Effects of sewage effluent and shorebird exclusion on intertidal infaunal assemblages

This experiment tested the effects of liquid effluents on infauna assemblages in the presence and absence of shorebirds. Small plots of sediment (70cm x 50cm) were dosed with sewage effluent, freshwater, seawater or control ('no dose') and were either open or closed to shorebird predation. The plots were set up in early summer 2000 with replicates of each combination of factors at 4 levels on the shore. Plots were sampled at 0, 4 and 6 weeks for infaunal abundances and biomass and surface sediment chlorophyll a levels.