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Bioecology of macrobenthic communities in the microtidal monsoonal Kodungallur–Azhikode Estuary, southwest coast of India
Author(s) -
Jayachandran Paravanparambil Rajakumar,
Bijoy Nandan Sivasankaran,
Jima Mantodi,
Sreedevi Odassery Krishnankutty,
Philomina Joseph,
Prabhakaran Meethal Parambath
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
lakes and reservoirs: research and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.296
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1440-1770
pISSN - 1320-5331
DOI - 10.1111/lre.12292
Subject(s) - macrobenthos , estuary , benthic zone , canonical correspondence analysis , oceanography , ecology , salinity , biology , abundance (ecology) , detritivore , fishery , sediment , invertebrate , geology , paleontology
Abstract A comprehensive study of the macrobenthic communities in the Kodungallur–Azhikode Estuary (KAE) was conducted during 2009–2011 period. A total of 18,846 organisms were collected, with 60% being malacostracans, followed by polychaetes (20%), molluscs (9%) and ‘others’ group (11%). A total of 79 species in 71 genera belonging to 49 families were identified, with 33 spp. being polychaetes, 26 spp. being malacostracans, 11 spp. being molluscs and 9 spp. being in the ‘others’ group. A single species of opportunistic amphipod ( Americorophium triaeonyx ) comprised more than 62.05% of the total numerical abundance of macrobenthos. The other dominant species were Obelia bidentata , Arcuatula senhousia , Cirolana fluviatilis , Prionospio cirrifera and Capitella sp. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results indicated environmental parameters such as water column salinity, turbidity, sediment Eh, substratum type, chlorophyll‐ a concentration, depth and organic matter in sediment were the significant factors influencing the distribution of macrobenthic species in the KAE. The present study provides baseline information for future KAE benthic studies.