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Sublittoral Macrobenthic Infaunal Assemblages of Two Nearby Embayments from Central Chile
Author(s) -
Carrasco Franklin D.,
Gallardo Victor A.,
Medrano Sonia
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19880730407
Subject(s) - bay , benthic zone , dominance (genetics) , oceanography , ordination , abundance (ecology) , geology , taxon , ecology , environmental science , geography , paleontology , biology , biochemistry , gene
The benthic assemblages in two Central Chile nearby embayments were studied from quantitative samples collected from 15 sites at depths of 8–65 m. The macrobenthic infauna (<0.5 mm) of both bays was greatly dominated by polychaetes. Some 93 taxa were identified, of which 51 were polychaetes. The average macrofaunal abundance for all stations (15,021 ind. m −2 ) is very close to the values reported for the neighboring areas. Numerical classification and ordination (DCA) of sites resulted in three site‐groups mostly reflecting differences in the bottom sediments: the muddy‐bottom stations of Concepción Bay and the shelf‐associated stations, the sandy‐bottom stations of San Vicente Bay and an heavily polluted station at San Vicente port. Classification of species showed that the muddy‐bottom stations and the sandy‐bottom sites had characteristic species assemblages. The macrofaunal assemblages presented high dominance values, which were due to the high numerical abundances of a few species in the collections.