Community structure and seasonal fluctuation of meiobenthos in the Avicenna marina mangrove sediments at Gazi Bay, Kenya
Okondo, J. (1995). Community structure and seasonal fluctuation of meiobenthos in the Avicenna marina mangrove sediments at Gazi Bay, Kenya. MSc Thesis. RUG: Gent. 56 pp.
The meiobenthos of the Avicenna marina mangrove sediment was sampled monthly over a period of one year (from August 1992 to July 1993). The community structure and abundance of meiofauna was analysed for each month to check for any seasonality in composition. Fifteen taxa were observed with most of them occurring in relatively low numbers (<1% of the count). Nematoda was the dominant taxon (76-98%). They were followed by oligochaetes, turbellarians, halacaroids and rotifers. Harpacticoid copepods, polychaetes and other taxa were rather insignificant with notable absence in some sample months. Total meiofaunal densities ranged from 929 ind/10cm² in December 1992 to 10785 ind/10cm² in March 1993. A broad range of abiotic factors was analysed to check for their correlation with the meiofauna distribution and temporal variability. Weather (salinity and temperature), muddy detritus and chlorophyll a showed a significant seasonality. Nematodes are slightly responding to the salinity pattern but were clearly positively linked with the chlorophyll a concentration (possibly in terms of food source). Most other taxa showed a relation with either muddy detritus or pigments. Seasonalities were discussed in terms of ecological validity.
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