You're currently viewing an old version of this dataset. To see the current version, click here.

Seasonal and Spatial Effects of Wastewater Effluent on Oyster Ecology and Sanitation in Mobile Bay, Alabama (2007-2008)

Dataset extent

Wastewater treatment plants (WTP) input large amounts of effluent into coastal and estuarine waters. These effluents contain high concentrations of nutrients and microbes. These inputs can affect the ecology and sanitation of flora and fauna in the receiving waters. Increased nutrient concentrations, for example, can increase food (microalgae concentrations) and consequently growth for bivalves such as oysters, but can also render them inedible due to increased pathogen loads. Understanding these inputs and their impacts is critical to conserving and utilizing the natural resources in estuarine waters. This study was an examination of the effects of WTP-derived nutrients and bacterial and viral pathogens on oyster growth and survival and sanitation with increasing distance (dilution) from a major point source, the Clifton C. Williams WTP outfall in Mobile Bay, Alabama. This study additionally tested the efficacy of traditional (bacterial) and new (viral) indicators of wastewater influence on an important commercial shellfishery species. Since oyster growth, survival, and pathogen concentrations may vary with water temperature, we tested these effects seasonally. It was hypothesized that concentrations of nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and TDN) and microbial pathogens decreased with increasing distance from the outfall and nutrient and microbial concentrations impacted oyster ecology and sanitation.

Data and Resources

This dataset has no data

Additional Info

Field	Value
Author	Dr. Ruth Carmichael
Maintainer	data@disl.org
Last Updated	July 23, 2022, 03:04 (UTC)
Created	July 23, 2022, 03:04 (UTC)
Access_Constraints	Permission to access these data must be given by Dr. Ruth Carmichael of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Marine Organism and Ecosystem Response Lab.
ISO 19115 Topic Categories	biota, 002, environment, 007, health, 009, inlandWaters, 012, oceans, 014
Place Keywords	Alabama, Mobile Bay, Clifton C. Williams Waste Treatment Plant, MacDuffie Island, Mobile Bay Ship Channel
Theme Keywords	wastewater, point source pollution, wastewater treatment plants, WTP, oyster, oyster ecology, sanitation, nutrients, pathogens, bivalves, Crassostrea virginica, dilution, bacteria, viral, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, TDN, temperature, effluent, water quality, stable isotopes, seasons, distance, concentration
Use_Constraints	Acknowledgment of the DISL: Marine Organism and Ecosystem Response Lab, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation is required in products developed from these data
dc.coverage.placeName	Alabama Mobile Bay Clifton C. Williams Waste Treatment Plant MacDuffie Island Mobile Bay Ship Channel
dc.coverage.t.max	20080325T
dc.coverage.t.min	20070606T
dc.coverage.x.max	-88.02973
dc.coverage.x.min	-88.03334
dc.coverage.y.max	30.65785
dc.coverage.y.min	30.60767
dc.creator	Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Marine Organism and Ecosystem Response Lab
dc.date	Unpublished material
dc.description	Wastewater treatment plants (WTP) input large amounts of effluent into coastal and estuarine waters. These effluents contain high concentrations of nutrients and microbes. These inputs can affect the ecology and sanitation of flora and fauna in the receiving waters. Increased nutrient concentrations, for example, can increase food (microalgae concentrations) and consequently growth for bivalves such as oysters, but can also render them inedible due to increased pathogen loads. Understanding these inputs and their impacts is critical to conserving and utilizing the natural resources in estuarine waters. This study was an examination of the effects of WTP-derived nutrients and bacterial and viral pathogens on oyster growth and survival and sanitation with increasing distance (dilution) from a major point source, the Clifton C. Williams WTP outfall in Mobile Bay, Alabama. This study additionally tested the efficacy of traditional (bacterial) and new (viral) indicators of wastewater influence on an important commercial shellfishery species. Since oyster growth, survival, and pathogen concentrations may vary with water temperature, we tested these effects seasonally. It was hypothesized that concentrations of nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and TDN) and microbial pathogens decreased with increasing distance from the outfall and nutrient and microbial concentrations impacted oyster ecology and sanitation.
dc.language	en
dc.subject	wastewater point source pollution wastewater treatment plants WTP oyster oyster ecology sanitation nutrients pathogens bivalves Crassostrea virginica dilution bacteria viral nitrate nitrite ammonia TDN temperature effluent water quality stable isotopes seasons distance concentration
dc.title	Seasonal and Spatial Effects of Wastewater Effluent on Oyster Ecology and Sanitation in Mobile Bay, Alabama (2007-2008)
dc.type	spreadsheet
spatial	{ "type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [ [ [ -88.03334, 30.65785 ], [ -88.02973, 30.65785 ], [ -88.02973, 30.60767 ], [ -88.03334, 30.60767 ], [ -88.03334, 30.65785 ] ] ] }