The coastal areas of Montevideo-Canelones, Uruguay, are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of especial ecological concern due to their acute toxicity. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between different pollution levels and the ecological structure of macrobenthic communities of the subtidal coastal zone and to assess the ecological risk of the 16 PAHs identified by US EPA for these communities. Communities in Montevideo Bay are under the influence of combined effects of natural oscillations and anthropic pollution, while the adjacent coastal areas communities are strongly influenced by El Niño Southern Oscillation. Toxicity assessments classified two sites in Montevideo Bay as medium to low risk. This study allowed recognizing the complex nature of the responses of benthic organisms to multiple stressors and the importance of considering different approaches.

中文翻译：

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南美洲微潮河口大型底栖生物群落的石油碳氢化合物生态风险及变化


乌拉圭蒙得维的亚-卡内洛内斯沿海地区受到人类活动的严重影响。多环芳烃（PAH）因其急性毒性而受到特别的生态关注。该研究旨在评估不同污染水平与潮下海岸带大型底栖动物群落生态结构之间的关系，并评估美国环保署确定的16种多环芳烃对这些群落的生态风险。蒙得维的亚湾的社区受到自然振荡和人为污染的综合影响，而邻近沿海地区的社区则受到厄尔尼诺南方涛动的强烈影响。毒性评估将蒙得维的亚湾的两个地点列为中低风险。这项研究使人们认识到底栖生物对多种应激源的反应的复杂性以及考虑不同方法的重要性。