Abstract
The abundance and vertical distribution of meiofauna on a tropical (10°N) intertidal mud flat (more than 30% silt + clay) were evaluated from February through September of 1984. Six core samples (core area: 5.3 cm2) were collected monthly to a depth of 6 cm into the sediment, and preserved in a solution of formalin in sea water stained with Rose Bengal. Organisms within a size range of 63 to 500 microns were considered as meiofauna.
We collected a total of 16 taxonomic groups represented by 48,411 individuals. Nematoda, Foraminifera, Ostracoda, and Copepoda (Harpacticoida) comprised 88.1%, 5.9%, 2.9%, and 1.1 % of the total, respectively. Density and faunal composition were similar to those reported from other intertidal environments. Density ranged from 1.17 to 4.25 x 106 ind. /m2 (mean = 2.17).
Most of the meiofauna was restricted to the top 2 cm of the sediment. This distribution is probably related to the existence of a shallow (less than 2 cm deep) brown aerobic layer in the sediment.
References
Ansari, Z. A., A. Chatterji & A. H. Parulekar. 1984. Effect of domestic sewage on sand beach meiofauna at Goa, India. Hydrobiologia 111: 229-233.
Dye, A. H., 1983. Vertical and horizontal distribution of meiofauna in mangrove sediments in Transkei, Southern Africa. Estuar. cstl Shelf Sci. 16: 519-598.
Fenchel, T. M. & R. J. Riedl. 1970. The sulfide system: a new biotic community underneath the oxidized layer of marine sand bottoms. Mar. Biol. 7: 255-268.
Heip, C., M. Vincx & G. Vranten. 1985. The ecology of marine nematodes. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 23: 399-489.
Hicks, G., & B. C. Coull. 1983. The ecology of marine meiobenthic Harpacticoid copepods. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rey. 21: 67-175.
McIntyre, A. D. 1968. The meiofauna and macrofauna of some tropical beaches. Jour. Zool. 156: 377-392.
McIntyre, A. D. 1969. Ecology of marine meiobenthos. Biol. Rey. 44: 245-290.
Reise, K., & P. Ax. 1979. A meiofaunal Thiobios limited to the anaerobic sulfide system of marine sand does not exist. Mar. Biol. 54: 225-237.
Vargas, J. A., 1986. A description of the structure of a tropical intertidal mud flat community. Ph. D. Dissertation. University of Rhode Island, Kingston. 200 p.
Voorhis, A., C. E. Epifanio, D. Maurer, A. I. Dittel & J. A. Vargas. 1983. The estuarine character of the Gulf of Nicoya, an embayment on the Pacific coast of Central America. Hydrobiologia 99: 225-237.
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 1987 Revista de Biología Tropical