Spatio-temporal comparison of intertidal macrofaunal communities along anthropogenically influenced Mandvi coast, Gulf of Kachchh, India (original) (raw)
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Advances in Ecology, 2014
Present communication reports the community structure and distribution pattern of intertidal invertebrate macrofauna at four shores of the Kathiawar peninsular coastline off the Arabian Sea (India). The selected shores have different levels of human activities. Present report tests three hypotheses; that is, (i) distribution of invertebrate macrofauna in these shores is influenced by space and time, (ii) abiotic factors have a profound influence on the distribution pattern of intertidal macrofaunal assemblages, and (iii) human activities influence the community structure of the intertidal invertebrate macrofauna at these shores. To test these hypotheses, spatiotemporal variations in different ecological indices were studied. A total of 60 species from six phyla were considered for the study. High species diversity was recorded during winter and monsoon seasons in almost all the shores studied. It was also evident that a few environmental factors had a cumulative influence on the distribution pattern of intertidal macrofauna. Significant spatial variations in the species diversity and evenness were also observed. Though the shores studied have similar coast characteristics and climatic conditions, they face different levels of human activities. Therefore, the observed variations in the intertidal faunal assemblage were possibly caused by anthropogenic stress.
comparison of intertidal biodiversity
Intertidal biodiversity associated with natural rocky shore at Kovalam and artificial sea wall at Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, was compared during the study. A total of 147 species, including 32 seaweeds, 11 sponges, 6 coelenterates, 2 bryozoans, 31 molluscs, 7 annelids, 2 sipunculids, 6 isopods, 12 amphipods, 1 hermit crab, 16 brachyuran crabs, 4 alpheid shrimps, 1 barnacle, 9 echinoderms and 7 species of ascidians were recorded. While the intertidal biodiversity from the sea wall was represented by 73 species, 128 species were recorded from the rocky shore. The anomuran crab Clibanarius virescens (Krauss), the brachyuran crabs Acetea depressa (White), Micropanape obtusidens (Sakai), Sargassocarcinus cristatus (Balss) and Eurynome orientalis (Sakai) and the alpheid shrimps, Synalpheus stimpsonii De Man and Alpheus lottini Guérin-Méneville are reported for the first time in India. Shannon and richness index values were higher for the rocky shore, while the species dominance was higher in the sea wall.
Water Science & Technology, 2010
Present communication reports the physico-chemical and biological quality of seawater and status of benthos of a highly industrialized shore of the north-western coastline of India. The coastal area considered for the present study, encircled by a variety of industries, was divided into two sampling sites and monitored for two consecutive years. Results of the water quality suggest that the obtained values of the physical and chemical parameters of seawater were comparable with data reported earlier. However, data obtained in the biological parameters of the seawater showed a declining trend. Results of the intertidal macrofaunal diversity studies revealed that the muddy upper littoral zones were represented by few species of coelenterata, porifera, arthropoda and mollusca. In the rocky—muddy middle littoral zones, gastropods, stars fishes, corallites, crabs, polychetes and tubeworms were present, whereas, predominantly rocky lower littoral zones were comparatively rich in macrofaun...
Present Status of Intertidal Biodiversity in and around Mumbai (West Coast of India)
Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research, 2017
During the present investigation, Girgaon, Marine Drive, Haji Ali and Gorai Creek in Mumbai were selected for biodiversity assessment following a protocol for natural geography in shore areas. Fifty nine macrobenthic molluscs, arthropods, coelenterates and echinoderms at these sites were recorded. The maximum density of gastropods and clams was observed at Marine Drive shore. At Gorai Creek, there were plentiful
Intertidal variation of macrobenthos in a saltmarsh habitat, Noakhali coast, Bangladesh
Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries , 2020
Macrobenthos plays an important role in estuarine ecosystems by re-suspending the bottom layer of water bodies and elevating the nutrients, dissolved gases and other materials between sediments and overlying water. The aim of the study was to measure the physico-chemical parameter of the study area, to show the intertidal variation of macrobenthos, and to assess the relationship between environmental variables and benthic infauna of saltmarsh habitat along the Noakhali coast. Sediment infauna of saltmarsh was collected by using a hand-held mud corer having an area of 0.01 m2 covering three tidal levels i.e., high tide level (HTL), mid-tide level (MTL) and low tide level (LTL). A little variation was found among of water parameters across three tidal levels. A total of 16 taxa of benthic infauna belonging to Nereidae (37.60%), Nereidae-1 (12.60%), Chironomidae (24.56%), Cerambycidae (2.17%) were found in the three tidal levels. The Evenness index indicated the highest number of similar species were at the sub-stations of LTLs with a value of 1, and the lowest number of similar species was at the sub-station HTL1 with a value of 0.5712. The maximum Shannon diversity (HꞋ) index was found at the sub-station MTL2 with a value of 1.631 and the minimum were at the sub-station LTL2, LTL3 with a value of 0. Margalef species richness ranged from 0 to 0.8808 and the Equabilitty index (J) value from 0 to 0.8808. The diversity profile was high (α=14) in the mid-tide level. The Simpson (1-D) and DO, Shannon (H) and temperature, Margalef and temperature were significantly correlated (p<0.05). Again, almost all diversity indices showed strong correlation with temperature (0.75 ≤ r <1). The information which is included here can be used to measure the impact of pollution, to conserve the biodiversity of the study area and can also be used for further studies.
Temporal variability of macrofauna from a disturbed habitat in Zuari estuary, west coast of India
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2011
Natural disturbances along with human interference make the tropical estuaries amongst the most disturbed areas globally. In spite of this, information on the seasonal variability of macrofauna from tropical estuaries is few. Temporal variability of macrofaunal community from Mormugao Bay, Zuari estuary, on the west coast of India was examined from 2003 to 2004 at seven stations. Environmental variability was assessed through physicochemical parameters of water and sediment. The changes in macrobenthic community were assessed using abundance, biomass and species diversity indices. The environmental parameters showed a significant seasonal variation influenced by monsoonal changes. The changes in the environmental conditions brought about variation in the macrobenthic community. Macrofaunal abundance, biomass and species diversity were the highest during post-monsoon influenced by recruitment. In monsoon, the macrobenthic community was dominated by polychaetes (92.17%), whereas bivalves dominated during the post-monsoon (57.7%). The macrofauna showed drastic decline during the stable pre-monsoon season, a period when the highest abundance of fauna is observed in the tropical estuary. Therefore, the macrobenthic community in the area did not follow the seasonal trend generally observed in a tropical estuary. Further, the community during pre-monsoon season was dominated by the opportunistic polychaete species indicating a possible influence of harbour activities in structuring the benthic community of the area.
Marine …, 2010
Patterns of macrofaunal distribution were studied along the western Indian continental margin to distinguish the role of habitat heterogeneity in generating and maintaining community structure. A transect perpendicular to the coast at 14 0 N latitude was selected for seabed sampling. Eight stations were sampled in the depth range 34 m to 2546 m and characterized with respect to macrofaunal composition, abundance, biomass, diversity and feeding type. The sediments in the shelf region (34, 48, 100 m) and upper slope (525 m) were characterized by silty and sandy facies, whereas the mid slope (1001 m), lower slope (1524 m) and basin (2001, 2546 m) consisted of clayey silts. The highest value of sediment chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and total organic carbon (C org ) were recorded from the mid slope areas. Faunal abundance and biomass increased from the shallow to deeper depths in the shelf region, and decreased in the slope region (525-1001 m) due to the reduced bottom-water oxygen. The community parameters showed an overall increase in both the lower slope and basin areas. A total of 81 macro-invertebrate species belonging to 5 major groups represented the macrofauna of the area. Polychaeta was the major group at all depths. Among polychaete families, species of the Spionidae, particularly Prionospio pinnata, predominated at the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) core and Cossuridae dominated in the lower part of the OMZ in sediments of the mid slope region (1001 m depth).
2019
Rocky shores are considered heterogeneous environments due to their composition and structure. Therefore, they support numerous habitats for flora and fauna. Organisms found on rocky shores are facing intense physicochemical conditions during tidal changes from upper to lower intertidal zones. Total (N=1888) specimens were collected on seasonal basis from intertidal zone during low tide from two rocky sites of Karachi coast, Buleji and Sunehri during January 2017 to December 2017. The highest number of individuals (N=1041), were recorded from Buleji than Sunehri (N= 847). The seasonal abundance in Mollusca were measured as (36.84%), (63.67%), (25.08) and (40.38%) from Buleji while from Sunehri (45.16 %), (46.01%), (48.65) and (42.79 %) during pre-monsoon, southwest monsoon, post monsoon and northeast monsoon season respectively. Group Arthropoda, Mollusca and Echinodermata were shows the highest abundance of the species at both sites as compare to other groups. The highest diversity index from Sunehri (H'=0.64) was measured in northeast monsoon season meanwhile, (H'=0.61) was measured in post monsoon season from Buleji coast. Evenness index (J'=0.25) in pre-monsoon season from Buleji and (J'=0.28) in southwest monsoon season from Sunehri coast. Season shows the great abundance of species as compare to other seasons. No significant correlation was observed in between seasons, water temperature and salinity with macrofauna groups at both sites.
The effect of highly turbid seawater on the distribution, biomass and species diversity of intertidal macrofauna was studied in Gopnath, Mahuva and Veraval coasts during October 1998 and June 1999. The concentration of total suspended solids and turbidity were very high at Gopnath (518-583 mg/l and 632-713 NTU respectively) and Mahuva (328-412 mg/l and 566-621 NTU respectively) during the period of study. The species diversity was minimum at Gopnath (1.14) and maximum at Mahuva (1.86). However, the biomass of benthic organisms was maximum at Veraval and the values were 2.03-5.82 and 2.02-2.03 times more as compared to Gopnath and Mahuva respectively. The data for similarity index revealed that Gopnath and Mahuva were more similar during October and June than Gopnath, Veraval and Mahuva and Veraval. Astraea semicostata, Clibanarius clibanarius, Crassostrea cuculata and Littorina scabra recorded only from Gopnath and Mahuva where seawater was highly turbid. The results indicate that these species could be cultivated in the coastal areas where seawater is significantly turbid.