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A Process for Comparing and Interpreting Differences in Two Benthic Indices in New York Harbor
Citation:
BENYI, S. J., J. W. HOLLISTER, J. A. KIDDON, AND H. A. WALKER. A Process for Comparing and Interpreting Differences in Two Benthic Indices in New York Harbor. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 59(1-3):65-71, (2009).
Impact/Purpose:
This manuscript outlines a process for evaluating benthic index relationships with sediment chemistry and habitat. The uniqueness of the approach includes three techniques for exploring the data that are not commonly used for index comparisons. The goal of this work was to provide environmental managers a way to evaluate and choose an appropriate benthic index for their purposes.
Description:
Often when various estuarine benthic indices disagree in their assessments of benthic condition, they are reflecting different aspects of benthic condition. We describe a process to screen indices for associations and, after identifying candidate metrics, to evaluate metrics individually against the indices. We investigated differences in two indices, the U.S. EPA Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program’s Benthic Index for the Virginian Province and the New York Harbor Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity. We calculated each index with data collected in New York Harbor in 1993 and 1998 and evaluated overall agreement of the indices and associations between each index and measures of habitat and sediment contamination. The indices agreed in approximately 78% of the cases. The New York Harbor index showed stronger associations with sediment metal contamination and grain size.