Abstract:
To evaluate the relationship between macrozoobenthic communities and environmental factors in the eastern coastal waters of Shantou, four voyage investigations were conducted in this study in July, November of 2020 and April, December of 2021. Community structure (species composition, density, biomass, diversity indices and community classification), seasonal variation of macrozoobenthos and its relationship with environmental factors were analysed. A total of 44 species were collected, which mainly composed of 14 species of annelins,10 species of arthropods, 9 species of molluscs, and 11 species of others.
Aglaophamus sp. and
Amphioplus laevis were the dominant species. The average abundance of macrozoobenthos were 410.4 ind./m
2 and the biomass were 133.47 g/m
2. The total density of macrozoobenthos was the greatest in summer, followed by autumn, spring, and winter. Total biomass was the greatest in autumn followed by summer, spring and winter. Shannon index of four seasons were 0.68~0.99, Margalef richness index were 0.35~0.64, and Pielou evenness index were 0.89~0.98. Cluster analysis showed that five communities of macrozoobenthos can be identified in the studied area. The abundance/biomass curves showed that macrozoobenthic communities were disturbed in summer, but stable in spring, autumn and winter. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that, the main environmental factor affecting macrozoobenthic community was salinity, temperature, ammonium (NH
4-N), nitrate (NO
3-N) and nitrite (NO
2-N).