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Stable nitrogen isotopes in octocorals as an indicator of water quality decline from the northwestern region of Cuba

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Abstract

Eutrophication is one of the causes of the degradation of reefs worldwide. The aim of this research is to determine if sewage discharge reaches the fore reefs at northwest of Cuba using δ15N in tissues of the octocorals Eunicea flexuosa and Plexaura kuekenthali and the concentration of microbiological and physical-chemical variables. Thirteen reefs at 10-m depth were selected near river basins and far from the urban and industrial development of Havana City. Branch tips of both species were collected, the concentrations of nutrient and microorganisms in water samples were quantified, and horizontal visibility in the water (Vis) was determined. Overall, δ15N of E. flexuosa ranged from 1.5 to 6.3‰ and P. kuekenthali from 1.7 to 6.7‰. The tissue of both species was significantly enriched in 15N in reefs near polluted watersheds compared with reefs far from pollution by anthropogenic activities. The δ15N of both species showed a positive and significant correlation with the concentration of fecal and total coliform bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, and NH4+ and a negative and significant correlation with the Vis. The δ15N of the two species and microbiological and physical-chemical variables evidenced water quality decline by sewage discharge that reached reefs near polluted watersheds.

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Acknowledgments

The research was funded by SIP-IPN: 20170255, 2018664, and 20195113 projects of Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CICIMAR-IPN). This work was supported by Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and Beca de Estímulo Institucional de Formación de Investigadores (BEIFI) through a PhD scholarship to NRV. We thank to scientific-technical service Monitoreo Ambiental de la Zona Marina Costera (MAZCO) and our colleagues at the Institute of Marine Sciences of Cuba, especially Daymarlen González, Yanet Echavarría, and Ileana García-Ramil. We appreciate Dr. Michael Risk’s comments and English edits that helped improve the article. We appreciate the comments and criticisms of two anonymous reviewers which improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN S/N, Col. Playa Palo de Sta. Rita, Apdo. Postal #592, 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    Néstor Rey-Villiers & Alberto Sánchez

  2. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente, Loma y 39, Plaza, CP 10600, Havana, Cuba

    Néstor Rey-Villiers

  3. Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 16 No. 114, Playa, CP 11300, Havana, Cuba

    Patricia González-Díaz

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  1. Néstor Rey-Villiers
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  2. Alberto Sánchez
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  3. Patricia González-Díaz
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Correspondence to Néstor Rey-Villiers.

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Responsible editor: Xianliang Yi

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Rey-Villiers, N., Sánchez, A. & González-Díaz, P. Stable nitrogen isotopes in octocorals as an indicator of water quality decline from the northwestern region of Cuba. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 18457–18470 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09956-x

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