Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages
Meiofaunal assemblages from intertidal and shallow subtidal seabeds were studied at two sites (one dominated by volcanic sands and the other by organogenic sands) at Tenerife (Canary Islands, NE Atlantic Ocean) throughout an entire year (May 2000–April 2001). Specifically, we aimed (i) to test for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
2012-12-01
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| Series: | Ciencias Marinas |
| Online Access: | https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/2077 |
| _version_ | 1797279527835009024 |
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| author | R Riera J Núñez M C Brito F Tuya |
| author_facet | R Riera J Núñez M C Brito F Tuya |
| author_sort | R Riera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Meiofaunal assemblages from intertidal and shallow subtidal seabeds were studied at two sites (one dominated by volcanic sands and the other by organogenic sands) at Tenerife (Canary Islands, NE Atlantic Ocean) throughout an entire year (May 2000–April 2001). Specifically, we aimed (i) to test for differences in diversity, structure, and stability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages, and (ii) to determine if differences in the meiofaunal assemblage structure may be explained by environmental factors (granulometric composition, availability of organic matter, and carbonate content in sediments). A total of 103,763 meiofaunal individuals were collected, including 203 species from 19 taxonomic groups (Acari, Amphipoda, Cnidaria, Copepoda, Echinodermata, Gastrotricha, Isopoda, Insecta, Kinorrhyncha, Misidacea, Nematoda, Nemertini, Oligochaeta, Ostracoda, Polychaeta, Priapulida, Sipuncula, Tanaidacea, and Turbellaria). Nematodes were the most abundant taxonomic group. Species diversity was higher in the subtidal than in the intertidal zone at both sites, as a result of the larger dominance of a few species in the intertidal zone. The meiofaunal assemblage structure was different between tidal levels at both sites, the intertidal presenting greater temporal variability (multivariate dispersion) in the meiofaunal assemblage structure than the subtidal. Sediment grain size, here quantified by the different granulometric fractions, explained the variability in meiofaunal assemblage structure to a greater extent than the percentage of carbonates, a variable linked to sediment origin. This study revealed differences in diversity, assemblage structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofauna.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:27:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d583302370644bb991f7054a224ab663 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0185-3880 2395-9053 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:27:00Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | Universidad Autónoma de Baja California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ciencias Marinas |
| spelling | doaj.art-d583302370644bb991f7054a224ab6632024-03-03T17:53:40ZengUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaCiencias Marinas0185-38802395-90532012-12-0138410.7773/cm.v38i4.2077Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblagesR Riera0J Núñez1M C Brito2F Tuya3Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del AtlánticoUniversidad de La LagunaUniversidad de La LagunaUniversidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Meiofaunal assemblages from intertidal and shallow subtidal seabeds were studied at two sites (one dominated by volcanic sands and the other by organogenic sands) at Tenerife (Canary Islands, NE Atlantic Ocean) throughout an entire year (May 2000–April 2001). Specifically, we aimed (i) to test for differences in diversity, structure, and stability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages, and (ii) to determine if differences in the meiofaunal assemblage structure may be explained by environmental factors (granulometric composition, availability of organic matter, and carbonate content in sediments). A total of 103,763 meiofaunal individuals were collected, including 203 species from 19 taxonomic groups (Acari, Amphipoda, Cnidaria, Copepoda, Echinodermata, Gastrotricha, Isopoda, Insecta, Kinorrhyncha, Misidacea, Nematoda, Nemertini, Oligochaeta, Ostracoda, Polychaeta, Priapulida, Sipuncula, Tanaidacea, and Turbellaria). Nematodes were the most abundant taxonomic group. Species diversity was higher in the subtidal than in the intertidal zone at both sites, as a result of the larger dominance of a few species in the intertidal zone. The meiofaunal assemblage structure was different between tidal levels at both sites, the intertidal presenting greater temporal variability (multivariate dispersion) in the meiofaunal assemblage structure than the subtidal. Sediment grain size, here quantified by the different granulometric fractions, explained the variability in meiofaunal assemblage structure to a greater extent than the percentage of carbonates, a variable linked to sediment origin. This study revealed differences in diversity, assemblage structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofauna. https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/2077 |
| spellingShingle | R Riera J Núñez M C Brito F Tuya Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages Ciencias Marinas |
| title | Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| title_full | Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| title_fullStr | Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| title_short | Differences in diversity, structure, and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| title_sort | differences in diversity structure and variability between intertidal and subtidal meiofaunal assemblages |
| url | https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/2077 |
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