biologists. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 257 pp.
( Holland, J.S., N.J. Maciolek and C.H. Oppenheimer. 1973. Galveston !
Bay benthic community structure as an indicator of water quality.
Contributions to Marine Science, University of Texas Marine Science f Institute 17:168-188.
Holme, N.A. and A.D. McIntyre. 1971. Methods for the study of marine benthos. IBP Handbook No. 16. Burgess and Son Ltd., Oxford.
334 pp.
Kinne, 0. 1963. The effects of temperature and salinity on marine and brackish water animals. I. Temperature. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Revue 1:301-340.
( Krebs, C.J. 1978. Ecology: The experimental analysis of distribution
) and abundance. Harper and Row, New York. 678 pp.
[ Livingston, R.J. 1976. Diurnal and seasonal fluctuations of organisms i in a north Florida estuary. Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science 4:373-400.
f Livingston, R.J. , G.J. Kobyli nski , F.G. Lewis, III and P.F. Sheridan.
1976. Long-tenn fluctuations of' epibenthic fish and invertebrate populations in~ Apalachiocola Bay, Florida. Fisheries Bulletin 74:311-321.
s Logan, D.T. and Maurer. 1975. . Diversity of marine invertebrates in a i thennal effluent. Journal of the Water Pollution Control i Federation 47:515-523.
L1oyd, M.J., J.H. Zar- and J.R. Karr. 1968. :On the calculation of infonnation-theoretical measures of ~ diversity. American Midland Naturalist 79:257-272.
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Maurer, D., W. Leathem and L. Watling. 1976. Benthic faunal assemblages e off the Delmarva Peninsula. Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science L 4:163-177.
McCloskey, L.R. 1970. The dynamics of the conmunity associated with a
( marine scleractinian coral. Int. Revue Ges Hydrobiol. 55:1381.
Pielou, E.C. 1966. The measurement of diversity in different types of biological collections. Journal of Theoretical Biology 13:131-144.
Poole, R.W. 1974. An introduction to quantitative ecology. McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York. 532 pp.
Reish, D.J., D.F. Soule and J.D. Soule. 1980. The benthic biological conditions of Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbors: Results of 28 years
[ of investigations and monitoring. Helgolander Meeresunters t 34:193-205.
Rohlf, F.J. and R.R. Sokal. 1981. Statistical tables. W.H. Freeman f and Co., San Francisco. 217 pp.
Sa nders , H.L. 1958. Benthic studies in Buzzards Bay. I. Animal-( sediment relationships. Limnology and Oceanography 3:245-258.
Sastry, A.N. 1975. Physiology and ecology of reproduction in marine I invertebrates. Pages 279-299 in F.J. Vernberg, ed. Physiological
( ecology of estuarine organisi'nis. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia.
( Sokal, R.R. and F.J. Rohlf. 1981. Biometery. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco. 859 pages.
Vi rstein, R.W. 1972. Effects of heated effluent on density and diver-sity of benthic infauna at Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Florida. M.A.
Thesis, University of South Florida, Tampa. 60 pages.
Warinner, J.E. and M.L. Brehmer. 1966. The effects of thennal effluents on marine organisms. Air and Water Pollution International Journal 10:277-289.
Wilhm, J.L. and T.C. Dorris. 1968. Biological parameters for water quality criteria. Bio Science 18:477-481.
f Zar, J.H. 1974. Biostatistical analysis. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Engle-wood Cliffs, N.J. 620 pp.
C-55
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Figure C-1. Benthic sampling station designations and locations, St. Lucie Plant j NPDES non-radiological aquatic monitoring, 1983.
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- = significant difference at Ps0.05 NS = no significant difference C-58
8 o STATION BC
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station diversity, Stations BC, B1 and B2, St. I Lucie Plant,1983.
C-59
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{ *--- e STATION C1 MAR JUN SEP DEC QUARTER Figure C-5. Benthic macroinvertebrate mean density and total station diversity Stations B3, 84, B5 and Cl, St. Lucie Plant,1983.
C-60
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1978 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Figure C-6. Density and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates collected at Stations EC and Bl. St. Lucie Plant, 1976-1933. (Station BC was established at its current location in March,1977 - prior data not included.)
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Iiiiiiiiiiiiii5AIiiiiiSAIiiiihdi 1978 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Figure C-7. Density anc diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates collected at Stations B3 and Cl, St. Lucie Plant, 1976-1983.
C-62
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iu,piqKi;tgi:pi;pi!p !up STATION l Figure C-10. Percentage contribution of major macroinvertebrate groups to total station density, biomass and species richness, St. Lucie Plant,1983. (An asterisk denotes less than 1%
contribution.)
C-65
f STATION BC B1 82 B3 B4 B5 C1 STATION BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 Bc N II ec Ni I]
Bi N Il Bi .ss Ni !!!1 l B2 .14 .i e B2 .so 7s B3 .33 .00 .os 83 .02 .2e .os ..
84 .So 2e .10 .18 B4 .29 .et ,.40 .07
.12 .02 .01 .43 .44 B5 .12 .si . ~ 2 .s7 .4e BS lll f) l C1 22 04 .o 2 .se .14 .se C1 .os .se .os 7e .13 .e4 Quarter 1 (March) Quarter 2 (June)
STATION BC B1 82 83 84 B5 Ci STATION BC B1 B2 83 84 85 C1 Bc 5 ... _
Bc Ni II B1 .43 B1 63
\ , fffjff ffh B2 .so .se B2 2e 14 B3 .to .13 .t e B3 .os 42 .o4 .]
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85 22
.isl.14l.32 .se llllll B5 .i s .s 1 .cs ,22 .es l C1 12
.14 l.1o l.81 .41 .30 C1 06 .es 04 .e 1 57 Quarter 3 (sept) Quarter 4 (oec)
STATION BC B1 B2 83 B4 B5 C1 Bc \! II B1 .es \ l l 82 83
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B4 24 .31 11 28 j" B5 .2e .ss 11 .47 .e2 lllll C1 .i s .se .of .es .ss .44 una mumammmemumimum All Quarters Combined toes
.01-26 .28-60 .61.76 .7s-1.co (very low) (goderat ly) (very hieh)
Figure C-11. Morisita indices of faunal similarity between stations based on grab data for each quarter and for all quarters combined, St. Lucie Plant,1983.
C-66
. . . . . . . . .........m.. ...w-.....umumme
L
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2 .7 e
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3 .s i QTR 1 2 3 4 4 .7 s . .ss
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1
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4 .7 s .as .re l .dT-7 s .2e:To .tNs .re-i.co STATION C1 (very low) (moderately) (very high) low high Figure C-12. Morisita indices of faunal similarity indicating changes in macroinvertebrate faunal composition among quarters at each station. Indices derived from grab data, St. Lucie Plant, 1983.
C-67
- - . _ - - - - - - - - m f---
TABLE C-1 RESULT 5 & SEDIMENT GAIN SIZE A*iALYSES (PERCENTAGE 8Y WEIQiT) AT BENTHIC STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Silt Very Coarse Medium Very fine and Mean Sorting Size Pebble Granule coarse sand sand sand Fine sand sand cla diameter coefficient Strtion Month frri) >32 32-16 16-8 8-4 4-2 2-1 1.0-0.5 0.50-0.25 0.250-0.125 0.125-0.063 <.'o @ W SC March 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.03 0.0 0.06 0.19 8.47 89.82 1.44 3.44 0.44 Jane 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.12 0.18 0.24 0.35 0.87 30.27 67.35 0.62 3.16 0.65 Sept 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.08 0.21 0.10 0.11 0.31 6.76 90.51 1.92 3.45 0.55 Dec 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.57 0.31 0.62 10.50 86.38 1.62 3.39 0.58 81 March 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.09 0.25 0.60 1.73 5.87 29.12 57.42 4.91 3.12 1.02 June 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.83 3.31 4.42 5.93 3.74 12.05 66.68 3.04 2.81 1.53 Sept 0.0 0.0 0.43 0.70 1.84 2.41 6.20 15.17 31.62 40.71 0.91 2.46 1.33 Dec 0.0 2.19 0.72 1.27 2.70 4.30 6.36 37.10 37.84 5.31 0.20 1.52 1.52 52 March 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.03 0.08 0.29 1.11 3.62 6.75 83.43 4.69 3.43 0.82 Jane 0.0 2.50 2.28 0.80 0.49 0.45 0.60 1.18 10.21 78.66 2.83 2.98 1.82 Sept 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.48 1.10 0.58 0.74 1.48 '14.21 78.65 2.77 3.27 0.96
'Jec 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.74 0.78 1.97 17.59 74.33 2.61 3.22 0.92 l
B3 March 0.0 1.78 4.91 5.32 7.28 19.51 35.33 24.60 0.30 0.70 0.27 0.00 1.53 I
$ Jane 0.0 0.28 2.78 7.75 20.20 32.08 23.47 7.64 0.94 3.89 0.97 -0.32 1.56 Sept 0.0 0.61 2.13 2.74 6.99 25.04 38.61 21.41 0.33 1.68 0.46 0.21 1.30 Dec 0.0 0.14 5.33 10.83 15.37 24.42 28.30 13.55 0.49 1.22 0.34 -0.40 1.51 84 March 0.0 1.01 4.66 8.78 17.72 15.99 15.29 17.58 9.68 8.47 0.82 0.15 2.03 June 0.0 0.0 0.17 0.83 1.71 1.71 2.53 6.37 26.16 56.99 3.55 2.91 1.30 Sept 0.0 1.24 5.73 14.81 18.93 16.52 9.74 6.98 8.60 16.17 1.28 0.02 2.35 Dec 0.0 1.06 4.61 10.88 17.39 20.21 21.82 16.57 4.05 3.03 0.38 -0.26 1.74 85 March 0.0 0.0 1.77 8.79 16.61 26.72 24.13 13.55 5.30 2.73 0.41 -0.09 1.54 June 0.0 0.0 1.13 2.73 5.22 13.79 16.19 15.72 17.02 25.75 2.44 1.53 1.90 Sept 0.0 0.0 3.70 4.02 9.09 20.90 25.71 19.47 8.92 7.63 0.55 0.47 1 . 71 Dec 0.0 0.0 1.71 7.26 15.54 22.75 20.62 14.64 11.32 5.68 0.49 0.25 1.72 C1 March 0.0 0.0 1.78 4.19 8.74 25.58 32.61 24.06 1.77 1.06 0.20 0.19 1.28 June 0.0 0.55 2.51 5.08 10.61 25.73 32.86 18.77 1.35 1.99 0.53 0.05 1.43 Sept 0.0 0.46 5.27 5.39 10.54 27.99 33.59 14.49 0.64 1.15 0.48 -0.17 1.46 Dec 0.0 2.93 4.56 9.53 16.18 26.66 26.37 11.83 0.74 0.72 0.47 -0.52 1.59
- c. ,
TABLE C-2 BEMTHIC MACR 01hvERIEURATE COMMUNITY PARAMETERS F1EASURED AT OFFSHORE STATIONS DURING NPDES MONITORING ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 I
Quarter j Para-et er Month BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl Totals Mean l Number of taxa Mar 27 20 20 85 54 66 86 186a 51.1 Jun 29 23 23 121 75 68 155 269 70.6 Sep 33 33 24 103 128 120 154 285 85.0 i I
Dec 21 42 27 147 104 90 118 270 78.4 Totala 84 82 60 246 225 198 255 469 - I Pean 27.5 29.5 23.5 114.0 90.3 86.0 128.3 - 11.3 l l
Mar 475 308 542 9,100 1,400 4,992 14,075 30,892 4,413 Density iMividuals/:e (nucbeg)of Jun 958 367 367 13,233 1,983 2,375 18,258 37,541 5,363 Sep 900 750 417 10,242 10,308 11,692 18,508 52,817 7,545 Dec 417 950 1,025 11,325 5,825 5,150 10,400 35,092 5,013 Totala 2,750 2,375 2,351 43,900 19,516 24,209 61,241 156,342 -
Mean 687 594 588 10,975 4,879 6,052 15,310 39,085 5,584 Biosass (92 ash-free Mar 0.249 1.440 0.6 71 1.493 0.562 0.897 1.622 6.934 0.9 91 n 5.361 1.659 0.588 2.168 10.710 1.530 e dry wt./s Z) Jun 0.616 0.028 0.290
$ Sep 0.450 0.368 0.378 2.658 2.6% 2.82 5 3.271 12.644 1.806 Dec 0.720 1.869 0.363 2.804 1.942 1.221 2.210 11.129 1.590 Totala 2.035 3.705 1.702 12.326 6.857 5.531 9.271 41.417 -
Mean 0.509 0.926 0.425 3.079 1.714 1.383 2.318 10.354 1.479 Diversity (H') Mar 4.372 4.013 3.426 3.339 4.927 3.532 3.126 - 3.819 Jun 3.914 4.328 4.154 4.273 5.216 4.914 4.856 -
4.522 Sep 4.474 4.208 4.0 77 4.306 4.743 4.780 4.775 - 4.480 Dec 3.753 4.797 3.357 4.685 5.219 5.331 4.71 5 - 4.551 Mean 4.128 4.337 3.753 4.151 5.026 4.639 4.368 - -
Evenness (J') Har 0.919 0.929 0.793 0.521 0.856 0.5M 0.486 -
0.727 Jun 0.806 0.957 0.918 0.618 0.837 0.807 0.667 -
0.801 Sep 0.887 0.834 0.889 0.644 0.678 0.692 0.657 -
0.754 Dec 0.855 0.890 0.706 0.651 0.779 0.821 0.685 - 0.770 Mean 0.867 0.903 0.827 0.609 0.787 0.726 0.624 - -
Number of distinct taxa for quarter or year.
I i
- - - - - - - _- - - - - n n ,- , - -
TABLE C-3 PEARSON PRODUCT-MOMENT CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS (r) AMONG MEASURED COMMUNITY PARAMETERS AND SELECTED RlYSICAL VARIABLES AT OFFSHORE BENTHIC STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Abundance vs. Species richness vs. Diversity (H') vs. Blomass vs.
Mean Mean Mean Mean Station groupings Species grain Temper- grain Temper- grain Temper- grain Impe r-and quarters Ric ?ss H' Biomass size ature H' Biomass size ature Blomass size ature size ature All stations combined a
Dates .
Mar .873* .648 .694 .664 .246 .457 .567 .821* .614 .619 .222 .625 .379 .732 l Jun .%8* .201 .697 .885* .159 .3 71 .721 .877* .172 .054 .202 .299 .795 .114 Sep .971* .732 .914* .874 * .269 .798 .949* .918* .251 .770 .693 .465 . 971 * .238 Dec .%5 * .469 .771 .826* .126 .641 .775 .902* .119 .645 .842* .206 .851* .109 All Dates h .932* .144 .750* .761* .125 .385* .778* .824* .186 .275 .287 .174 . 6 83 * .385*
n MtctionsBC.81 C%nd 82 All Dates C .769* .018 .137 .231 .138 .392 .180 .368 .222 .237 .575 .291 .555 .391 Stctions 83
- 84. 85 ang C1 All Dates .871* .211 .5%* .453 .290 .138 .635* .433 .519* .023 .301 .520* .325 .518*
- Indicates significant difference at P(0.05 for critical r value.
- Critical r value = .811 (df=5) for all caparisons except density vs. species richness dere critical r = .433 (df=19). i D
Critical r value = .374 (df=26) for all comparisons except density vs. species richness dere critical r = .215 (df=82).
Critical r value = .576 (df=10) for all comparisons except density vs. species richness dere critical r = .329 (df=34).
Critical r value = .497 (df=14) for all comparisons except density vs. species richness dere critical r = .285 (df=46).
_ = _ _ -
- - r- m rm m , rm r i r T r -- 1 r-TABLE C-4 a
LIST OF DOMINANT BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE TAXA COLLECTED EACH QUARTER AT OFFSHORE STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 St et t oe SC Stet ten SI _
5tettoa 82 5t etton 83 5tet ton se station e5 Stet to Cl Guert er IM i 2 3 4 1993 1 2 3 4 1983 1 2 3 4 1983 1 2 3 4 1961 1 2 3 4 1943 1 2 3 4 1483 1 2 3 4 19q3 ClliGaal$
atettle spp. 5 7 IInt311mLA 2 14 8 5 29 3 4 10 12 29 5 3 6 Il 2a 9 16 32 105 52 107 61 AhhELIDa FMsce] sAerte 6 6 amwe esit es 2 3 IF 20 e f t ail s lit til Caust.16dee sp. A 3 25 E neywe evenose t elegreamie se. A 2 8 30 350 505 301 438 1594 5 11 16 ISO 33 69 til 854 3')8 533 tw t 'A 5 Gees lettorea 2 2 6
Goa,en ses c erei t cas es Elescolopics freviis 16 16 4 6 7 ymolocles spp. 6 9 wipers reseus 9 22 36 lig 43 167 fieleenisee sp. A l pesionestus ceitferateases F F 2 3 6 81 30 26 144 16 323 to 3s3 '
Qt ys s noon e 4 u.e.ie s.s s f or g 3 s 3 42 la 23 hoamrTT.s .m 210 64 358 F5 89 13 IF2 53 245 31 0 158 452 reieasopji c ri s t et e 11 !!
5 O Prionesete e_*2.i 4 19 9 314 165 209 51 f,4 55 379 8 Pse.deursthoe app.
N alt reeg sesjt.
d _
4 14 4 22 61 Ivoificcedes westelli 82 249 seret liops ts sp. A 4 FLELU5C2 acteoctaa reaset 4 F
Chione Wre
' Cross taelig 4t.eltstene -2 Mec i ca fragtlis 4 Tso nt ecate sp. 5 22 22 Rwi t se Tatereits 53 54 Ter%cias e=It teisesta 2 14 14 30 2 9 83 6 6 80 28 6
Tellias n Cetee verstcolor 10 17 3 8 Aafse0POM 72 30F 21 332 229 Osteaus weaustus 143 155
!?5 spp. 6 c
se, 6 sc ar.etrs= her eests.e.s3,se I er 33 ylesp4 werieas t 9 e 3F yps wrenes.
t 2 7 6 weriees eT:*.erestm 5.,.restsi e s seit n e 7
9 9 23 Pesvref ece spp. 3 2 6 5 6 resor.s saawt 4es teasaetpore brevitelsee 4 II 5treta 5 3 12 18 367 153 210 94 888 54 20 18 4 36 613 253 1619
'Ostsklotana!4 Aspesoredse spp. 2 Cirnatasut0AEA Sceachestoms tertbaeum 26 26 4 6 4 8 4 9 to 3 5 4 2 5 2 3 3 4 3 7 e 4 8 8 2 6 5 9 6 8 4 4 4 4 aunsta (y ountanar tasA 13 to 2 l
TABLE C-5 SUPMARY OF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN TOTAL MACR 0 INVERTEBRATE FAUNAL DENSITIES AND SPECIES RICHNESS BETWEEN CONTROL AND TREATMENT STATIONS USING ANOVA AND MULTIPLE RANGE TESTS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1982 - 1983 All quarters Control Narch June September December combined Station 1983 1982 1983 1T87 1983 1982 1983 1982 1983 1982 l B1 Den. NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS l
S.R. MS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS I sc B2 Den. MS MS NS NS MS NS NS MS NS NS 1
S.R. NS NS NS MS NS NS NS NS NS NS B3 Den. MS NS MS NS MS NS NS NS NS n -S.R. NS MS MS MS NS MS NS NS b C1 84 Den.
- MS *
- NS
- NS * *
- S.R. MS MS NS NS B5 Den. NS MS MS MS NS NS S.R. MS MS MS NS NS NS Den = Mean faunal density.
S.R. = Mean species richness.
NS = No significant' difference (P'O.05).
- Indicates value significantly lower than the control.
- Indicates value significantly higher than the control.
I L
, TABLE C-6 L RESULTS OF T-TESTS (P0 OLE, 1974) USED TO DETECT SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN DIVERSITY (H') BETWEEN CONTROL AND DISCHARGE STATIONS ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Treatment stations Control station H' value)
Date (H' value) B1 li2 3 B4 B5?
Har C1(3.126) - -
NS *(4.927) NS BC(4.372) NS NS - - -
Jun C1 4.856 - - NS NS NS BC 3.914 NS NS - - -
( Sep C1(4.775) - - NS NS NS BC(4.474) NS NS - - -
Dec C1 4.715 - - NS NS NS BC 3.753 NS NS - - -
NS = No significant difference.
[ * = Significant difference (P 1 0.05).
{
l
{
C-73
s TABLE C-7 RESULTS OF KOLH0GOROV-SMIRNOV GOODNESS OF FIT TESTS USED TO DETECT SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE PATTERNS OF BENTHIC r MACROINVERTEBRATES BETWEEN CONTROL AND TREATMENT STATIONS L ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
[
inatunt stations Control Dato stations 01 02 B3 B4 05
[
Mar C1 - - * *
- BC NS NS - - -
Jun C1 - -
- NS NS DC NS NS - - -
Sep C1 - - * *
- OC NS * - - -
( Doc C1 DC NS NS NS = No significant difference.
k *
=Significantdifference(P10.05).
f l
(
(
C 74
?
TABLE C-8 F \
L RESULTS OF KOLM0GOROV-SMIRNOV GOODNESS OF FIT TESTS USED l TO DETECT SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE l I
p PATTERNS OF BENTHIC MACR 0 INVERTEBRATES BETWEEN QUARTERS AT L EACH OFFSH0RE STATION ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
{
Stations Comparisons by date BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 ;
Mar 1 vs. Jun 2 NS NS NS * * * *
( Mar 1 vs. Sep 3 NS * * * * *
- Mar 1 vs. Dec 4 *
- NS * * *
- Jun 2 vs. Sep 3 NS NS NS *
- NS
- Jun 2 vs. Dec 4 * * * * * *
- Sep 3 vs. Dec 4 NS NS NS * * *
- NS = No significant difference.
= Significant difference (P10.05).
{
C-75
- ~ _
1 TABLE C-9
SUMMARY
OF PLANT EFFECTS DETECTED THROUGH STATISTICAL ANALYSES ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Control Station = BC Control Station = C1 Treatment Stations = B1, B2 Treatment Stations = B3, B4, B5 Variable 1983 1982 1983 1982 Densi ty 1. No effects 1. No effects 1. All dates combined 1. All dates combined B3,84,B 5<C 1 B4<C1
- 2. Mar and Jun 2. Mar B4 and B5<C1 no effects
- 3. Sep and Dec 3. Jun, Sep, Dec no effects B4<C1 Species 1. No effects 1. No effects 1. All dates combined 1. All dates combined richness B4 and B5<C1 B4<C1
- 2. Mar 2. Mar and Dec
.7' . B4<C1 B4<C1 Sf 3. Jun 3. Jun B4 and B5<C1 B4 and B5(C1
- 4. Sep 4. Sep i B3 and BS<C1 B3)C1 Diversity 1. ' No effects 1. No effects 1. Mar 1. Mar, Sep, Dec B4)C1 no effects
- 2. Jun, Sep, Dec 2. Jun no effects B5<C1 Relative 1. Mar, Jun 1. Mar, Dec 1. Mar, Sep 1. Mar, Sep abundance no effects- no effects B3,B4,B5 different B3,B4,B5 different from C1 from C1
- 2. Sep, Dec 2. Jun, Sep 2. Jun 2. Jun, Dec B2 different from B1 and B2 different B4 different from B3, B5 different from BC from BC C1 C1
- 3. Dec B3, B4 different from C1
I
{
APPENDIX TABLES C-77
~ --
- -_ - v......- _m_ _r , f -- 1 1 APPENDIX TABLE C-1 NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station
- BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 CNIDARIA
'Renilla spp. 2 1 5 1 7 2 Anthozoa spp. 5 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 PLATYHELMINTHES 6 1 4 12 9 8 4 7 3 7 8 6 6 13 HEMERTINA 2 3 8 32 9 9 28 14 4 3 13 16 4 48 8 10 6 53 51 42 57 5 12 11 50 32 52 61 ANNEllDA~
- Polychaeta i Polynoidae l Malmgrenia lunulata 2 3 1 2. I 1 1 ;
I Polynoidae sp. A 1 1 1 1
Subadyte p_ellucida Polyodontidae .
. Polyodontes lupinus' 1 Sigalionid'ii.
Psammolyce arenosa 1 Egallon acenicola 1
- n. Sthenelais boa 1 1 1 1 1 2 O PTsf6nfdii~ ~
00 Pisione remota~ 1 4 1 1 1 1 7 2 9 Chrysopetalidae
'Paleonotus heteroseta' 2 1 3 4 Amphinomidae Paramphinome pu_1chella 1 2 3 4 1 Pseudeurythoe spp. 8 19 209 19 1 ') 26 9 51 23 64 2 4 2 114 55 1 Phyllodocidae Eteone heteropoda 1 1 TuTATTa bilineati 4 2 5 1 3 1 1 Eumida sanguinea 2 1 1 Hestonura laubiert? 2 Nereiphylla TragTJT 1 4 I 2 2 6 3 2 Paranaltes polynoides-1 Paranaftes spp. .
1 Phyllodoce arenae 2 3 1 1 5 1 1 1 Protomystides sp. A- 1 -1 1 1 {
Pterocirrus macrocc ms - ~1 1 1 5 5 3 Hesionidae A
G tis brevipal_pa 1 1 1 2 1 Hesf6nidae sp. O 2 4 ~2 7 2 32 28 5 4 6 6 1 4 19 -
Microphthalmus hartmanae '1 1- 1 1 Todarke obscura 3 2 6 8 12 7 13 5 2 3
' Pilargidae .
Ancistrosy111s carolinensis 1 1- 8. I 1 1 3 Ancistrosy111s WiFtmanae 6 1 16 2 3 11 8 15 6 17
. Ancistrosy1_I_is jonest 'l 1 2- 3 1 3 1
-I ..
_ _, ., \I _ - , . - , .I -.\ .
.. m a j w
-. _ . . - ~ _ -
APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACR 0 INVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC Bl B2 B3 B4 BS Cl BC B1 82 B3 84 B5 Cl Pilargidae (cont'd)
Cabira incerta 1 3 5 Pilargis sp. A 1 Sigambra bassi 4 2 14 1 1 1 4 2
_Tiqambra tentaculata 1 Synelmis albini 1 1 1 Syllidae Autolytus spp. 2 2 5 4 Brania swedmarki 1 1 2 1 1 1 4 Dentatisyllis carolinae 13 3 10 20 33 5 1 10 18 32 10 1 10 Dioplosyllis octodentiita 2 Ehlersia cornuta 1 2 Exogone arenosa 1 1 21 2 20 17 1 2 36 11 19 63 67 21 6 31 Exogone atlantica 1 1 4 OdontosyllisspW
~
l 1 2 2 3 2 ParapionosyTlis longicirrata 4 2 12 12 9 1 16 6 9 34 41 2 24 10 17 15 g Pionosyllis,gesae 1 1 PionosyTiis uraga 2 6 1 17 1 5 23 15 y PionosyTITs ipp. 1 Plakosyllis quadrioculata 1 1 2 3 8 2 1 1 4 Sphaerosylfis lajb rinthophila 3 3 1 5 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 Sphaerosyllis'diriferopsis 4 13 31 21 1 3 14 6 2 1 5 hhaerosy1TTi risert 2 1 ;
JS haerosyllis taylori 1 3 2 3 1 2 l Syllides bansei 2 1 1 4 1 1 2 Syllides floridanus 2 1 1 1 1 4 Syllis amica 1 8 2 13 16 1 2 12 11 15 7 TyTTis gracilis 1 1 1 5 1 2 6 Trypanosyllis coeliaca 1 1 1 Trypanosyllis inglei 1 1 1 Trypanosyll fi ~savag 2 1 Typosyllis alternata 1 Typosyllis hyalina 4 1 Syllidae spp. 2 1 Nereidae Ceratonereis irritabilis 1 1 1 1 Gratonereis longicirrata 1 1 5 1 1 2 1 Neanthes cf. micromma 5 Nereis falsa 26 1 1 herets TiideTiosa 5 1 1 liireTi rtisei 1 1 Nereidae sppI 1 1 1 Nephtyidae Nephtys simoni 2 1 2 1 1 1 4 4 1 2 Nephtys squamosa 2 2 1 1
.z., . . = . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
- _ . m m- m m v- v APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 _Cl BC B1 B2_ B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 Glyceridae Glycera americana 1 2 2 1 1 Glycera capitata 2 1 2 1 1 Glycera dibranchiata 1 2 1 Glycera tesselata !
.Hemipodus roseus 4 9 34 9 3 1 16 1 30 4 11 5 22 5 Gontadidae-Glycinde spp. 1 Goniada littorea 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 GoniadTdes carolinae 11 6 3 25 1 22 1 18 4 15 8 3 13 37 2 7 44 Eunicidae 1 15 4 2 Eunice vittata 1 1 1 Lysidice ninetta. 1 Nematonereis hebes 2 1 2 1 3 Onuphidae Diopatra cuprea 4 1 1 n l 1 1 e Onuphis eremita oculata
. @ Onuphis sp. A 1 5 1- 1 2 1 Onuphidae spp. I 1 1 1 1 Lumbrineridae.
2 1 4 Lumbrinerides Jonesi 2 1 Lumbrineriopsis cf. paradoxa 1
- Lumbrineris erriesti I
LumbrinerTiI cf. latreilli 3 1 2 1 1 4 10 12 1 Lumbrineris verrilli 2
~
Lumbrineris sp. A 1 Arabellidae~
Arabella spp.' 1 3 Driloneris longa 1 1 1 1 Driloneris spp.
Dorvilleidae.
Dorvillea sociabilis 3 1 2 Dorvillefdae sp. A 1 Protodorvillea spp. 1 2 1 1 3 3 4 6 2 1 2 1
Schistomer Egh pectinata 1 Schistomeringos rudolphi 8 2 1 4 5 1 4 1 11 1 1 9 9 3 16 1
.Dorvilleidae spp.
Orbintidae.
Haploscoloplos-fragilis 1 16 4 7 2 1 2 Haploscoloplos robustus- .
1 I Haploscoloplos spp. l' 2 1 2 1 1 6 1 3 4 2 Scoloplos rubra 1 1 1 1 4 Paraonidae Aricidea lopezi' 1 2 1 1 Aricidea.sp. A.
-Cirrophorus sp. A 3 2 1
.Paraonides sp. A 1 1
- . . . , - . . ~ - - s . - - - n-. _r w l
APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 85 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 84 BS C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 l
Paraonidae (cont'd) l Paraonides sp. B 1 2 9 Arenicolidae-Arenicola marina 6 Spionidae i Aonides sp. A 1 2 I Laonice cirrata 1 1 Paraprionospio pinnata 1 2 5 1 3 1 2 2 (
Polydora anoculata 30 4 33 12 5 3
-Polydora socialis 2 3 2 32 1 1 1 2 8 Polydora websteri 2 1 1 Prionospio cirrifera 13 1 Prionospio cristata 4 7 3 210 1 13 310 11 4 2 64 75 172 158 84 9 53 11 Prionospio day _i 5 2 1 Prionospio'(Minuspio) sp. A 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Pseudopolydora pufciira 11 1 P Scolelepis texana. 1 1 1 4 1 1 1
.. co . Scolelepis sp. A 1
" 4 1 2 5 to pettiboneae 1 1 p ophanes bombyx 6 1 11 10 19 1 2 10 4 1 1 5 8 2 Megelonidae Magelona sp. A 1 1 1 1
'Poecilochaetidae Poecilochaetus johnsoni 1 1 1 Acroctrridae Macrochaeta spp. 2 1 3 1 5 1 3 5 12 1 4 9 Chaetopteridae Spiochaetopterus costarum oculatus 1 Cirratulidae Cau11ertella alata 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 Cau11eriella cf. killariensis 1 111 1 1 1 Caulleriella sp. A- 2 1 1 Cirriformia grandis 1 Cirratulidae sp. A 3 1 1 2 Tharyx marioni 1 2 43 22 2 1 3 1 5 10 5 7 6 1 4 2 4
' Tharyx sp. A 15 Cirratulidae spp. 1 1 Ophe111dae Armandia agilts 2 4 . .
3- 1 3 4 17 1 3 Armandia maculata- 1 4 4 3 56 1 9 12 24 2 2 1 Ophelia denticulata 1 1 1 2 1 Capitellidae Capite11a capitata floridana- 6 1 Dasybranchus lumbricoides 5 .
O Mastobranchus 7 sp. A 1- 4 5 1 6 1 4 6 8 2 3
.Mediomastus californiensis 7 2 1 .. 3'30 .4 14 3 31 26 16 27 1 '30' 70 323 62 El 1<3 20 41
- Notomastus hemipodus 1
- . - .a -w_..u___.:_ -.
-_ - w .__ .r-- v -- v - 1 APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 62 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 Capite111dae (cont'd)
'Notomastus latericeus 13 1 25 5 3 Scyphoproctus cf. platyproctus 1 Maldanidae Axiothella mucosa 1 21 1 7 2 5 13 26 8 1 5 4 4 Macroclymene zonalis 1 3 7 10 10 3 6 4 2 5 4 2 Maldanidae sp. A 2 5 5 3 7 119 8 4 36 43 Maldanidae sp. 2 2 Petaloproctus socialis' 18 7 16 2 7 1 6 1 1 Owentidae Owenia fusiformis' 1 5 3 3 2 42 14 2 1 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 Bogueldae Boguea enigmatica 9 19 6 1 6 1 1 3 2 2 2 Boguea sp. A 2 Sabellariidae-Sabe11 aria vulgaris 25 1 1 57 4 1 2 18 8 16 8 7 9 Pectinartidae co Cistenides gouldit 1 N' Ampharetidae Ampharete americana 1 2 2 13 4 2 70 4 2 1 26 1. 3 1 1 Isolda pulchella 1 1 Ierebellidae Amaeana trilobata 1 Loimia redusa 1 2 3 2 14 4 Pista cristata ~
1 Polycirrus eximius '3 4 1 5 2 11 10 2 5 4 4 Polycirrus sp. A 1 2 5 Polycirrus spp. 5 2 Streblosoma hartmanae . I 1 1 Terebellidae spp. 1 Sabe111dae Amphigiena mediterranea 1 5
.Chone spp. .. 1 1 4 2 2 3 1 1 footaulax nudicollis - 1 1 Serpulidae Filogranula sp. A 2 350 5 150 854: 2 505 33 308 2 301 69 133 8 1 438 71 5 250 Hydroides bispinosa 3 1 1 2 1 1 5 1 6 Hydroides dianthus 2 4- 1 1
-Hydroides dirampha 1 Hydroides floridana 3- 1 6 2 3 4 1 Hydroides microtus 1 2 4 9 10 Hydroides parva .
1 Hydroides protulicola 2 1 Hydroides spp. 4 .5 1 Josephella ? spp. . .
4 Pseudovermilia sp. A 16 4 1~ 7 7 9 1 5er ula spp. 6 5 34 2 2 1-ermi iopsis sp. A. 1 81 2.. 1 47 113; 2 82 24 64 4 10 '2. 2 56
- % - _. m .e v -........ ---- v -
APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACR 0 INVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Marcn June September December Species _ Station: BC B1 B2 33 B4 BS Cl BC B1 B2 _B 3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 82 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 82 B3 B4 85 Cl Spirorbidae Spirorbidae spp. 17 4 1 19 1
-Polygordiidae Polygordius spp. I 1 1 8 2 3 3 6 4 5 4 Saccocirridae Saccocirrus spp. 1 I 2 1 Protodrilidae Protodrilus spp. I 1 2 1 Oligochaeta Adelodrilus acochlearis 2 Grania macrochaeta 2 1 8 28 1 7 Heterodrilus arenicolus 2 1 5 7 8 9 6 12 4 2 17 Heterodrilus sp. A 2 1 8 Peosidrilus biprostatus 10 1 1 19 1 22 Phallodrilus leukodermatus 1 1 3 5 6 8 i g Phallodrilus sabulosus 1 10 11 3 3 2 9 7 6 10 j e Phallodrilus sp. B 5 CD Tubificoides wasselli-g 6 1 44 49 42 16 3 3 12 1 9 1 61 Tubtficoides sp. A 3 4 2 Oligochaeta spp. .1 MOLLUSCA Gastropoda Acteocina candei 4 1 Acteocina canaliculata 1 Acteon punctostriatus 2 Aeolidiacea sp. B 1 Aesopus stearnsit- 1 Arene tricarinata 1 1 1 2 4 1 Astyris lunata 1 1 1 1 Brochina vestitum 1 Calyptraea centralis 3 1 16 1 14 4. 2 1 7 2 1 3 Columbellidae spp. 1 Costoanachis floridana 4 1 Crepidula fornicata 1 Crepidula maculosa 2 1 Crepidula plana 11 2 1 Crepidula spp. . 1 4.
Cyclichnella bidentata' 2 Diastomiinae spp. 1 Didianema pauli' 1 1 Elephantulum cooperi . 3 'S 1 1 2
.Elephantulum flor @ num 2 Elephantulum imbricatum 1 Elephantulum insularum 1 Elephantulum plicatum 2
'Elephantulum sp. A 1
r- % - J G
~
- - - . ~ -
APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS Cl BC B1 B2 83 B4 B5 C1 Gastropoda (cont'd)
Epitonium foliaceicostum 1 Epitonium spp. I 1 Eulimostoma sp. A 1 'I Eulimostraca spp. I 1 l Fartulum strigosum 1 3 4 13 13 4 7 11 1 1 20 17 2 Finella dubia 1 1 Hastula ciaerea 1 Kurt21ella atrostyla 1 1 1 1 j i
Kurtziella limonitella 1 Macromphalina palmilitoris 4 1 )
Natica pusilla 2 2 1 1 1 1 Nudibranchia sp. A 1
'Oceanida inglei 2 1 Oliva sayana- 1
.6- Olive 11a adelae 1 6 1 1 3 Olivella adelae ? 1
'f 4
-a Olivella spp. 1 i Parvanachis obesa 3 1 1 1 1 1 Polygyreulima sp. A 1 1 Polygyreulima sp. B 1 1 1 Polinices duplicatus 1 1 Puncturella sp. A 1 l
-Seila adams 1 1 1 Suturoglypta iontha 1 ~j Turbonilla abru ta 1 Turbonilla a i 1
- Turbonilla pilsbryl - 1 1 1 Turbonilla gvir a? 2 Turbonilla ptricturbonilla) sp. G 1 1 1 Uromitra wandoense 1 1
. Gastropoda spp. I 2 2 Polyplacophora Chaetopleura apiculata. 3 4 1 1 Ischnochiton hartmeyeri- 1 2 1 Ischnochiton ? hartaeyeri 3 1 2
.Ischnochiton striolatus 1 1 1- 2 3 18 1 1 Tschnochiton sp. A 1 Ischnochiton spp. . 1 Lepidochitona 11oronis 1-Bivalvia Abra aequalis 1 1 . 1
.Abra lioica 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 Aequipecten spp. 1 Americardia cf. guppyi 1 2 Anadara transversa- 4 3 1 2 Anomia simplex 3 1 5 4 3_ 27 2 4 Arcopsis sp. A-- 1
~ -- - - .
v m_ w r---- t r- v APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACR 0 INVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December Species Station: SC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 Bivalvia (cont'd)
Argopecten gibbus 1 Chama congregata 1 1 1 Chama macerophylla 1 Chama spp. I Chione grus 6 7 28 2 2 4 1 Chione intapurpurea 3 1 1 9 20 2 11 1 Corbula caribaea 1 1 2 3 Corbula contracta 3 4 1 Corbula swiftlana' 1 2 2 Corbula spp. 1 2 1 Crassinella dupliniana 2 4 4 7 1 3 4 8 1 1 3 4 .
3 2 2 10 13 5 3 1 1 2 1 4 1 l Crassinella lunulata 1 Crenella divaricata 1 1 l Donax parvula 2 l Dosinia sp. A 2 1 1 i O Ervilia nitens 1
' So Gastrochaena hians 2 3
-m Glycymeris spectralis 2 6 2 1 1 3 Laevicardium mortoni I Limacea 7 spp. 1 Lioberus castaneus 1 Lithophaga bisulcata .
2 1 3 Macoma brevifrons 1 9 3 3 1 2 3 Macoma tageltformis 1 Macoma tenta 1 Macoma spp. 1
-Mactra fragilis 4 5 Wactridae spp. 2 Modiolus spp. I 2- 1 Montacuta sp. B 22 Mulinia lateralis 1 1 53 1 1
' Musculus lateralis 6 Mysella spp. 1 Mytilidae spp. 1-Nucula proxima 2 1 1 Ostreola equestris . 19 1-Parvilucina multilineata '2 2 6 6 2 1 14 2 10 14 9 6 Pectinidae spp. I 1 Pitar fulminatus ? 1 Plicatula gibbosa 1 Pododessus rudis 1 Pteromeris perplana 1.
Pythinella cuneata 1 Semele bellastriata' 1 3 1 1-Semele spp. 1
~ - . - -
v m rx w APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June _
September December Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 82 83 B4 BS C1 Bivalvia (cont'd)
'Solenidae spp. 1 S henia antillensis 4 1 e na tris 3 1 2 1 1 4 1 Tellina cf. nitens 1 Tellina sybaritica 1 Tellina versicolor 7 1 3 8 1 10 2 2 2 Tellina spp. I 1 1 Tivela floridana 1 '
Tivi Ria spp. 1 1 1 ARTHROPODA Ostracoda' Cycloberis biminiensis 2 Cycloberis sp. A 1 3 Cycloberts spp. 1 i m: 'Ostracoda sp. U. 3 1
& ,Ostracoda sp. X 1 m Sarstella spinosa- 1
-Sarstella sp. A 1 Cirripedia Balanus trigonus 1 44 1 24 6
,Balanus venustus 4 1 2 1 11 72 307 39 229 4 21 1 1 Balanus spp. ..
24 46 143 18 98 6 12 3 1 Kochlorine floridana 1 Stomatopoda Gonodactylus bredini- 1 Mysidacea Bowmantella spp. I 1 1 1 1 Metamysidopsis cf. swifti 1
!Mysidopsis bigelow1 2 3 1 1 1 Cumacea Cyclaspis pustulata? 3 1- 1 3 1 Cyclaspis varians 1 '. 3 9 2 2 8 8 2 1 3 9 Oxyurostylis smithi~ 1 2- 1 2 1 2 2 9 7 5 23
'Tanaidacea Apseudes~propinquus 2 3 3
'Heterotanais sp. A 3 5 4 Leptochelia sp..A. 7 3 Isopoda Apanthura magnifica. 1 Asellota spp. 2 Edotea spp. 1
' Erichsonella filiformis filiformis - 1 Eurydice littoralis 1 4 Jantridae sp. A 1
'Panathura formosa- 2 .
4 7 5 1 -5 Xenanthura brevitelson 5 2- 2 4 3
1 w
~. _ . - , , -
l APPENDIX TA3LE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB i ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 l March June September December j Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Cl BC B1 82 B3 B4 BS Cl .
Amphipoda 4
Acanthohaustorius bousfieldi Acanthohaustorius Tiitermedius 1 2 Aoridae spp. 3 i 2 4 5 5 2 2 Batea catharinensis 6 1 Bathyporeia sp. A 1 Caprella spp. 3 1
Cerapus spp.
1
- Corophium acherusicum 1 2 2 Elasmopus ? sp. A l Erichthonius brasiliensis 2 2 1 l
Eudevenopus honduranus 2 1 1 1 1 Haustorius sp. A 1 Jassa falcata 1 1 Lembos smithi 3 3 o Lembos spp. .
I 8 Liljeborgia sp. A 3 1 1
$ Maera sp. A 2 1 1 4 33 13 11 9 41 5 7 Maera sp. B 3 "Megaluropus" myersi 1 2 6 10
> Melitidae sp.'A 2 1 1 3 3 7 5 8 2 Melitidae spp. 1 1 Metharpinta floridana 1
'Microdeutopus myersi . 3 Neomegamphopus roosevelti 6 1 1 1
Photis sp. B Photis sp. C 1 Photis spp. I 1 1 2 5 3 4 4 4 1 Protohadzia schoenerae 1 Protohaustorius spp. 1 2 3 2 1 Rildardanus laminosa- 2 1 1 1 Stenothoe sp. A 1 Synchelidium americanum 1 1 1 6 1
' Synopia ultramarina 1 1 1 1 2 Tiron triocellatus Tiron tropakis 1 . 1- 2 8 I 2 2 1 1 3 6 Tiron spp.. I 1
)
Trichophoxus sp. B ~
2 1
.Unicola spp. l Decapoda crab megalopa 1 2' 1 Penaldea Lucifer faxoni , 4 1 Sicyonia dorsalis 1 1
Sicyonia laevigata ' 2 Sicyonia spp. ,
Trachypenaeus constrictus 1 -1.
~ .-
-. _n. v n. m m _m c x. r w APPENDIX TABLE C-1 (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACR 0!NVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEK GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December
- Species Station: BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 BC B1 B2 B3 84 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 Penaldea Trachypenaeus spp. I 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 Caridea Alpheidae spp. 2 1
'Alpehus normanni 2 1 Alpheus spp. 1 7 1 2 1 Caridean postlarvae 1 Latreutes fucorum 1 Latreutes parvulus 1 1 Leptochela serratorbita 1 1 2 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 Nikoides schmitti 1 Nikoides spp. 1 Ogyrides alphaerostris 7 1 2 1 1 3 1 Ogyrides spp. -1 Periclimenes americanus 2 3 2 1 2 Processa bermudensis 1 1 Processa hemphilli 1 1 3 g Processa spp.
Caridea spp.
I 2 I
1 1 2 1 Thalassinidea Upogebia affinis 1 2 1 13 Upogebia spp. 2 Anomura Albunea paretil 1 Diogenidae spp. 1 Euceramus praelongus- 1 1 Paguristes hununi ~. 2 1 1 2 Paguroidea spp. 3 2 1 1 6 1 7 Pagurus annulipes 5 3 6 1 3 9 3 2 Pagurus carolinensis 1 1 Paqurus spp. 5 6 9 6 2 Petrolisthes armatus 1 Porcellanidae spp. 1 Brachyura Brachyuran postlarvae 1 1 2 4 3 2 1 5 2 1 3 1 1 31 1 Eba11a cariosa .1 Euryplax nitida 4 2 3 1 Hepatus spp. 2 1 Heterocrypta granulata 2 Hexapanopeus angustifrons 2 1 Hexapanopeus spp. 1 Hypochonche spp. 1 Leucosildae spp. .
1 Neopontonius beaufortensis 1
'Panopeus bermudensis 1 1 1 1 Panopeus spp. 1 1 3 1
_ _ _ _ _ - , _ , . . . , , , , m f- 1 1--- t ,
APPENDIE TABLE C-1
- (continued)
NUMBERS OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES COLLECTED BY SHIPEC GRAB ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 March June September December
[
Species Station: BC B1 B2 03 B4 B5 C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 BC B1 B2 B3 B4 BS C1 BC B1 82 B3 B4 B5 C1 Brachyura Parthenopidae spp. I 2 2 Persephona mediterranea 2 Pinniza floridana 2 2 1 3 Pinntxa sayana 1 Pinnina spp. I 1 2 1 1 1 3 2 5 8 2 3 7 5 2 Pinnotheres spp. 1 l Portunidae spp. 1 Portunus gibbesii 1 Portunus spp. 2 1 1 Kantnidae spp. 3 2 1 13 2 9 Pycnogonida Anoplodactylus parvus 1 SIPUNCULA 5 1 1 367 4 10 317 3 153 4 20 436 2 270 5 21 613 12 58 54 18 253 7 ECHIURA 14 6 30 1 8 5 PHORONIDA 8 1 2 ECHINODERMATA Ste11eroidea Ophiuroidea Amphiodia pulchella 3 2 1 1 6 3 5 2 1 2 4 1 Ampniura palmeri 1 Ampniuridae spp. 2 6 2 9 2 2 3 3 19 10 28 Ophiolepis elegans 1 1 1 1 1 Opniolepis sp. 1 Ophiophragsus wurdemani 1 1 1 Ophiophragnus spp. 1 1 1 Ophiothrix angulata 1 Opniotnrix spp. 2 Ophiuroicea spp. I 1 1 1 1 32 6 13 25 Echinoidea tytechinus variejatus 1 1 MeIlita.quinquiespe7forata 3 2 1 Hellitidae spp. 2 Holothuroidea Epitomapta roseola 1 1 2 2 1 15 1 3 2 1 Pnyllophorus occidentalis 1 1 Holotnuroidea spp. 1 CHORDATA Cephalochordata Branchiestoma caribaeum 4 3 26 1 3 2 2 13 1 1 2 2 1 4 10 14 6
s d
4 APPENDIX TABLE C-2 EXPLANATION OF NUMERICAL METHODS USED IN THE ANALYSIS OF BENTHIC COMMUNITY DATA
( ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Both parametric and non-parametric statistics, as well as various biological indices, were used during the analysis of 1983 NPDES community data. Descriptions of these tests are provided below.
KOLM0G0 ROV-SMIRNOV TEST (Sokal and Rohlf,1981)
This non-parametric technique tests for differences between two cumulative frequency distributions using pair-wise comparisons. Elements of the two distributions to be compared are ranked from most to least abundant, and the cumulative frequencies of elements within each distri-bution are calculated.
For each pair of cumulative frequencies the quantity di = Fy -
F is calculated 2
where F1 and F2 represent the cumulative frequencies of element i in samples 1 and 2, respectively. The maximum di value is divided by the number of elements (n) to give the quantity D:
4 D = "
{ di(max)
The calculated D value is then compared with a critical tabulated value ,
to determine significance (a0.05 with n degrees of freedom).
C-90
s I APPENDIX TABLE C-2 L
(continued)
INDEX OF FAUNAL DOMINANCE The technique used for determining dominance during 1983 relies on the absolute abundances of species rather than ranking values as are often used (e.g., McCloskey, 1970). Relative abundance distribution cur-(
ves generated from benthic macroinvertebrate data generally conform to a f logrithmic series model as shown in Figure A. The region of the curve where the function is changing axes along which it asympototes reflects the boundary between species that are increasingly abundant and those that are increasingly rare. The increasingly abundant species may be -
taken as those that numerically dominate the community. This, of course,
( says nothing about their function in the community and indeed a very rare species may be dominant in that it controls the abundance of many other species. However, the type of ecological data required to accurately describe the interrelationships of constituent species within a community is generally not available. Thus, numerical dominance must be taken as a first good approximation.
f For the " typical" data set stylized above, the breakpoint between rare and abundant species (indicated by the line y=x) divides the-logrithmic series curve into two halves. Those species accounting for the shaded portion of total abundance may be thought of mathematically as dominating the curve. During NPDES monitoring, an "a priori" criterion of dominance was established: those species accounting for 50 percent of the total faunal abundance at each station were designated as dominants.
C-91
s
?
l L
e
(
/
/
/
( /,
I Y**
f
/
sa 9
E O
E u.
o 5
e 1
-)
M Dom.mont species (ronked from most to least bundant)
Figure A. Logarithmic series model.
C-92
s APPENDIX TABLE C-2
[
4 (continued)
RAREFACTION DIVERSITY (Sanders, 1968)
The rarefaction method of graphically calculating species diversity
[ was formulated to directly compare samples of different sizes. The usual difficulty inherent in such a comparison is that, as the sample size
{
increases, individuals are added at a constant arithmetic rate but spe-( cies accumulate at a decreasing logarithmic rate. The rarefaction method is dependent on the shape of the species abundance curve rather than on the absolute number of specimens per sample. The procedure is to keep the percentage composition of the component species constant with that of a hypothetical sample of 1000 individuals while reducing the sample size,
( i.e., to artificially create the results that would have been obtained had smaller samples with identical faunal composition been taken. With this technique, the expected number of species in any size sample can be determined.
MORISITA'S (1959) INDEX OF COMMUNITY SIMILARITY: CA This index compares two samples by taking into account the abundan-ces of shared species, total abundances in each sample, and their respec-tive diversities.
Morisita's index is based on Simpson's index of diversity ( A):
Ini(ni-1)
N(N-1)
C-93
s P
L APPENDIX TABLE C-2 (continued) where: N = total number of individuals, and y ni = importance value (abundance, biomass, etc.) of the
( ith species.
Using subscripts 1 and 2, the A values of two samples may be
[ differentiated:
3 Inj l(nj l-1) Inj 2(nj 2.1)
2
1 and N1 (N1-1) N2(N2-1)
{
Morisita's index of similarity between communities may then be calculated by the following formula:
2In n
( 1l 12 CA = (A1 +A2)NIN 2
( This index is almost uninfluenced by the sizes of N1 and N2 . The value of CA will approach unity when samples demonstrate similarity in species abundance and diversity. Conversely, as CA approaches zero, the samples f will have fewer species in common, which suggests that the samples have been drawn from dissimilar habitats.
DIVERSITY AND EVENNESS Diversity indices are very useful for measuring the quality of the
( environment and the effect of induced stress on the structure of a biolo-gical community. Their use is based on the generally observed phenomenon that undisturbed environments support communities having large numbers of species with no individual species represented in overwhelming abundance C-94
s I
L
~ APPENDIX TABLE C-2
[ (continued)
(EPA,1973). Many forms of stress tend to reduce diversity by making the
{
environment unsuitable for some species or by giving other species a com-( petitive advantage.
{ The most widely used measure of species diversity is the information diversity index. This index considers two aspects of community species-
{
numbers relationships: species richness (the number of species in rela-
[ tion to the number of individuals) and species evenness (the distribution of individuals among species). A decrease in either component of infor-mation means a decline in diversity.
[
The Shannon-Weaver information function (H') calculates mean diver-
[ sity (i.e., the degree of uncertainty attached to the specific identity of any randomly selected individual; Pielou,1966):
(
s H' = - Ipg 109 pg
[ i=1 where: s = total number of species in the sample, and
( pj = proportion of the total sample represented by the ith species.
However, as Lloyd et al. (1968) argued, if pj 's are to be estimated (i.e., the actual community composition is unknown) asj p l nj/N, then the formula for H' can be computed directly in terms of the observed n's, and the necessity for calculating proportions and their attendant rounding errors can be avoided. In an attempt to standardize the calcu-C-95
s f
APPENDIX TABLE C-2
( (continued) lation of diversity, the EPA (1973) recommended the machine formula pre-
{
sented by Lloyd et al. (1968) using base 2 log:
( H' =
{ (N log 10N - E nj logio nt) where: C = 3.321928 (converts base 10 log to base 2),
N = total number of individuals, and nj = total number of individuals of the ith species.
(
In order to test for significant differences between two diversity values (H'), diversity variance must first be determined (Poole,1974). The variance of the diversity function (before converting to base two) is:
i=s "i i=s "i "i 2 k E (log "1 ) 2-E (log )
i=1
~
N 10 N
~
i=1 N 10 N ~
~
Var (H') = +
( N S-1 + (Series of additional forms) f 2 2N For most ecological samples, the first two terms
( of this equation are adequate to determine the variance.
Then, given the diversity and variance values for two samples (symbolized below by subscripts 1 and 2) a t-value may be calculated as follows:
f
=
H'1 H'2 t
Qvar (h')1+ var (h')2 C-96
s APPENDIX TABLE C-2 r (continued)
L This t is compared with a tabulated critical t with the following degrees of freedom
( df =
(var (H'1) + var (H'2) )2 var (H'1)2 + var (H'2)2
{
"1 N2 f To evaluate the component of diversity due to the distribution of individuals among the species (evenness), the calculated H' is compared with the maximum diversity possible for the same number of species (Pielou,1966):
(
J' = H'/H' max where:
- 1092 S (for H' computed with base 2 log).
H'nax
[ Evenness values may range from zero to one.
ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE (ANOVA) (Sokal and Rohlf,1981)
Environmental biologists must always be concerned with meeting the
(
assumptions of various statistical tests before relying upon those tests for drawing inferences. For parametric tests such as one- and two-way
{
ANOVA, important assumptions include: 1) variances of all cells are equal and 2) the overall distributions approach normality.
f Because most environmental data generally violate one or both assumptions, many environmental biologists have increasingly turned to the use of non-parametric statistics. While this eliminates distribution C-97
APPENDIX TABLE C-2 (continued) and variance problems, the power of the test to discern differences is
( diminished. Green (1979) suggests using parametric statistics (with the proper data transformation) if the ratio of the maximum cell's variance to the minimun cell's variance is less than 20. During 1983 NPDES moni-toring, this ratio was below 20 for both density and species richness
{
when stations within the two major groups to be analyzed were compared
( (i.e., Station BC versus Stations B1 and B2; and Station C1 versus Stations B3, B4 and B5).
One-way ANOVA can be employed to test whether or not two or more sample means come from the same parametric population mean. This tech-nique tests the variance between groups of samples and within groups of
[
samples (error term) against an expected value derived from the F-distribution. The model used is:
( Y jj = u + aj + E jj Where: i = ranges from 1 to a groups (samples)
( j = ranges from 1 to n replicates u = is the grand mean of all samples a
j = is the variance of group i from the grand mean E
jj = isreplicate a measure of the j from itsrandom deviation expected value (of u +individual aj) l A plot of density means versus their variances showed a strong posi-tive association between the two (i.e., as the mean increased, the variance increased). This positive relationship indicated that the i
C-98
s r
L L APPENDIX TABLE C-2 (continued)
( proper data transformation was log 10 (X + 1). This transformation was used in all ANOVA tests.
THE TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST (Sokal and Rohlf,1981)
{
After a significant difference has been found in ANOVA, a multiple
( range test may be used to ascertain which sample means are different.
The Tukey-Kramer test employs the average sample sizes in the ANOVA standard error calculations and uses the studentized range (Q value) in hypothesis testing. The mean square error term is used as the pooled
{
variance. Calculations use the following model.
(
Minimum significant difference = (critical Q value) x (SEjj) where:
( MS x(1 + 1' )
error n n SE jj = 1 j j SE is the standard error and critical Q value is found by using Q05(k,v) and Table 18 in
( Rohlf and Sokal (1981). The value of k is the number of treatments and the value of v is the MS error degrees of freedom.
A pair of means is significantly different if the absolute value of their difference is greater than or equal to the minimum significant dif-ference.
C-99
s L
APPENDIX TABLE C-2 (continued)
W A pair of means is significantly different if the absolute value of
[ their difference is greater than or equal to the minimum significant dif-ference.
PEARSON PRODUCT-M0 MENT CORRELATION COEFFICIENT (Zar, 1974)
(
This parametric test measures the association between two sets of independent variables. It does not imply influence of one on the other but determines the degree to which one varies with the other. The corre-lation coefficient (r) ranges from 0, no association, to +1 or -1 for variables displaying a very high degree of association. A positive
(
correlation implies that one variable increases in value as the other increases, while a negative correlation indicates that one variable increases as the other decreases.
Ccrrelation coefficients are calculated as follows:
(
Ixy 7 ,
2 2 Ex 7y l where x and y are the difference between the variable and the mean of all x's and y's, respectively. The value of r is subsequently tested for significance by comparing it with a tabulated r having n degrees of f freedom.
C-100
I L APPENDIX TABLE C-3 r ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
L AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), ALL QUARTERS COMBINED ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
[ (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
[
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 2408770.0 47 Groups 1321150.0 3 440383.0 Error 1087620.0 44 24781.0
( Calculated F Critical F 17.816 3.420 Significant difference
{
TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST
( Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 243.83 172.059 significant difference B3 vs B5 196.83 172.059 significant difference B3 vs C1 172.75 172.059 significant difference B4 vs B5 47.00 172.059 no significant difference
( B4 vs C1 416.65 172.059 significant difference B5 vs C1 369.58 172.059 significant difference l
l
{
l
(
l l C-101 L
APPENDIX TABLE C-4 r ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
L AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER 1. VALUES WERE LOG 10 TRANSFORMED TO CORRECT FOR HETER 0GENEITY OF VARIANCES (x+1)
ST. LUCIE PLANT
( 1983 (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
{
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
{
Total 1.73659 11
( Groups 1.69050 3 0.56350 Error 0.04609 8 0.00576
[ Calculated F Critical F 97.810 5.420 Significant difference
( TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 0.80729 0.19847 significant difference B3 vs B5 0.26113 0.19847 significant difference B3 vs C1 0.19049 0.19847 no significant difference
[ 84 vs B5 0.54616 0.19847 significant difference B4 vs C1 0.99778 0.19847 significant difference B5 vs C1 0.45162 0.19847 significant difference
(
(
(
{
C-102 I f
I
H APPENDIX TABLE C-5 8 ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
L AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER II. VALUES WERE LOG TRANSFORMED TO CORRECT FOR HETEROGENEITY OF VARIANCES 10(x+1)
ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
{
(Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates- Significant !
Differences Between Means)
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
{
Total 3.04136 11 1
Groups 2.57790 3 0.85930 l
Error 0.46346 8 0.05793 Calculated F Critical F 14.833 5.420 k Significant difference TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST
{
Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 0.82974 0.62936 significant difference B3 vs B5 0.88530 0.62936 significant difference
{
B3 vs C1 0.12836 0.62936 no significant difference B4 vs B5 0.05556 0.62936
( no significant difference B4 vs C1 0.95809 0.62936 significant difference B5 vs C1 1.0137 0.62936 significant difference l
C-103
u APPENDIX TABLE C-6 r 0NE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
L AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER III ST. LUCIE PLANT
. 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 390435.0 11.
Groups 223278.0 3 74426.1 Error 167157.0 8 20894.6 Calculated F Critical F i 3.5620 5.420 No significant difference
[
(
l l
l l
C-104
k J
c APPENDIX TABLE C-7
- ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER IV ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
[
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 203391.0 11 Groups 141580.0 3 47193.4 Error 61810.7 8 7726.3 Calculated F Critical F 6.1081 5.420 Significant difference TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 220.000 229.842 no significant difference B3 vs B5 246.667 229.842 significant difference B3 vs C1 37.000 229.842 no significant difference B4 vs B5 26.667 229.842 no significant difference B4 vs C1 183.000 229.842 no significant difference B5 vs C1 209.667 229.842 no significant difference
\
C-105
?
L APPENDIX TABLE C-8
'0NE-UAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
( AND B1, AND B2 (TREATMENTS), ALL QUARTERS COMBINED ST. LUCIE' PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
(
Total 6746.8 35 Groups 120.5 2 60.3 Error 6626.3 33 200.8 Calculated F Critical F
.3001 4.18 No significant differenc'e l
l
}
[
l i
C-106
W APPENDIX TABLE C-9 r ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
L AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER 1 ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
( Source Total 920.0 8 Groups 138.7 2 69.3 Error 781.3 6 130.2 l
Calculated F Critical F
.5324 7.26
( No significant difference f
{
[-
[
[
[
C-107
APPENDIX TABLE C-10 r 0NE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
L AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER II ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
( _ Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Meail square Total 1654.2 8 Groups 1120.2 2 560.1 Error 534.0 6 89.0 Calculated F Critical F 6.2934 7.26 No significant difference k
(
{
{
)
f C-108
~ APPENDIX TABLE C-11
~ ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
L AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER III ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
(
Total 894.2 8
( Groups 587.6 2 293.8 Error 306.7 6 51.1 Calculated F Critical F 5.7478 7.26 s No significant difference
{
l l
1 C-109
1 F
s APPENDIX TABLE C-12
~ ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR TOTAL FAUNAL DENSITY AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER IV. VALUES WERE LOG in
[ TRANSFORMED TO CORRECT FOR HETEROGENEITY OF VARIANCE 5(pt)
ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 0.42150 8 Groups 0.22779 2 0.11390
( Error 0.19371 6 0.03228 Calculated F Critical F 3.52791 7.26 No significant difference
{
(
(
(
l l
l 3
1 C-110
s F
L APPENDIX TABLE C-13 p ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL) y AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), ALL QUARTERS COMBINED ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 22747.0 47 Groupe 7595.7 3 2531.9 Error 15151.3 44 344.3 Calculated F Critical F 7.3528 3.46 Significant difference TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 16.4167 25.1557 no significant difference B3 vs BS 18.2500 25.1557 no significant difference 83 vs C1 12.4167 25.1557 no significant difference B4 vs B5 1.8333 25.1557 no significant difference B4 vs C1 28.8333 25.1557 significant difference B5 vs C1 30.6667 25.1557 significant difference C-111
L F
L APPENDIX TABLE C-14 ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER I ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant l Differences Between Means)
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 1896.3 11 Groups 1296.9 3 432.3 Error 599.3 8 74.9 Calculated F Critical F ,
5.7705 5.420 Significant difference l
TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 21.6667 22.6324 no significant difference
(
B3 vs 85 15.3333 22.6324 no significant difference f B3 vs C1 3.3333 22.6324 no significant difference B4 vs B5 6.3333 22.6324 no significant difference B4 vs C1 25.0000 22.6324 significant difference B5 vs C1 18.6667 22.6324 no significant difference C-112
s APPENDIX TABLE C-16 ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER III ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 (Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 3116.3 11 Groups 2166.3 3 722.1 Error 950.0 8 118.8 Calculated F Critical F 6.0807 5.420 Significant difference TUKEY-KRAMER MULTIPLE RANGE TEST Comparison Mean difference Critical difference B3 vs B4 11.0000 28.4943 no significant difference
{
B3 vs B5 7.0000 28.4943 no significant difference
( B3 vs C1 35.6667 28.4943 significant difference B4 vs B5 4.0000 28.4943 no significant difference B4 vs C1 24.6667 28.4943 no significant difference B5 vs C1 28.6667 28.4943 significant difference C-ll4
s L APPENDIX TABLE C-17 c ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS C1 (CONTROL)
L AND B3, B4 AND B5 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER IV ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
+al 2367.7 11
[. Groups 1049.7 3 349.9 Error 1318.0 8 164.8 Calculated F Critical F 2.1237 5.420 No significant difference i
(
C-ll5
s
' APPENDIX TABLE C-18 r 0NE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), ALL QUARTERS COMBINED
( ,
ST. LUCIE PLANT l 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 875.2 35 Groups 70.4 2 -
35.2 Error 804.8 33 24.4
( Calculated F Critical F
, 1.4431 4.18 No significant difference
{
l b
i C-ll6
s
(
L .
APPENDIX TABLE C-19 ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER I ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
(
Total 176.0 8 Groups 12.7 2 6.3 Error 163.3 6 27.2 Calculated F Critical F 0.2327 7.26 No significant difference l
l
(
C-117
L I
APPENDIX TABLE C-20 r ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
L AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER 11. VALUES WERE LOG 10 TRANSFORMED TO CORRECT FOR HETEROGENEITY OF VARIANCE 5(x+1) r ST. LUCIE PLANT
( 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square Total 0.07553
( 8 Groups 0.04945 2 0.02472 Error 0.02609 6 0.00435 g Calculated F Critical F l 5.6868 7.26 No significant difference I
(
(
l
(
C-118
h APPENDIX TABLE C-21 J
ONE-WAY AN0/A FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
( AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER III ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983 Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
(
Total 236.9 8
( Groups 89.6 2 44.8 Error 147.3 6 24.6
( Calculated F Critical F 1.824 7.26 No significant difference
(
l
[
(
(
(
C-119
s L APPENDIX TABLE C-22 ONE-WAY ANOVA FOR SPECIES RICHNESS AT STATIONS BC (CONTROL)
AND B1 AND B2 (TREATMENTS), QUARTER IV. VALUES WERE LOG 1n TRANSFORMED TO CORRECT FOR HETEROGENEITY OF VARIANCE 5(pl)
ST. LUCIE PLANT 1983
(
(Tukey-Kramer Multiple Range Test Indicates Significant Differences Between Means)
_ Source Sum of squares Degrees of freedom Mean square
{
Total 0.18850 8
( Groups 0.09245 2 0.04623 Error 0.09605 6 0.01601 Calculated F Critical F 2.8876 7.26
( No significant difference
(
(
(
(
(
N
{
C-120
{
L P
w r D. TURTLES L
NRC St. Lucie Unit 2 Appendix B Environmental
{ Protection Plan issued April 1983.
4.2 Terrestrial / Aquatic Issues Issues on endangered or threatened sea turtles raised in the Unit 2 FES-OL [NRC,1982] and in the Endangered Species Biological Assessment (March
( 1982) [Bellmund et al.,1982] will be addressed by programs as follows:
4.2.1 Beach Nesting Surveys r Beach nesting surveys for all species of sea turtles
( will be conducted on a yearly basis for the period of 1982 through 1986. These surveys will be con-ducted during the nesting season from approximately
( mid-April through August.
The Hutchinson Island beach will be divided into 36
[ one-km long survey areas. In addition, the nine
( 1.25-km long survey areas used in previous studies (1971-1979) will be maintained for comparison pur-poses. Survey areas will be marked with numbered
[ wooden plaques and/or existing landmarks.
The entire beach will be surveyed seven days a week.
All new nests and false crawls will be counted and
(- recorded in each area. After counting, all crawl tracks will be obliterated to avoid recounting.
Predation on nests by raccoons or other predators
( will be recorded as it occurs. Records will be kept of any seasonal changes in beach topography that may affect the suitability of the beach for nesting.
4.2.2 Studies to Evaluate and/or Mitigate Intake Entrapment s A program that employs light and/or sound to deter turtles from the intake structure will be conducted.
The study will detennine with laboratory and field
[ experiments if sound and/or light will result in a reduction of total turtle entrapment rate.
The study shall be implemented no later than after
( the final removal from the ocean of equipment and structures associated with construction of the third intake structure and the experiments shall terminate l- 18 months later. Four months after the conclusion of the experimental period, a report on the results -
D-1
s w
r of the study will be submitted to NRC, EPA, National L Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their evaluation.
If a statistically significant reduction in annual
[ total turtle entrapment rate of 80 percent or greater can be demonstrated, using the developed technology and upon FPL receiving written con-currence by NRC, EPA, PEFS, and USFWS then permanent
( installation of the deterrent system shall be completed and functioning no later than 18 months after the agencies' concurrence. The design of this
( study needs to take into account the significant annual variation in turtle entrapment observed in the past.
[ If an 80 percent reduction of turtle entrapment can-not be projected to all three intake structures, then an interagency task force composed of NRC, EPA,
( fEFS, USFWS, and FPL shall convene 18 months after completion of the thi rd intake and determine if f other courses of action to mitigate and/or reduce i turtle entrapment are warranted (such as physical barrier, emergence of new technology or methods to deter turtles).
( 4.2.3 Studies to Evaluate and/or Mitigate Intake Canal Mortality I Alternative methods or procedures for the capture of sea turtles entrapped in the intake canal will be evaluated. If a method or procedure is considered
( feasible and cost effective and may reduce capture mortality rates, it will be field tested in the intake canal.
4.2.4 Light Screen to Minimize Turtle Disorienta-tion [ NOTE: This is also Section 4.2 of the NRC St.
Lucie Unit 1 A B Technical Specifications
( issued May 1982]ppendix Australian pine or other suitable plants (i.e.,
( native vegetation such as live oak, native figs, wild tamarine and others) shall be planted and main-tained as a light screen, along the beach dune line bordering the plant property, to minimize turtle l- disorientation.
(
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4.2.5 Capture and Release Program Sea turtle removal from the intake canal will be conducted on a continuing basis. The turtles will r be captured with large mesh nets, or other suitable
( nondestructive device (s), if deemed appropriate. A formalized daily inspection, from the shoreline, of the capture device (s) will be made by a qualified
( individual when the device (s) are deployed. The turtles will be identified to species, measured, weighed (if appropriate), tagged and released back into the ocean. Records of wounds, fresh or old,
( and a subjective judgement on the condition of the o turtle (e.g., barnacle coverage, underweight) will be maintained. Methods of obtaining additional
( biological / physiological data, such as blood analy-ses and parasite loads, from captured sea turtles will be pursued. Dead sea turtles will be subjected to a gross necropsy, if found in fresh condition.
(
INTRODUCTION Hutchinson Island, Florida, is an important rookery for the Atlantic
( loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, and also supports some nesting of the Atlantic green turtle, Chelonia mydas, and the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (Caldwell et al.,1959; Routa,1968; Gallagher et al., 1972; Worth and Smith, 1976; Williams-Walls et al.,1983). All marine turtles are protected by state and federal statutes. The federal
( government classifies the loggerhead turtle as a threatened species, the green turtle as endangered in Florida (threatened throughout the
( remainder of its range) and the leatherback turtle as an endangered spe-cies. Because of reductions in world populations of marine turtles resulting from coastal development and fishing pressure (NMFS, 1978),
maintaining the vitality of the Hutchinson Island rookery is important.
{
f It has been a prime concern of FPL that the construction and sub-sequent operation of the St. Lucie Plant would not adversely affect the
( Hutchinson Island rookery. Because of this concern, FPL has sponsored monitoring of marine turtle nesting activity on the island.
0-3
s 1
L Daytime surveys to quantify nesting, as well as nighttime turtle
[ tagging programs, were conducted in odd numbered years from 1971 through 1979. Nine 1.25-km long survey areas were monitored 5 days per week
{
during the daytime. The St. Lucie Plant began operation in 1976; there-( fore, the first three survey years (1971,1973 and 1975) were preopera-tional. Though the power plant was not operating during 1975, St. Lucie Plant Unit No. 1 ocean intake and discharge systems were installed during that year. Installation of these systems included construction activi-ties conducted offshore from and perpendicular to the beach.
( Construction activity had been completed and the plant was in full opera-tion during the 1977 and 1979 surveys.
A modified daytime nesting survey was conducted in 1980 during the preliminary construction of the ocean discharge system for St. Lucie
( Plant Unit 2. During this study, four of the previously established 1.25-km long survey areas were monitored. Additionally, eggs from turtle
( nests potentially endangered by construction activities were relocated.
(
During 1981, 1982 and 1983, thirty-six 1-km long survey areas comprising the entire island were monitored seven days a week during the
(
nesting season. The St. Lucie Plant Unit No. 2 discharge system was
( installed during the 1981 nesting season. Of fshore and beach construc-tion of the Unit 2 intake system proceeded throughout the 1982 nesting season and was completed near the end of the 1983 season. Construction activities associated with installation of both systems were similar to
{
those conducted when Unit 1 intake and discharge systems were installed.
{ Eggs from turtle nests potentially endangered by construction activities were relocated during all three years.
0-4
L in addition to monitoring sea turtle nesting activities and relo-cating nests away from plant construction areas, monitoring of turtles in the intake canal and removal of trapped turtles has been an integral part
{
of the St. Lucie Plant environmental monitoring program. Turtles that
( enter the ocean intake structures are carried with the intake cooling water through the intake pipe and end up in that portion of the intake
( canal between the intake headwall and the trash barrier net located at the Highway A1A bridge. Since the plant became operational in 1976, turtles that enter the intake canal have been captured, measured, tagged f and released alive back into the ocean.
Previous reports have presented results of the nesting surveys and nest relocation activities (Gallagher et al.,1972; Worth and Smith, 1976; ABI, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983; Williams-Walls et al., 1983) and
( documented studies on the potential effects of the discharge plume on turtlehatchlings(ABI,1978;0'Hara,1980). The purpose of this section isto1)present1983surveydataandsummarizeobservedspatialandtem-paral trends in nest density, 2) document and summarize nesting success
( and predation since 1971, 3) describe the results of the 1983 nest relo-cation program, and 4) present 1983 results of intake canal monitoring
(
and summarize findings since 1976.
(
MATERIALS AND METHODS
( Nesting Survey and Nest Relocation Methodologies used during previous turtle nesting surveys on
[
Hutchinson Island were described by Gallagher et al. (1972), Worth and Smith (1976)andABI(1978,1980,1981,1982,1983). Methods used during D5 1
]
L the 1983 survey were designed to allow comparisons with these previous studies.
From 12 April through 2 May 1983, nest surveys were conducted every
( 2 to 3 days along Hutchinson Island from Ft. Pierce Inlet south to St.
Lucie Inlet. After 2 May, surveys were conducted daily through 7 September 1983. Biologists used small off-road motorcycles to survey the island each morning. New nests, non-nesting emergences (false crawls),
and nests destroyed by predators were recorded for each of the thirty-six
( 1-km long survey areas comprising the entire island (Figure 0-1). The nine 1.25-km long survey areas established by Gallagher et al. (1972)
( also were monitored so comparisons could be made with previous studies.
[
Turtle nests deposited within 0.4 km of the intake construction site
( were relocated to a beach area 4 km south of the power plant (Figure 0-1). Nests were reburied and allowed to incubate under natural con-( ditions. To reduce egg nortality from nest relocation, nests were moved within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br /> of deposition and handled gently, as recommended by k Limpus et al. (1979). Relocated nests were covered with poultry wire to prevent raccoon predation. All relocated nests and numerous undisturbed nests were examined after signs of hatchling emergence to determine hatch
( success. Records were kept of the incubation period, number of hatched and unhatched eggs, and live or dead hatchlings remaining in the nests.
The hatch success of undisturbed nests was compared to relocated nests to detect any adverse effects from handling the eggs. Because loggerhead turtles are the predominant species nesting on the island, discitssions
( are based on this species unless otherwise noted.
0-6
L
[
During the daily turtle nest monitoring, the beach was continually
[ observed to detect any changes in topography that may have affected the beach's suitability for nesting. In addition, on five occasions during the nesting season, each of the 361-km long survey areas was analyzed
( and recorded based on slope of the beach (steep, moderate, etc.), width from high tide line to the dune, presence of benches (areas of vertical
( relief) and miscellaneous (packed sand, scattered rock, vegetation on the j beach and exposed roots on the primary dune). No consistent relationship was apparent between these beach characteristics and the spatial distri-bution of nesting.
(
In a cooperative effort, the Florida Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was notified of all green turtle and leatherback turtle nests.
[
Eggs from some of these nests were collected as part of the Florida DNR Headstart Program.
[
Intake Canal Monitoring Turtles were removed from the intake canal with large-mesh nets
(
fished between the intake headwall and the barrier net located at the Highway A1A bridge. Nets were usually set Monday mornings and removed
{
Friday af ternoons. On a few occasions, such as during dredging in the
( intake canal or when several turtles were observed in the canal, nets also were fished over the weekends. The nets were checked for turtles several times per day by either Applied Biology or plant security person-nel. Applied Biology was on call 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> per day to remove turtles from the intake.
(
l D-7 l
L
~ Various sizes, numbers and locations of nets have been used to date b
as capture techniques continue to be refined. Nets in recent use were from 32 to 61 m in length, 2.7 to 3.7 m in depth and 30 to 40 cm in
{
stretch mesh. Large floats kept the nets at the surface and, because
[ nets were not weighted with lead lines, turtles which became entangled remained at the water's surface until removed.
[
The utmost care was taken in handling the turtles to prevent injury
{
or trauma. After removal from the nets, turtles were identified to spe-( cies, measured, weighed, tagged, examined for overall condition (wounds, abnormalities, parasites, etc.) and released back into the ocean. In 1982 and 1983, blood was sampled to investigate the potential occurrence and significance of anemia in these animals. Attempts also were made to collect feces to investigate the occurrence of parasite load, but these
( attempts proved futile, j Sick or injured turtles were treated and occasionally held for observation prior to release. When treatment was warranted, injections
(
of antibiotics and vitamins were administered by a local veterinarian.
Resuscitation techniques were used if a turtle was found that appeared to
(
have died recently. Beginning in 1982, necropsies were conducted on dead' turtles found in fresh condition. Only two animals were found suitable for necropsy in 1983. Necropsy was conducted by S.N. Wampler, DVM, Jensen Beach, Florida.
(
Florida Power & Light Company and Applied Biology, Inc. continued to f assist other sea turtle researchers in 1983. In addition to the Florida D-8
E L
DNR's Headstart Program, data, specimens and/or assistance have been
{
given to the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Army Corps of
[ Engineers, Smithsonian Institution, South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Division, Texas A a M University, University of Rhode Island, University of South Carolina and the Western Atlantic Turtle Symposium.
i
( Studies to Evaluate and/or Mitigate Intake Entrapment A program that employed light and/or sound to deter turtles from the
[
intake structure was conducted in 1982 and 1983 and completed in January
( 1984. As required by the specification, the results are being prepared for a formal presentation to the NRC, EPA, National Marine Fisheries l
[
Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service. This presentation is planned for the spring of 1984.
{
( Light Screen to Minimize Turtle Disorientation Periodic inspections in 1983 by FPL personnel have verified the integrity of the beach dune light screen created to minimize turtle disorientation. Replanting was conducted in December 1983 to restore the Australian pine light screen where it was disturbed for the Unit 2
[ discharge line, a modification to the Unit 1 discharge headwall, and the third intake line. The success of these plantings will be periodically assessed in 1984.
{
{
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l D-9
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s
[
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
( Nesting Survey Distribution of Nests Nest density has varied considerably within each study area from
( year to year (Table D-1). However, linear regression analysis of nest density distribution with respect to the location of the nine 1.25-km long survey areas has consistently shown a gradient of increasing nest density from north to south along the island. Nest density was f airly uniform among the nine areas only in 1973. WorthandSmith(1976)attri-( buted this uniform nest distribution to beach accretion in Areas 1 through 3 (Figure 0-1) that year. The severe erosion of the northern portion of the island in 1979 corresponds with the strongest gradient observed (Williams-Walls et al., 1983). The similarity between erosion and accretion gradients and nest density indicates that these processes
( can influence the selection of nesting sites by turtles. Thus, localized short-term erosion or accretion may account for much of the annual l
( variation in nest densities among sample areas. Regardless of these variations, the distribution of nests among the nine areas was similar
(- between combined preoperational and operational years (Figure 0-2). The
[
distribution of nest densities among the thirty-six 1-km long survey areas also showed a gradient of increasing densities from north to south.
( However, this gradient was apparently curvilinear rather than linear during 1981,1982 and 1983 (Figure D-3). During all three years, the gradient was strongest among the northernmost areas and gradually decreased from north to south.
{
0-10
L
(
During 1983, as in 1981 and 1982, nest densities were high in Areas S through W (Figure D-3), a portion of beach that had not been sampled prior to 1981. Though no quantitative data are available, observations
{
during previous surveys suggested that this has been an area of heavy
( nesting since at least 1979. As in 1981 and 1982, nest densities were lowest in Areas A and B (Ft. Pierce Public Beach) during 1983. These low densities may be attributed to unsuitable substrates (compact sand and scattered rocks), as well as intense lighting and Considerable human activity on the beach at night. The last two factors may also be respon.
sible for relatively low nest densities in Area Z (Jensen Public Beach),
compared to adjacent areas. Relatively low densities in Area X may also be attributable to human activity on the beach. This area is adjacent to several large condominiums.
( Relatively low nest densities in Area DD during 1983 may be related to beach topography. Much of the beach in this area is very narrow and, therefore, unsuitable for nesting. In addition, beach construction in Area DD precluded nesting along a portion of this area.
( Low nest densities in Area O during 1983 apparently resulted from construction of the St. Lucie Plant Unit No. 2 intake system.
k Construction activities were similar to those conducted during 1975, 1981 and 1982. These activities consisted of contruction crews using heavy k
equipment and strong lights offshore from and perpendicular to the beach.
(
In order to determine whether construction of the power plant intake f and discharge systems has had a significant effect on nesting adjacent to I
0-11
the St. Lucie Plant, nest densities during baseline years (1971 and 1973) and construction years (1975,1981,1982 and 1983) were compared between l
areas 4 and 5. Because construction activities did not proceed seaward of the dune until late in the nesting season,1980 was considered a non-construction year. Area 5 was chosen as a control because it is similar
( to Area 4 with respect to beach topography, yet is outside of the area expected to be influenced by either power plant operation or intake / discharge construction.
(
Results of a G-test of independence (Sokal and Rohlf, 1981) indi-cated that nest densities in Areas 4 and 5 were not significantly (P10.05) different during the two baseline years (1971 and 1973).
However, nest densities in Area 4 were significantly (P10.05) lower during years of intake / discharge construction. Though nest densities were reduced in this area during 1981,1982 and 1983, they are expected to return to normal levels after construction activities are completed,
{
as was observed during years following construction in 1975.
A G-test of independence also was used to determine if nest den-sities differed significantly before and after power plant operation (exclusive of intake / discharge construction). After excluding years during which intake / discharge construction occurred (1975,1981,1982 and 1983), nest densities in Areas 4 and 5 were compared between preopera-tional years (1971 and 1973) and operational years (1977,1979 and 1980).
No significant (P10.05) effect of power plant operation on nest densities was indicated.
D-12
t Number of Nests and Population Estimates I
L Various methods have been used during previous surveys to estimate the total number of nests on Hutchinson Island, based on the number of nests found in the 1.25-km survey areas (Gallagher, et al.,1972; Worth
( and Smith, 1976; ABI,1980). The most reliable methods appeared to be either extrapolation of the nine area total to the whole island or an estimate resulting from linear regression analysis. The latter method
, was based on the apparent linear relationship between nest densities in the nine study areas and their distance from Ft. Pierce Inlet. Since all nests on the entire island were counted during 1981, 1982 and 1983, the accuracy of the estimation techniques can be determined for these three years.
, The regression method overestimated the total number of nests on the island by 26 percent in 1981, 32 percent in 1982 and 26 percent in 1983 (Table D-2). The inaccuracy of this method is probably related to dif-( ferences between the distribution in the nine study areas and the actual distribution of nests along the entire island. As mentioned earlier, the
( distribution of nests in the nine study areas appears to exhibit a linear relationship; however, this does not appear to be the case for the distribution of nests along the entire island (Figure D-3). Based on i
nest densities within the thirty-six areas comprising the entire island, a curvilinear relationship between nest densities and distance from Ft.
Pierce Inlet was indicated. Therefore, equations which describe the nine area distribution of nest densities do not accurately describe the actual distribution of nest densities and, thus, are not accurate when used to
{ estimate the total number of nests on the island.
D-13
L y The extrapolation method produced more accurate estimates of total 1
nesting on the island. This method overestimated the actual total number of nests by only 6 percent in 1981, 11 percent in 1982 and 7 percent in 1983 (Table D-2). Additional data on the relationship between nest den-( sities in the nine areas and nest densities along the entire island may reveal a more accurate predictive method. Based on present data, however, extrapolation appears to be the most accurate method.
Regardless of the method used to estimate total nesting, it is clear that nesting activity on Hutchinson Island fluctuates considerably from year to year (Table D-2). Year-to-year variations in nest densities also are common at other rookeries (Hughes,1976; Davis and Whiting, 1977; Ehrhart,1979) and may result from the overlapping of non-annual breeding populations. No relationships between total nesting activity on the island and power plant operation or intake / discharge construction were indicated.
In order to determine the total number of female loggerhead turtles nesting on Hutchinson Island during a given season, an estimate of the
{ number of nests produced by each female must be determined. A comparison of the number of nests produced by tagged turtles during 1975, 1977 and f 1979 surveys indicated that an average of two nests were. produced per female during a nesting season (ABI, 1980). Thus, estimates of the total numbers of females nesting during previous survey years may be obtained by dividing the calculated total number of nests by two. Based on extra-polation estimates of total nesting,. the number of female loggerhead turtles nesting on Hutchinson Island varied from approximately 1,500 to D-14 1
1 L
2,300 individuals during survey years 1971 through 1979. Based on whole-island nest counts, the total number of nesting females varied from 1,558 to 2,372 individuals during survey years 1981 through 1983.
Temporal Nesting Patterns
(
The loggerhead turtle nesting season usually begins in early May, when ocean temperatures reach 23' to 24*C, attains a maximum during June or July, and ends by late August or early September. Nesting activity during 1983 followed this pattern. Shifts in the temporal nesting pat-tern on Hutchinson Island may be influenced by fluctuations in water tem-perature. This was observed during 1975 and 1982 when early nesting coincided with average ocean temperatures above 24*C in April (ABI, 1983; Williams-Walls et al., 1983).
Cool water intrusions frequently occur off southeastern Florida during the summer (Taylor and Stewart, 1958; Smith,1982). Worth and Smith (1976) and Williams-Walls et al. (1983) suggested that cool water intrusions may have been responsible for-reductions in loggerhead turtle nesting activity on Hutchinson Island. A considerable decrease in ocean temperatures during late May 1983 may have been due to such a cool water intrusion. A sharp decline in nesting coincided with, and was probably related to, the decrease in water temperature during that period (Figure D-4). However, this decline was of short duration and was followed by an equally sharp increase. As in 1982, cool water intrusions were not con-sidered to have significantly affected total nesting activity in 1983.
D-15 1
t When data from all nine areas were combined, the temporal nesting pattern for preoperational years was similar to the temporal nesting pat-tern for operational years (Figure D-5). To detennine if plant operation affected seasonal nesting patterns (nest density on a month-to-month basis), the nesting patterns for Area 4 (plant site) and Area 5 (control site) during each study year were compared statistically (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; Sokal and Rohlf,1981). There were no significant (P10.05) differences in temporal nesting patterns between Areas 4 and 5 during any study year, either before or during power plant operation. The results of these analyses show that plant operation has not significantly affected temporal nesting patterns.
Nesting Success Not all ventures onto the beach by a female turtle culminate in suc-cessful nests. These " false crawls" may occur for many reasons and are commonly encountered at other rookeries (Davis and Whiting,1977; Talbert et al . , 1980) . Davis and Whiting (1977) have suggested that relatively high percentages of false crawls may reflect disturbances or unsatisfac-tory nesting beach characteristics. Therefore, an index which relates the number of nests deposited in an area to the number of false crawls in that area is useful in estimating the suitability of. that beach for
- nesting. In the present study, this index is termed " nesting success" and is defined as the percentage of total crawls that result in nests.
Nesting success has varied from year to year among the areas sur-veyed (Table D-3). Most of the variation was probably caused by short term, localized erosion that reduced the suitability of the beach for D-16
nesting. Though there was a general decline in overall nesting success I
from 1971 through 1981, this trend reversed in 1982. Nesting success increased in all nine of the 1.25-km long survey areas between 1981 and 1982 (Table D-3). Though nesting success decreased in most areas between 1982 and 1983, in no area did success values decrease below 1981 values.
Furthermore, since the overall nesting success for all nine areas during 1983 (56 percent) was similar to the overall nesting success for those areas during 1975 (58 percent), no long-term trend toward decreased nesting success was indicated. When nesting success for the thirty-six 1-km long survey areas were compared,1983 values generally were inter-mediate between 1981 and 1982 values (Figure D-6).
Reduced nesting success in the vicinity of the power plant during 1981, 1982 and 1983 was indicated by data for the thirty-six survey areas. Construction activities associated with installation of power plant intake and discharge systems may have been responsible for these reductions. Possibly because of the localized nature of the effects, reductions did not appear as pronounced when 'the larger 1.25-km long areas were compared. Nesting success rates are expected to return to normal once construction activities are completed. Other than during intake / discharge construction, operation of the St. Lucie Plant has not had an observable effect on turtle nesting success.
Nesting success values for the whole island survey illustrate the variability caused by local beach conditions. The relatively low nesting success in Area DD during 1983 (Figure D-6) was likely attributable to the narrowness of the beach in that area, as well as the presence of D-17 1
obstacles associated with beach construction. Extremely low nesting suc-cess in Areas A and B was probably due to unsuitable substrates, as well as intense lighting and considerable human activity on the beach at night.
s Raccoon Predation on Turtle Nests Raccoon predation was probably the major cause of turtle nest destruction on Hutchinson Island. Researchers at other locations have reported raccoon predation levels as high as 70 to nearly 100 percent (Davis and Whiting,1977; Hopkins et al., 1979; Talbert et al.,1980).
Raccoon predation of loggerhead turtle nests on Hutchinson Island has not approached this level during any study year, though levels for individual 1.25-km long areas have been as high as 80 percent (Table D-4). Overall predation rates for survey years 1971 through 1977 were between 21 and 44 percent, with the high of 44 percent recorded in 1973. A pronounced decrease in raccoon predation occurred after 1977, and overall predation rates for the nine areas continued to decrease through 1982. During 1983, overall predation rates increased. For the entire island, eight percent (382) of the nests in 1983 were preyed upon by raccoons. Overall predation rates were six percent (191 nests) and two percent (110 nests) during 1981 and 1982, respectively. The increase -in predation during 1983 probably reflects an increase in the raccoon population on the island.
As during 1981 and 1982, predation was greatest in the primarily undeveloped areas north and south of the power plant during 1983 (Figure f D-7). Reduced raccoon predation in the immediate vicinity of the plant D-18
l s
j (Area 0) was >ttributed to construction activities and the fact that most of the nests in this area were relocated. During 1983, raccoon predation rarely occurred in highly developed areas (e.g., Areas A-D, V-Z and CC-DD). However, a substantial number of nests were destroyed by raccoons in Areas II and JJ (Area 9), which are adjacent to a large development.
Apparently, a narrow strip of vegetation between the beach and the southern half of the development served as habitat for raccoons during 1983. Though seventy-eight percent of the loggerhead turtle nests in Area 9 were destroyed by raccoons during 1977, subsequent reduction of raccoon habitat by development will probably continue to limit predation in this area.
Green and Leatherback Turtle Nesting i
Green and leatherback turtles also nest on Hutchinson Island, but in fewer numbers than loggerhead turtles. Prior to 1983, the number of nests observed on the island has ranged from 5 to 68 for green turtles and from 1 to 20 for leatherbacks (Figure D-8). During the 1983 survey, 47 green turtle and 8 leatherback turtle nests were recorded on Hutchinson Island. Temporal nesting patterns for these species differ from the pattern for loggerhead turtles. During the 1983 survey, leatherback turtles nested from 15 April through 3 July, and green turtles nested from 17 June through 7 September. An additional green turtle nest was reported to have hatched on Hutchinson Island on 28 December 1983 (Dave Delk, House of Refuge, personal communication).
Since the maximum incubation period for a green turtle nest is apparently near 90 days (Hirth,1980), this nest was probably deposited no earlier than the last week in September.
D-19
Prior to 1981, thirty-one kilometers of beach from Area 1 south to the St. Lucie Inlet were surveyed for green and leatherback turtle nests.
During whole island surveys in 1981 and 1982, no leatherback nests and only two green turtle nests were recorded north of Area 1. Therefore, green and leatherback nest densities on the southern thirty-one kilome- "
ters of the island were probably not appreciably different from total densities for the entire island. Based on this assumption, green and leatherback nest densities may be compared between all survey years except 1980 when less than fifteen kilometers of beach were surveyed.
Considerable fluctuations in green turtle nesting on the island have occurred among survey years. This is not unusual since there are drastic year-to-year fluctuations in the numbers of turtles nesting at most breeding grounds (Carr et al.,1982). During 1983, green turtles nested most frequently along the stretch of beach from Area AA through Area GG (Figure D-9). This is consistent with results of surveys conducted during 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1982 (ABI, 1983; Williams-Walls et al.,
1983). Less than twenty green turtle nests were observed on Hutchinson Island during each of the other survey years (1977, 1979 and 1981).
Leatherback turtle nest densities have remained low on Hutchinson Island; however, densities during the last four survey years have been higher than during the previous four survey years. This may reflect an overall increase in the number of nesting females or may be part of a long-term cycle of increasing and decreasing nesting activity in the Hutchinson Island area. During 1983, leatherback turtles nested from Area M through Area FF.
D-20
1
?
Turtle Nest Relocation During 1983, 27 loggerhead turtle nests were relocated from the St.
Lucie Plant intake construction area. No green or leatherback turtles nested in the vicinity of the construction.
Clutch Size - The mean clutch size (number of eggs per nest) for loggerhead turtle nests relocated during 1983 was 108, with a range of 70 to 197 eggs. The average clutch size of 53 undisturbed nests monitored during the same period was 109 eggs (range 64 to 119). The considerable variation in clutch size noted at Hutchinson Island also has been reported for other rookeries (Baldwin and Lofton, 1959; LeBuff and Beatty,1971; Hughes,1974; Davis and Whiting,1977; Ehrhart,1979).
As in 1981 and 1982, no correlation between clutch size and date of nesting was indicated during 1983. Likewise, Ehrhart (1979) found no trend toward increased or decreased clutch size as the season progressed
( in the Cape Canaveral area.
Incubation Period - Incubation period is defined as the time from nest deposition until the majority of the hatchlings leave the nest. The mean incubation period for relocated nests during 1983 was 50.3 days (range 47 to 56). Mean incubation period for undisturbed nests could not be determined accurately because of loss of virtually all nest markers t
(markers also were lost in 1982). However, the mean incubation periods for nests relocated during 1980 and 1981 were similar to those for undisturbed nests during 1980 and 1981, and there is no reason to believe differences in incubation periods occurred in 1982 or 1983.
D-21
Hatch Success - Hatch success was determined by digging up nests after hatchling emergence and counting the number of hatched eggs, L unhatched eggs, and live or dead hatchlings still in the nest. Hatch success was calculated for each relocated and undisturbed nest using the formula:
S =
N - (U+D) X 100%
where: S = Hatch success, N = Number of hatched eggs, U = Number of unhatched eggs, D = Number of dead hatchlings, E = Total number of eggs (N + V)
The mean hatch success for nests relocated during 1983 was 72.0 per-cent (range 0.9 to 96.2 percent); the mean hatch success for 53 undisttirbed nests was 76.8 percent (range 0.0 to 98.9 percent). Results of a Mann-Whitney U test indicated no significant difference (P<0.05) in hatch success between relocated and undisturbed nests during 1983. Mean hatch success values for both relocated and undisturbed loggerhead nests
~
on Hutchinson Island during 1983 were within the range of average values (67 to 84 percent) reported for loggerhead nests' at other rookeries (Baldwin and Lofton,1959; Hughes,1974; Hopkins et al .,1979; Talbert et al.,1980).
i 0-22
e Intake Canal Monitoring j Species, Number and Temporal Distribution L
in 1983, 119 loggerhead and 23 green turtles were removed from the St. Lucie Plant intake canal (Tables D-5 and D-6). Since intake canal monitoring began in May 1976, 821 loggerheads, 90 greens, 7 leatherbacks and 1 each of hawksbill and Kemp's ridley turtles have been removed.
The yearly catch of loggerhead turtles increased from 33 individuals in 1976 (partial year of sampling) to 175 in 1979, decreased to 61 in 1981, and increased to 119 in 1983 (Figure D-10). The monthly catch of loggerheads ranged from 0 to 39 individuals (Table D-5). Over the past 8 study years, the most loggerheads were collected during January (mean of 18.1 individuals) and the fewest were collected during May (mean of 4.9 individuals). Differences in the number of loggerhead turtles found among years or among months were not statistically significant (P10.05; two-way ANOVA), primarily because of the large within-year and within-month variation in catch.
The yearly catch of green turtles ranged from 0 to 6 individuals between 1976 and 1979, increased to 13 in 1980 and 32 in 1981, decreased to 8 in 1982 and increased to 23 in 1983 (Figure D-10). Sixty-three of the 90 green turtles (70 percent) found during intake canal monitoring were taken during the winter months of January through March.
Three of the 7 leatherback turtles were found in 1978 (Figure D-10);
4 of the 7 leatherbacks (57 percent) were found during the month of March. The single hawksbill turtle was taken in March 1978 and - the-Kemp's ridley turtle was found in February 1981.
D-23
s d
L Variations in the number of sea turtles found during different years and months are attributed to natural variations in the occurrence of turtles in the vicinity of the St. Lucie Plant, rather than to any influence of the plant itself. With the exception of refueling outages, Unit I has been in operation from 1977 through early 1983. Therefore, intake cooling water flow rate variations could not have influenced the numbers of turtles found. Additionally, the dissimilarity in yearly loggerhead and green turtle occurrence patterns (Figure D-10) indicates that the observed differences are inherent in the species, rather than plant related.
Size Distribution and Sex Ratio The majority of the loggerhead turtles captured in the canal ranged from 51 to 70 cm in straight line carapace length (SLCL) and the majority of the green turtles ranged from 21 to 40 cm SLCL (Figure D-11). Based on minimum lengths of nesting females (Gallagher et al., 1972; Hirth, 1980) and morphometric analyses (F.H. Berry, National Marine Fisheries
- Service, personal communication), individuals of both species attain adulthood when somewhere between 70 and 85 cm S LC L. Most of the loggerhead and green turtles found in the intake canal thus were con-sidered to be sub-adults or juveniles.
t The leatherback turtles ranged in size from 113 to 150 cm SLCL (Figure 0-11). The hawksbill turtle was 46 cm SLCL and the Kemp's ridley was 32 cm SLCL.
D-24 1
?
L g
Sea turtles cannot be externally sexed until they reach a size where l
- male secondary sexual characteristics are developed. In loggerheads, this is usually greater than 70 cm SLCL. In developed males, the tail is (
long and extends well beyond the carapace, and the cloacal opening is I
( located near the tip of the tail beyond the posterior margin of the cara-pace. In mature females, the tail is much shorter and the cloacal opening is located under the posterior margin of the carapace (Pritchard et al., 1983).
Fif ty-nine large loggerheads have been externally sexed since 1979 when efforts to record sex began. Of these loggerheads, 50 were listed as females and 9 as males. Sex has only been recorded for 4 green turtles; these were all males and all were 93 cm SLCL or larger.
In 1982 and 1983, 25 immature loggerheads were sexed by measuring
(
testosterone levels in blood samples. These samples were analyzed by Dr.
f David W. Owens and his associates at Texas A & M University. The turtles ranged from 52 to 73 cm SLCL and had a sex ratio of 2.1 females to 1 male (17 females and 8 males; Owens,1983). The 2.1:1 female: male sex ratio compares to the 1.6:1 ratio found in the Cape Canaveral ship channel 4
(N=168 turtles) and 1.4:1 found in the Indian River (N=24). The sex ratios of the Hutchinson Island and Indian River samples were not signi-ficantly different from the sex ratio of the Cape Canaveral samples (0 wens,1983). Additional work is in progress, but it appears that the sex ratios of these immature loggerhead populations are biased toward females. The discrepancy between the ratios of the large adults that were sexed externally (5.6:1) and the immature turtles sexed by blood 0-25
s L
analysis (2.1:1) may mean that some of the large turtles recorded as females were still too small for external differentiation and were, in fact, males. Alternatively, there may be actual differences in the sex ratios of immature and mature loggerheads off Hutchinson Island.
Mortalities Over the eight years of monitoring, 71 of the 821 loggerhead turtles (8.6 percent) and 14 of the 90 green turtles (15.6 percent) found in the intake canal were dead (Tables D-5 and D-6). All of the leatherbacks, the hawksbill and the Kemp's ridley were found alive.
Of the 71 dead loggerheads, 55 individuals (77 percent) were found floating in the canal, either along shore, against the barrier net or, in a few cases, against the bar screens (grizzlies) at the plant. Most of these " floaters" were in advanced stages of decomposition. Seven of the loggerheao; were found dead in the turtle nets, 2 in the gill nets used
( for fish sampling and 1 in the barrier net; it is presumed that these 10 individuals (14 percent of the mortalities) drowned. Of the 6 other loggerheads found dead, 2 had been accidentally killed by the rake at the grizzlies and information on 4 is lacking. Of the 14 dead green turtles, 11 were found in either the turtle nets or the fish gill nets, 2 were found floating and information on 1 is lacking.
To reduce or eliminate mortalities caused by the nets, particularly among smaller green turtles, the turtle nets have been modified so that they are lighter, and the fish gill nets have not been used east of the Highway A1A bridge since 1981. Reducing mortalities of those turtles D-26
s that are " floaters" is more of a problem because the causes of death are generally unknown. Drowning may occur during infrequent periods of reduced flow when the plant is off-line. When the plant is not in opera-tion, a turtle entering the intake pipe might not find its way out and
{
could drown because the flow would not be sufficient to carry the turtle through the pipe (this will be less of a possibility now that Unit 2 is operational ) . Under nonnal operation, flow is high enough that the amount of time a turtle would be in the pipe is well within the time span that turtles can safely stay submerged (ABI,1983).
( Injury sustained during passage through the intake pipes is another possible cause of mortalities. However, only 72 (7.8 percent) of the 920 sea turtles removed from the intake canal had recent lacerations, abra-sions or other injuries that may have resulted from passage through the pipes. Wounds were considered minor in 50 of these 72 animals and major (deep cuts, broken flippers, etc.) in 22. The intake pipes in present
(
use are 3.7 and 4.9 m in inside diameter, and it appears that the vast
( majority of the turtles are carried through the pipes without hitting the walls and sutaining injury.
Length of time spent in the intake canal was not considered a factor
{
in mortality because turtles entrapped in the canal were caught and released within a relatively short time span (average of 10.3 days) and, during this time, body weights did not change appreciably (ABI,1983).
The majority (69 percent) of the turtles found alive and released back into the ocean were considered to be in good physical condition,17 D-27
b percent were in poor condition and 14 percent were in excellent con-L dition. Criteria used to evaluate condition were weight, activity, para-site coverage and wounds or injury (Table D-7). Some of the " floaters" in the canal may have resulted from turtles that were in poor condition in the ocean. These may have entered the ocean intakes seeking refuge and ended up in the canal where they died from causes unrelated to plant
( operations.
( Blood samples were analyzed to determine hemoglobin levels in order to see if there was a correlation between hemoglobin levels and condition of the turtles. Low hemoglobin (anemia) could reflect poor condition and potentially be a mortality factor. Mean hemoglobin levels increased as condition of the animals improved (Table D-8), but there was considerable 4
variation and overlap in values among the relative condition categories.
Additional measurements are needed, particularly in the " poor" and
" poor-good" categories (Table D-8) to determine if hemoglobin levels can be a useful measure of condition.
Three green turtles were necropsied in 1983. Two of the green -
turtles (28 and 31 cm SLCL) showed nothing abnormal on gross examination; tissues from one of these turtles was saved for laboratory histopatho-l ogy. The third green turtle (41 cm SLCL) was too decomposed and 4
necropsy findings were useless. No loggerheads were found . suitable' for necropsy (in fresh condition) in 1983.
D-28
s e
L
SUMMARY
A gradient of increasing nest densities from north to south along Hutchinson Island has been shown during all survey years. This gradient may, in part, result from year-to-year variations in beach topography caused by localized erosion or accretion. Substrate suitability,
{
lighting and human activity also may influence nesting activity. Low nesting activity in the vicinity of the power plant during 1975 and from 1981 through 1983 was attributed to construction of power plant intake and discharge systems. Nesting returned to normal levels following construction in 1975 and is expected to do so again when present construction activities are completed. Power plant operation, exclusive of intake / discharge construction, has had no significant effect on nest densities.
Considerable yea r-to-yea r fluctuations in nesting activity have occurred on Hutchinson Island from 1971 through 1983. Fluctuations are common at other rookeries and may result from the overlapping of non-annual breeding populations. No relationship between total nesting on the island and power plant operation or intake / discharge construction was indicated.
Results of three years of tagging studies on Hutchinson Island indi-cate that an average of two nests per year are produced by each nesting loggerhead turtle. Based on this average, the nesting population of loggerhead turtles on the island has varied from approximately 1500 indi-viduals in 1977 to nearly 2400 in 1983. The temporal nesting pattern of this population may be influenced by fluctuations in water temperature.
D-29
)
Though natural temperature fluctuations apparently have affected temporal r
U nesting patterns on Hutchinson Island, no significant effect due to power plant operation was shown.
( Nesting success varied among survey areas from year to year. Much of this variation probably resulted from the same factors suggested for variations in nest densities. Though nesting success decreased in most areas from 1982 to 1983, no long term trend towards decreased nesting success was indicated. Reduced nesting success occurred in the vicinity of the power plant during 1981,1982 and 1983. These reductions were
(
apparently localized effects of intake and discharge construction.
Nestiig success is expected to return to normal levels when construction is completed.
Raccoon predation was the major cause of turtle nest destruction cn Hutchinson Island. Raccoon predation, which had decreased from 1977 through 1982, increased during 1983. It was assumed that increased pre-dation was associated with an increase in the raccoon population on the island.
During 1983, twenty-seven loggerhead turtle nests were relocated from the plant intake construction area. The mean clutch size for relo-cated nests was 108 eggs. No correlation between clutch size and time of the nesting season was indicated. The average incubation period for relocated nests was 50.3 days. The mean hatch success for relocated nests (72.0 percent) was not significantly different from the mean hatch success for fifty-three undisturbed nests (76.8 percent).
D-30
L
[
Forty-seven green turtle and eight leatherback turtle nests were
{
recorded on Hutchinson Island during 1983. Green turtle nesting activity fluctuated annually, as has been recorded at other rookeries. Though
{
annual leatherback nest densities decreased from 1982 to 1983, densities
( during the last four survey years were higher than during any of the pre-vious four survey years.
Intake canal monitoring began in May 1976. Since that time, 821 loggerhead turtles, 90 green turtles, 7 leatherback turtles and 1 each of
_f hawksbill and Atlantic ridley turtles were removed from the intake canal.
The yearly catch of loggerhead turtles ranged from 33 individuals in 1976 (partial year of sampling) to 175 in 1979. The yearly catch of greens has ranged from 0 in 1976 to 32 in 1981. Differences in the number of turtles found during different years and months were attributed to
'( natural variations in the occurrence of turtles in the vicinity of the St. Lucie Plant, rather than to any influence of the plant itself.
}
The majority of the loggerhead turtles captured in the canal ranged from 51 to 70 cm in straight-line carapace length and most of the green turtles ranged from 21 to 40 cm. Turtles within these size ranges are considered to be sub-adults or juveniles. Sex ratios of loggerheads in
- < the canal are biased toward females. Sixty-nine percent of the turtles found alive and released back into the ocean were categorized as being in good physical condition,17 percent were in poor condition and 14 percent were in excellent condition.
D-31
s Of the turtles removed from the intake canal since 1976, 8.6 percent of the loggerheads and 15.6 percent of the greens were dead. All of the
{ leatherbacks, the hawksbill and the Kemp's ridley were alive. The majority of the dead turtles were found floating in the canal, while a
{
few others were found dead in the nets. The turtle nets have been
( modified and the fish gill nets removed from the area to eliminate or reduce mortalities caused by nets. The causes of death for the turtles found floating are generally unknown. Drowning may occur if the plant is off-line, but this is an infrequent occurrence. Similarly, only 7.8 per-cent of all turtles were found with injuries that could have been sustained during passage through the intake pipe and, for the most part, these injuries were minor. It oppeared that the vast majority of the turtles were carried through the pipes without hitting the walls and sustaining injury. Length of time spent in the canal was not considered a mortality factor because turtles were caught and released within a j relatively short time span after entrapment. A possible reason for dead turtles in the canal is that turtles in already poor condition enter the ocean intakes seeking refuge and die in the intake canal from causes unrelated to plant operations. The poor condition of many live turtles found in the canal supports this as a possible cause of mortalities.
D-32
L
[
LITERATURE CITED
(
ABI (Applied Biology, Inc.). 1978. Ecological monitoring at the Florida
[ Power & Light Co. St. Lucie Plant, Annual report 1977, Vol. I.
( AB-101. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
( Lucie Plant, annual
. 1980. Florida Power & Light Company St.
non-radiological environmental monitoring report 1979. Vol. III, Biotic monitoring, AB-244. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
(
. 1981. Successful relocation of sea turtle
( nests near the St. Lucie Plant, Hutchinson Island, Florida.
( ABI-317. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power &
Light Co. , Miami, f . 1982. Florida Power & Light Company St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological monitoring report 1981. Volume III, Biotic monitoring. AB-379. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc.
for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
(
. 1983. Florida Power & Light Company St.
Lucie Plant, annual non-radiological aquatic monitoring report 1982.
Volume II. AB-442. Prepared by Applied Biology, Inc. for Florida Power & Light Co., Miami.
( Baldwin, W.0. , Jr. and J.P. Lofton, Jr. 1959. The loggerhead turtles of Cape Romain, South Carolina. Previously unpublished manuscript abridged and annotated by D.K. Caldwell, without the authors.
in D.K. Caldwell and A. Carr, coordinators, The Atlantic loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta caretta (L.), in America. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 4(10):319-348.
Bellmund, S. , M.T. Masnik and G. LaRoche. 1982. Assessment of the impacts of the St. Lucie 2 Nuclear Station on threatened or endan-gered species. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of-Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
Caldwell, D.K. , A. Ca rr and L.H. Ogren. 1959. Nesting and migration of the Atlantic loggerhead turtle. in D.K. Caldwell and A. Carr, coor-dinators, The Atlantic loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta caretta (L.), in America. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 4(10):295-308.
Carr, A., A. Meylan, J. Mortimer, K. Bjorndal and T. Carr. 1982.
Surveys of sea turtle populations and habitats in the Western Atlantic. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-91:1-82.
Davis, G.E. , and M.S. Whiting. 1977. Loggerhead sea turtle nesting in Everglades National Park, Florida, U.S.A. Herpetologica 33:18-28.
D-33
s I
L 1979. Threatened and endangered species of the Kennedy
( Ehrhart, L.M.
Space Center: Marine turtle studies in A continuation of baseline studies for environmentally monitoring space transportation systems (STS) at John F. Kennedy Space Center. Contract No. NAS 10-8986.
{ Vol. IV NASA Report. 163122. September 1980.
r Gallagher, R.M., M.C. Hollinger, R.M. Ingle and C.R. Futch. 1972.
( Marine turtle nesting on Hutchinson Island, Florida in 1971.
Florida Department of Natural Resources, Special Scientific Report 37:1-11.
( Hirth, H.H. 1980. Some aspects of the nesting behavior and reproductive biology of sea turtles. American Zoologist 20:507-523.
( Hopkins, S.R., T.M. Murphy, Jr., K.B. Stansell and P.M. Wilkinson. 1979.
Biotic and abiotic factors affecting nest mortality in the Atlantic loggerhead turtle. Proceedings Annual Conference of Southeastern Fish and Wildlife Agencies 32:213-223.
Hughes, G.R. 1974. The sea turtles of South East Africa, 2. The biology of the Tongaland loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta L. with comments on the leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea L. and the green turtle Chelonia mydas L. in the study region. South African Association for Marine Biological Research, Oceanographic Research Institute, Investigational Report No. 36:1-96.
Hughes, G.R. 1976. Irregular reproductive cycles in the Tongaland loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta (L.) (Cryptodira:Chelonidae).
] Zoologica Africana 11(2):285-291.
LeBuf f, C.R. , and R.W. Beatty. 1971. Some aspects of nesting of the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta caretta, (Linne), on the Gulf coast of Florida. Herpetologica 27:153-156.
Limpus , C.J. , V. Baker and J.D. Miller. 1979. Movement induced mor-tality of loggerhead eggs. Herpetologica 35(4):335-338.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 1978. Final EIS listing and protecting the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Pacific Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
National Marine Fisheries Service, Dept. of Commerce, Washington, D.C. ,
NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). 1982. Final environmental statement related to the operation _ of St. Lucie Plant Unit 2.
Docket No. 50-389.
O'Hara, J. 1980. Thermal influences on the swimming speed of loggerhead turtle hatchlings. Copeia 1980(4):773-780.
D-34
s
?
L Owens, D.W. 1983.
( Methods of sex identification in sea turtles.
Progress report (29 September 1983). Prepared by Texas A & M University for the National Marine Fisheries Service, Panama City, Florida. 11 pp.
Pritchard, P.C. et al. 1983. Sea turtle manual of research and conser-vation techniques. Prepared for the Western Atlantic Turtle
( Symposium, July 1983, San Jose, Costa Rica. 95 pp.
Routa, R.A. 1968. Sea turtle nest survey of Hutchinson Island, Florida.
Quarterly Journal Florida Academy of Sciences 30(4):287-294.
(
Smith, N.P. 1982. Upwelling in Atlantic shelf waters of south Florida.
Florida Scientist 45(2):125-138.
Sokal, R.R. and F.J. Rohlf. 1981. Biomet ry. The principles and prac-tice of statistics in biological research. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.
f Talbert, 0.R., S.E. Stancyk, J.M. Dean and J.M. Will. 1980. Nesting
{'
activity of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in South Carolina. I: A rookery in transition. Copeia 1980:709-718.
Taylor, C.B. , and H.B. Stewart. 1959. Summer upwelling along the east coast of Florida. Journal of Geophysical Research 64(1):33-40.
Williams-Walls, N. , J. O'Hara, R.M. Gallagher, D.F. Worth, B.D. Peery and J.R. Wilcox. 1983. Spatial and temporal trends of sea turtle
{- nesting on Hutchinson Island, Florida, 1971-1979. Bulletin of Marine Science 33(1):55-66.
Worth, D.F., and J.B. Smith. 1976. Marine turtle nesting on Hutchinson Island, Florida, in 1973. Florida Department Natural Resources Marine Research Laboratory No.18:1-17.
D-35
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D-36
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Figure D-8. Number of green turtle and leatherback turtle nests observed, Hutchinson Island, 1971-1983.
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1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Figure D-10. Number of turtles removed from the intake canal, St. Lucie Plant, 1976-1983.
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,$mimimiumimmiEMEMMMNumummmmmmmmmEW 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 74-80 81-90 91-100 100-110 111-120121-130 131-140 141-150 STRAIGHT LINE CARAPACE LENGTH (cm)
Figure D-ll. Length distribution of sea turtles removed from the intake canal, St. Lucie Plant, 1976-1983.
0-48
wvx TA8LE D-1 NUMBER OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS IN EACH OF THE 1.25-KM LONG SURVEY AREAS HUTCHINSON ISLAND 1971 - 1983 Preoperational Operational Area 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1980a 1981 1982 1983 1 85 110 96 48 47 -
66 98 80
'2 92 132 108 55 80 -
101 139 107 3 113 144 156 90 93 109 83 140 112
? 4b -152 134 73 100 123 133 67 91 110 1
-5 171 126 158 106 144 111 104 169 186 6 218 141 250 109 233 175 139 278 199 7 136 127 155 76 204 -
126 184 202
-8 238 164 .281 161 237 -
181 265 302 9 215. 182 216 187 288 -
164 270 294 TOTAL 1420 -1260' 1493 932 1449 528 1031 1634 1592 a
0nly Areas 3-6.were surveyed during 1980. j St. Lucie Plant Site.
~. - .
. - - n m .,w w y TABLE D-2 ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS BASED ON SURVEYS OF NINE 1.25-KM SURVEY AREAS IN 1971-1983 AND THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF NESTS FOUND 1981-1983 HUTCHINSON ISLAND Number of nests Estimates of the in the number of nests on Actual number Linear regression nine 1.25-km the entire island of nests on the equation (Y=a+bx)a 2 survey areas Regressior. Extrapolation entire island Year 7 1971 Y= 65.87 + 4.71x 0.73 1420 5423 4544 -
1973 Y = 108.34 + 1.62x 0.60 1260 4950 4032 -
5' 1975 Y= 61.31 + 5.36x 0.61 1493 5680 4778 -
1977 Y= 29.26 + 3.81x 0.74 932 3522 2982 -
1979 Y= 7.53 + 7.87x 0.96 1449 5371 4637 -
1981 Y = ;44.24 + 3.61x 0.82- 1031 3932 3299 3115 1982 Y'= 62.35 + 6.11x 0.74 1634 6204 5229 4690 1983 Y = 27.35 + 7.67x 0.93 1592 5955 5094 4743 l a
Y = The number of nests;
.a =-The Y intercept; b = The slope of the regression line; x = The distance (km) south of.Ft. Pierce Inlet.
s
?
L TABLE D-3 LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTING SUCCESSa IN EACH OF THE 1.25-KM LONG SURVEY AREAS HUTCHINSON ISLAND 1973 - 1983b l
' Preoperational Operational Area 1973 1975 1977 1979 1980c 1981 1982 1983 1 67 60 62 46 -
52 59 56 2 76 59 70 54 - 56 63 59 3 69 52 65 53 50 47 69 51 f 4d 78 53 54 51 46 42 57 49 5 75 55 50 41 41 45 58 54 6 62 58 49 53 44 45 68 50 7 64 55 46 54 -
53 65 58 8 71 67 48 52 -
56 71 61 f 9 70 61 56 61 -
52 62 62 a
i Nesting success is the percentage of total crawls that result in nests.
b False (non-nesting) crawls were not recorded during 1971.
c 0nly Areas 3-6 were surveyed during 1980.
d St. Lucie Plant Site.
{
' D- 51
s
?
~
( TABLE D-4 NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS DESTROYED BY RACCOONS IN EACH OF THE NINE 1.25-KM LONG SURVEY AREAS HUTCHINSON ISLAND 1971-1983
(
\
Preoperational 1971 1973 1975 f
Area Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1 28 33 79 72 40 42
{
2 30 33 71 54 27 25 3 66 58 115 80 101 65 b
4 32 21 44 33 9 12
( 5 60 35 69 55 16 10 6 30 14 13 9 0 0 7 5 4 2 2 1 1 8 63 26 66 40 24 9 9 79 37 90 49 92 43 TOTAL 393 28 549 44 310 21
(
a 0nly Areas 3-6 were surveyed during 1980. TABLE CONTINVED b
St. Lucie Plant Site.
0-52 J
s I
L TABLE D-4 (continued) r NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS DESTROYED BY
( RACC0CNS IN EACH OF THE NINE 1.25-KM LONG SURVEY AREAS HUTCHINSON ISLAND 1971-1983 Operational 1977 1979 1980a Area Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1 36 75 2 4 - -
2 18 33 4 5 - -
3 63 70 5 5 10 9
( 4b 47 47 8 7 5 4 5 25 24 47 33 35 32 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 13 17 10 5 - -
8 3 2 1 .4 - -
9 146 78 49 17 - -
TOTAL 351 38 126 9 50 10 a
0nly Areas 3-6 were surveyed durin9 1980. TABLE CONTINUED b
, St. Lucie Plant Site.
(
l
(
D-53 4
/~
s TABLE D-4 (continued) r NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS DESTROYED Bf
( RACC0ONS IN EACH OF THE NINE 1.25-KM LONG SURVEY AREAS HUTCHINSON ISLAND 1971-1983 Operational 1981 1982 1983 Area Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent 1 9 14 0 0 1 1 2 14 14 3 2 12 11 3 7 8 2 1 24 21 4b
( 2 3 1 1 6 5 5 9 9 47 28 47 25 6 1 1 0 0 1 1 7 0 0 0 0 1 .5
( 8 0 0 0 0 1 .3 9 10 6 1 .4 25 9 TOTAL 52 5 54 3 118 7 a
Only Areas 3-6 were surveyed during 1980.
b St. Lucie Plant Site.
D-54
- - - - - - - - - - , r- , ,
y TABLE D-5 TOTAL NUMBER AND (NUMBER OF DEAD) LOGGERHEAD TURTLES REMOVED EACH f10 NTH FROM THE INTAKE CANAL ST. LUCIE PLANT 1976 - 1983 Monthly Month 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Total Mean January -
13 19 24(3) 16 10 6(2) 39 127(5) 18.1 February -
8(1) 11(2) 29(1) 21(2) 11(3) 11 13(1) 104(10) 14.9' March -
6 27(2) 11 14 6 14 1 79(2) 11.3 o April -
6(2) 19(5) 17 0 10 14 0 66(7) 9.4 May 2 0 3(1) 0 7 6 17(4) 4 39(5) 4.9 June 0 4 10 3(1) 8(3) 6 7 7(1) 45(5) 5.6 July 7(1) 4 0 27(2) 0 1 7 7 53(3) 6.6 l l
August 2 3 12 17(2) 12 6 2(1) 6 60(3) 7.5 September 1 15(1) 1 8(1) 19 2(1) 9(1) 8(2) 63(6) 7.9 October 7 9(1) 17(2) 15(3) 7 0 9(5) 17 81(11) 10.1 November 5(3) 5 15(7) 13 4 0 4(2) 5 51(12) 6.4 December 9 5 4 11 8 3 1(1) 12 53(1) 6.6 Total 33(4) 78(5) 138(19) 175(13) 116(5) 61(4) 101(16) 119(4) 821(70) -
m c-- 1- - m 7- m r 1, r--- , 1 -- , ,-
1-, .
TABLE D-6 TOTAL NUMBER AND (NUMBER 0F DEAD) SEA TURTLES OTHER THAN LOGGERHEADS REMOVED FROM THE INTAKE CANAL ST. LUCIE PLANT 1976 - 1983 Annual Species 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Total Meana green 5(2) 6(1) 3(1) 13(4) 32(2) 8 23(4) 90(14) 12.9 leatherback 1 3 2 1 7(0) 1.0 o hawksbill 1 1(0) 0.1
&~
- Kemp's ridley 1 1(0) 0.1 a
Excludes '1976 (partial year- of plant operation).
- - - - n, . - n ,- ,- . .n n. -, , r, ,- ,-=, 1 g TABLE D-7 RELATIVE CONDITION OF LIVE SEA TURTLES REMOVED FROM THE INTAKE CANAL ST. LUCIE PLANT 1976 - 1983 Poora Goodb Excellente Total d Number of' Number of Number of Number of Species individuals Percent individuals Percent individuals Percent individuals Percent hawksbill 1 (100) 1 (100)
Kemp's ridley 1 (100) 1 (100) leatherback 6 (86) 1 (14) 7 (100)
C3 l
$3 green 5 (7) 51 (75) 12 (18) 68 (100) l l
loggerhead 131 (18) 490 (68) 99 (14) 72 0 (100) a Poor - emaciated slow or inactive heavy barnacle and/or leach infestation debilitating wounds or missing appendages b
Good - normal weight active light to medium coverage of barnacles and/or leaches wounds absent, healed or do not appear to debilitate the animal c
Excellent - normal or above normal weight active very few or no barnacles or leaches no wounds d
Thirty loggerheads and eight greens were not included because of insufficient information.
e s
r TABLE D-8 HEMOGLOBIN VALUES RECORDED FOR LOGGERHEAD TURTLES REMOVED FROM THE INTAKE CANAL ST. LUCIE PLANT
[ SEPTEMBER 1982 - DECEMBER 1983 Relative condition Number of Range of hemoglobin Mean hemoglobin of turtlesa turtles values (g/100 ml) value (g/100 ml)
Poor 1 5.3 5.3 Poor-Good 6 5.0-11.9 8.0 Good 46 6.0-11.5 8.5 Good-Excellent 5 8.0-9.7 8.8
{
Excellent 5 8.9-11.5 10.0
(
a See Table D-7 for criteria used to evaluate condition.
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D-58
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