The Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina
215
while mercury concentration tends to be highest in top predators
(Marcovecchio et al. 1988, 1991; Marcovecchio 1994). Finally, dredging
of the Principal Channel from 9.5- to 13.5-m depths has generated
over 35 x 10 6 m 3 of sediment, which was dumped on tidal flats and in offshore locations. Dredging and deposition has introduced major changes
of circulation patterns in the estuary. It appears, however, that the dynamics of Bahia Blanca Estuary and the residual export of water and dissolved and suspended elements favor auto-depuration of the system with
the concentration of pollutants generally being lower than international
standards.
Acknowledgements. The Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas
(CONICET) de Ia Republica Argentina (1983-1998) and Universidad Nacional del Sur
( 1994-1998) provided financial support. The authors thank Lie. Walter D. Melo for drawing some figures.
References
Aliotta S, Perillo GME ( 1987) A sand wave field in the entrance to Bahia Blanca Estuary,
Argentina. Mar Geol76:1-14
Barria de Cao MS (1992) Abundance and species composition ofTintinnina (Ciliophora)
in Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 34:295-303
Belenguer C, Delhey K, DiMartino S, Petracci P, Scorolli A (1992) Observaciones de aves
playeras migratorias de Bahia Blanca. Bol Inform Grupo Arg Limicolas 10:2-4
Botto F, Iribarne 0 (2000) The effect of the burrowing crab Chasmagnathus granulata
on the benthic community of a SW Atlantic coastal lagoon. J Exp Mar Bioi Ecol (in
press)
Cervellini M (1987) Las larvas y postlarvas de Crustaceos Decapoda en el estuario y
aguas marinas de Bahia Blanca (Pcia. de Buenos Aires). Distribucion espacial, variacion estacional y su relacion con los factores ambientales. PhD Thesis, Univ Nac del
Sur, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Cicerone D (1987) Estimacion de la biomasa de diatomeas bentonicas en areas mesolitorales de la porcion interna del Estuario de Bahia Blanca, a partir del analisis de pigmentos fotosinteticos. Lie Thesis, Univ Nac del Sur, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Cuadrado DG, Perillo GME ( 1997) Migration of intertidal sand banks at the entrance of
the Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina. J Coastal Res 13:139-147
Elias R (1985) Macrobentos del estuario de la Bahia Blanca (Argentina) I. Mesolitoral.
Spheniscus 1:1-33
Freije RH, Zavatti JR, Gayoso AM, Asteasuain RO (1980) Pigmentos, produccion primaria y fitoplancton del estuario de Bahia Blanca. IADO Contribucion Cientifica
46:1-13
Gayoso AM (1988) Variacion estacional del fitoplancton en Ia zona mas interna del
estuario de Bahfa Blanca (Argentina). Gayana Bot 45:241-248
Ginsberg SS, Perillo GME (1990) Channel bank recession in the Bahia Blanca Estuary,
Argentina. J Coastal Res 6:999-1010
215
while mercury concentration tends to be highest in top predators
(Marcovecchio et al. 1988, 1991; Marcovecchio 1994). Finally, dredging
of the Principal Channel from 9.5- to 13.5-m depths has generated
over 35 x 10 6 m 3 of sediment, which was dumped on tidal flats and in offshore locations. Dredging and deposition has introduced major changes
of circulation patterns in the estuary. It appears, however, that the dynamics of Bahia Blanca Estuary and the residual export of water and dissolved and suspended elements favor auto-depuration of the system with
the concentration of pollutants generally being lower than international
standards.
Acknowledgements. The Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas
(CONICET) de Ia Republica Argentina (1983-1998) and Universidad Nacional del Sur
( 1994-1998) provided financial support. The authors thank Lie. Walter D. Melo for drawing some figures.
References
Aliotta S, Perillo GME ( 1987) A sand wave field in the entrance to Bahia Blanca Estuary,
Argentina. Mar Geol76:1-14
Barria de Cao MS (1992) Abundance and species composition ofTintinnina (Ciliophora)
in Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 34:295-303
Belenguer C, Delhey K, DiMartino S, Petracci P, Scorolli A (1992) Observaciones de aves
playeras migratorias de Bahia Blanca. Bol Inform Grupo Arg Limicolas 10:2-4
Botto F, Iribarne 0 (2000) The effect of the burrowing crab Chasmagnathus granulata
on the benthic community of a SW Atlantic coastal lagoon. J Exp Mar Bioi Ecol (in
press)
Cervellini M (1987) Las larvas y postlarvas de Crustaceos Decapoda en el estuario y
aguas marinas de Bahia Blanca (Pcia. de Buenos Aires). Distribucion espacial, variacion estacional y su relacion con los factores ambientales. PhD Thesis, Univ Nac del
Sur, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Cicerone D (1987) Estimacion de la biomasa de diatomeas bentonicas en areas mesolitorales de la porcion interna del Estuario de Bahia Blanca, a partir del analisis de pigmentos fotosinteticos. Lie Thesis, Univ Nac del Sur, Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Cuadrado DG, Perillo GME ( 1997) Migration of intertidal sand banks at the entrance of
the Bahia Blanca Estuary, Argentina. J Coastal Res 13:139-147
Elias R (1985) Macrobentos del estuario de la Bahia Blanca (Argentina) I. Mesolitoral.
Spheniscus 1:1-33
Freije RH, Zavatti JR, Gayoso AM, Asteasuain RO (1980) Pigmentos, produccion primaria y fitoplancton del estuario de Bahia Blanca. IADO Contribucion Cientifica
46:1-13
Gayoso AM (1988) Variacion estacional del fitoplancton en Ia zona mas interna del
estuario de Bahfa Blanca (Argentina). Gayana Bot 45:241-248
Ginsberg SS, Perillo GME (1990) Channel bank recession in the Bahia Blanca Estuary,
Argentina. J Coastal Res 6:999-1010