Abstract

In terms of area of extent, seagrass beds represent the main marine coastal ecosystem in the French West Indies. They also constitute nurseries for many invertebrates and fishes harvested by local fisheries. In Guadeloupe, coastal fish stocks are declining; concurrently, some agricultural areas, rivers, and mangroves areas have been shown to be heavily contaminat-ed by pollutants. Moreover, the National Park of Guadeloupe plans to re-introduce West Indian manatees in the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Bay (GCSM), from which they disappeared at the beginning of the last century. Considering these facts, a study of contamination of the seagrass beds (8,000 ha) of GCSM was conducted on both sediments and marine phanero-gams (Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme). The analyses concerned 6 metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, V, Zn), tributyltin, 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 8 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 38 polychlorobiphen-yls (PCBs), dithiocarbamates (CS2 residues) and 225 pesticide molecules. In general, the level of contamination of the seagrass beds was low for both sediments and phanerogams. Metallic trace elements were the main pollutants, but their locations remained coastal and their distribution can be explained by proximity to river mouths and current patterns. The level of contamination was lower in plants than in sediments; however, the level of contamination between these two compartments was significantly correlated. In conclusion, the level of contamination of the GCSM seagrass beds is low and does not appear to be a risk factor for fish and shellfish nurseries or grazing manatees.

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