Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea
The present study analyses the spatio-temporal structuration of the molluscan fauna from four tidal channels of the Gulf of Gabès. A total of 26 stations were sampled at four seasons from March 2016 to January 2017, leading to the identification of 2695 individuals and 57 species. The species richne...
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/3/545 |
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| author | Abir Fersi Jean-Philippe Pezy Ali Bakalem Lassad Neifar Jean-Claude Dauvin |
| author_facet | Abir Fersi Jean-Philippe Pezy Ali Bakalem Lassad Neifar Jean-Claude Dauvin |
| author_sort | Abir Fersi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study analyses the spatio-temporal structuration of the molluscan fauna from four tidal channels of the Gulf of Gabès. A total of 26 stations were sampled at four seasons from March 2016 to January 2017, leading to the identification of 2695 individuals and 57 species. The species richness and abundances are higher in autumn than in other seasons. The fauna is dominated by seven species, three gastropods [<i>Cerithium scabridum</i> Philippi, 1848, <i>Bittium reticulatum</i> (da Costa, 1778) and <i>Tricolia speciosa</i> (Megerle von Mühfleld, 1824)] and four bivalves [<i>Abra alba</i> (W. Wood, 1802), <i>Loripes orbiculatus</i> Poli, 1791, <i>Varicorbula gibba</i> (Olivi, 1792) and <i>Peronaea planata</i> (Linnaeus, 1758)], which are characteristic of habitats with detritus accumulation and seagrass meadows. These dominant species are commonly recorded in lagoons and coastal shallow waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The structure of the molluscan fauna is linked to the location of tidal channels in the Gulf of Gabès. Abundances are lower in the Mimoun channel than in the other channels, especially the Maltine channel which shows a great accumulation of organic matter and high abundances of molluscs. Low abundances are found in high-energy hydrodynamic zones with gravel sediment; conversely, the presence of macrophytes (mainly in seagrass meadows) increases molluscan diversity. Comparisons with other sites in the shallow waters of the Tunisian coast and lagoons show that the taxonomic diversity of molluscs of the tidal channels of the Gulf of Gabès is equivalent to that reported elsewhere, but the abundance per m<sup>2</sup> is among the lowest levels recorded here. Moreover, most of the dominant species found in the Gulf of Gabès tidal channel are reported as dominant in other studies covering the Mediterranean Sea. A distance-based redundancy analysis shows that depth, sediment type and the presence of marine phanerogams and filter-feeder bivalves on fine sands and gravels account for the structure of mollusc assemblages associated with each channel. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7951c25d6ec444748b211054ddba0bd8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:21:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-7951c25d6ec444748b211054ddba0bd82023-11-17T11:57:07ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122023-03-0111354510.3390/jmse11030545Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean SeaAbir Fersi0Jean-Philippe Pezy1Ali Bakalem2Lassad Neifar3Jean-Claude Dauvin4Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, Sfax 3038, TunisiaLaboratoire Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, CNRS, Unité Mixte de Recherche 6143 M2C, 24 Rue des Tilleuls, 14000 Caen, FranceEcole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique (ENSA), Avenue Hassan Badi, Harrach, Algiers 16200, AlgeriaLaboratoire de Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, BP 1171, Sfax 3038, TunisiaLaboratoire Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, CNRS, Unité Mixte de Recherche 6143 M2C, 24 Rue des Tilleuls, 14000 Caen, FranceThe present study analyses the spatio-temporal structuration of the molluscan fauna from four tidal channels of the Gulf of Gabès. A total of 26 stations were sampled at four seasons from March 2016 to January 2017, leading to the identification of 2695 individuals and 57 species. The species richness and abundances are higher in autumn than in other seasons. The fauna is dominated by seven species, three gastropods [<i>Cerithium scabridum</i> Philippi, 1848, <i>Bittium reticulatum</i> (da Costa, 1778) and <i>Tricolia speciosa</i> (Megerle von Mühfleld, 1824)] and four bivalves [<i>Abra alba</i> (W. Wood, 1802), <i>Loripes orbiculatus</i> Poli, 1791, <i>Varicorbula gibba</i> (Olivi, 1792) and <i>Peronaea planata</i> (Linnaeus, 1758)], which are characteristic of habitats with detritus accumulation and seagrass meadows. These dominant species are commonly recorded in lagoons and coastal shallow waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The structure of the molluscan fauna is linked to the location of tidal channels in the Gulf of Gabès. Abundances are lower in the Mimoun channel than in the other channels, especially the Maltine channel which shows a great accumulation of organic matter and high abundances of molluscs. Low abundances are found in high-energy hydrodynamic zones with gravel sediment; conversely, the presence of macrophytes (mainly in seagrass meadows) increases molluscan diversity. Comparisons with other sites in the shallow waters of the Tunisian coast and lagoons show that the taxonomic diversity of molluscs of the tidal channels of the Gulf of Gabès is equivalent to that reported elsewhere, but the abundance per m<sup>2</sup> is among the lowest levels recorded here. Moreover, most of the dominant species found in the Gulf of Gabès tidal channel are reported as dominant in other studies covering the Mediterranean Sea. A distance-based redundancy analysis shows that depth, sediment type and the presence of marine phanerogams and filter-feeder bivalves on fine sands and gravels account for the structure of mollusc assemblages associated with each channel.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/3/545subtidal macrobenthosmolluscan assemblagesspatio-temporal variationsseagrasses |
| spellingShingle | Abir Fersi Jean-Philippe Pezy Ali Bakalem Lassad Neifar Jean-Claude Dauvin Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea Journal of Marine Science and Engineering subtidal macrobenthos molluscan assemblages spatio-temporal variations seagrasses |
| title | Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full | Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_fullStr | Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_short | Molluscs from Tidal Channels of the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia): Quantitative Data and Comparison with Other Lagoons and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Sea |
| title_sort | molluscs from tidal channels of the gulf of gabes tunisia quantitative data and comparison with other lagoons and coastal waters of the mediterranean sea |
| topic | subtidal macrobenthos molluscan assemblages spatio-temporal variations seagrasses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/3/545 |
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