Journal
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
Volume 89, Issue 7, Pages 1305-1318Publisher
CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1017/S0025315409000721
Keywords
macroinvertebrates; pollution; sanitation works; biodiversity; lagoon of Tunis
Categories
Funding
- Tunisian Ministry for Higher Education (DGRST)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Sampling data on abiotic parameters and benthic communities in the northern lagoon of Tunis were obtained seasonally from November 1999 to November 2000. Abiotic parameters studied revealed evident improvement of water quality compared with previous. Indeed, management has re-established a tidal marine influence (Gulf of Tunis), induced a remarkable change in physico-chemical parameters and as a consequence, a regulation of the lagoon environmental quality. A total of go species of benthic macroinvertebrates, belonging to seven different taxa were collected in the northern lagoon of Tunis. A comparison of ecological indices indicate significant variations in the spatial and seasonal distribution and structure of the benthic community and reflect changes that might be related to open marine water and climatic influences as well as effects of discharge of the neighbouring city. Generally, the lagoon macrobenthic community appeared to be better structured, richer and more diverse than the one described before sanitation works began. However, significant disturbance of the benthic communities is detected in the south-eastern lagoon zone (C) and is dominated by disturbance indicator species. In contrast, the Station A2 which is sufficiently influenced by marine currents, is dominated by species of marine affinity and indicates an undisturbed zone. Multivariate analysis indicates heterogeneity in the benthic community structure between stations and suggests that the most significant variations of abundance occur in the groups: Anthozoa, Placophora, Cephalopoda, Ascidia and Echinodermata. The results Of correspondence analysis also testify to a gradational distribution of benthic species in relation to hydrological and edaphic (organic matter) factors.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available