Abundance pattern of wedge clam Donax cuneatus (L.) in different spatial scale in the vicinity of a coastal nuclear power plant.

Impact of thermal discharge from a coastal power station (Madras Atomic Power Station, southeast coast of India) on the spatial variability of Donax cuneatus abundance was assessed to determine the impact boundary. Totally, 20 sites were selected both on south and north side in increasing spatial scale from mixing zone, 12 locations were selected toward south side at a distance from 0 (near mixing point) to 2,000 m and eight location were selected toward north from the effluent mixing zone. Mean water temperature along the coast ranged from 29.1 +/-0.15 degrees C to 31.2 +/- 0.15 degrees C. Total organic carbon content in the sediment ranged from 0.27% to 0.70%. D. cuneatus population on the swash zone was ranged between 1.3 +/- 1.5 and 88.3 +/- 9.6 m(-2). Meager population of wedge clam was observed up to 100 m (S100) south from mixing point and abundance gradually increased in different spatial scale. Comparatively high abundance was observed from S400 and reached maximum at S1000 (64.0 +/- 3.6 m(-2)). Similar pattern was observed on north side too but less abundance was observed only up to 80 m (N80). Maximum abundance was observed at control location C3-N500 (88.3 +/- 9.6 m(-2)). Forty meters on either side of discharge point was highly impacted, 80 to 100 m toward plume flow (south) was moderately impacted, and 80 m north of mixing point also witnessed moderate impact. After 100 m (N100), north was not affected by effluents, whereas between 100 and 400 m, south was influenced slightly. Multivariate clustering pattern on the environmental variables of all sampling locations and population trend of D. cuneatus at those stations showed similarity. Present investigation unambiguously showed that the abundance pattern of D. cuneatus on the sandy beach of east coast of Kalpakkam is not governed by single major factor but due to the result of multiple interacting factors. The population size of the wedge clam with reference to the effect of power plant effluents and other features of habitats of the beach ecosystem are also discussed.