International Journal of Oceans and Oceanography

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Macrozoobenthos Community Structure during Four Seasons in Kuwait Bay


Affiliations
1 Aquaculture, Fisheries and Mariculture Enviromental Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research P.O. Box 1638, Salmiyah, 22017, State of Kuwait
2 Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine
     

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The paper investigates the taxonomic composition, diversity and abundance of macrozoobenthos community in Kuwait Bay subtidal zone during different seasons of the year. Material for the study was collected in December 2009, and in March, June and September 2010 from five stations in Kuwait Bay. Seasonal and spatial variability was detected in the measured oceanographic parameters (salinity, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH and turbidity) indicating their dynamic nature. A total of 200 species of macrozoobenthos and representatives of higher taxonomic groups belonging to 10 phyla have been identified from Kuwait's Bay marine environment. The results indicated that species number was largest in polychaetes, gastropods, and bivalved mollusks. The abundance of macrozoobenthos varied from 1,010 to 9,140 individuals/m2 with an average of 2,697 ind/m2. The groups prevailing in Kuwait Bay's zone were polychaetes, gastropods, and crustaceans. Average values of abundance changed slightly by seasons, in the autumn-winter period (December 2009 and September 2010), the number of macrozoobenthos was higher than in the other seasons, and the lowest abundance was observed during summer (June 2010). Based on the outcome of the current project, macrozoobenthos in Kuwait Bay had high species diversity and low dominance level. Some differences in the values of diversity indices were evident between stations but these indices were not found for seasons. This paper revealed that the average number of macrozoobenthos in Kuwait Bay during winter 2009 had increased more than three times when compared to a previous study conducted in winter 2004 for the similar stations in Kuwait Bay.

Keywords

Macrozoobenthos, Subtidal Zone, Abundance, Dominance, Biodiversity, Arabian Gulf, Kuwait
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  • Macrozoobenthos Community Structure during Four Seasons in Kuwait Bay

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Authors

Kholood Al-Rifaie
Aquaculture, Fisheries and Mariculture Enviromental Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research P.O. Box 1638, Salmiyah, 22017, State of Kuwait
Faiza Al-Yamani
Aquaculture, Fisheries and Mariculture Enviromental Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research P.O. Box 1638, Salmiyah, 22017, State of Kuwait
Alan Lennox
Aquaculture, Fisheries and Mariculture Enviromental Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research P.O. Box 1638, Salmiyah, 22017, State of Kuwait
Natalya Boltachova
Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine
Nikolai Revkov
Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine
Vladimir Grintsov
Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine
Elena Kolesnikova
Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine
Vantsetti Murina
Department of Shelf Ecosystems, Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2, Nakhimov ave., Sevastopol, 335011, Ukraine

Abstract


The paper investigates the taxonomic composition, diversity and abundance of macrozoobenthos community in Kuwait Bay subtidal zone during different seasons of the year. Material for the study was collected in December 2009, and in March, June and September 2010 from five stations in Kuwait Bay. Seasonal and spatial variability was detected in the measured oceanographic parameters (salinity, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH and turbidity) indicating their dynamic nature. A total of 200 species of macrozoobenthos and representatives of higher taxonomic groups belonging to 10 phyla have been identified from Kuwait's Bay marine environment. The results indicated that species number was largest in polychaetes, gastropods, and bivalved mollusks. The abundance of macrozoobenthos varied from 1,010 to 9,140 individuals/m2 with an average of 2,697 ind/m2. The groups prevailing in Kuwait Bay's zone were polychaetes, gastropods, and crustaceans. Average values of abundance changed slightly by seasons, in the autumn-winter period (December 2009 and September 2010), the number of macrozoobenthos was higher than in the other seasons, and the lowest abundance was observed during summer (June 2010). Based on the outcome of the current project, macrozoobenthos in Kuwait Bay had high species diversity and low dominance level. Some differences in the values of diversity indices were evident between stations but these indices were not found for seasons. This paper revealed that the average number of macrozoobenthos in Kuwait Bay during winter 2009 had increased more than three times when compared to a previous study conducted in winter 2004 for the similar stations in Kuwait Bay.

Keywords


Macrozoobenthos, Subtidal Zone, Abundance, Dominance, Biodiversity, Arabian Gulf, Kuwait

References