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Volume 13, Issue 1 - March 2013

 

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Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada
Volume 13, Número 1, Março 2013, Páginas 101-111

DOI: 10.5894/rgci371
* Submission: 20 October 2012; Evaluation: 25 November 2012; Revised manuscript:
15 February 2013; Accepted: 20 February 2013; Available on-line: 5 March 2013

Factors affecting the distribution of epibenthic biodiversity in the Cávado estuary (NW Portugal) *

Fatores que afetam a distribuição da biodiversidade epibentónica do estuário do Cávado (NW Portugal)

A. N. Carvalho @, 1, P. T. Santos 1


@ - Corresponding author [email protected]
1 - Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Ciências, Rua Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal / CIIMAR – Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal


ABSTRACT
The epibenthic fauna of the lower Cávado estuary at five sampling stations was studied over a period of two years. We examined the spatial and seasonal distribution of different species and analysed temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, precipitation and sediment type, which are all important features of estuarine dynamics. A total of 15 taxa were identified. Crustaceans had the highest levels of abundance (91%) and biomass (87%). Crangon crangon was the most abundant species (75%) and Carcinus maenas had the highest biomass (71%). No exotic species were recorded. Multivariate analysis showed two different spatial assemblages, one corresponding to stations nearest to the mouth (higher abundance values) and other to the upstream stations. The Shannon diversity index was highest at the margin station further upstream. Three different assemblages could be distinguished, separating summer/autumn (higher values of abundance) from spring and from winter.
According to BIOENV analysis, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and salinity were the environmental variables responsible for the spatial and seasonal distribution of epibenthos, explaining 17.2% of variability. Abundance and biomass were better correlated with water temperature. Sediment type was also important in epibenthic spatial distribution, being abundance, biomass and diversity indexes better correlated with fine sediment (<0.125mm).

Keywords: epibenthos; estuarine ecosystem; diversity; environmental variables

RESUMO
A fauna epibentónica do estuário inferior do Rio Cávado foi estudada em cinco estações de amostragem durante um período de dois anos. Apresentamos a distribuição espacial e sazonal das diferentes espécies e uma análise da temperatura, salinidade, oxigénio dissolvido, precipitação e tipo de sedimento, sendo todas, importantes características da dinâmica estuarina. Foram identificados um total de 15 taxa. Os crustáceos apresentaram os valores mais elevados de abundância (91%) e biomassa (87%). Crangon crangon foi a espécie mais abundante (75%) e Carcinus maenas apresentou o valor de biomassa mais elevado (71%). Nenhuma espécie exótica foi registada neste estuário. Análise multivariada mostrou dois grupos espaciais diferentes, um correspondendo às estações de amostragem mais próximas da boca do estuário (valores mais elevados de abundância) e outro às estações de montante. O valor do índice de diversidade de Shannon foi mais elevado a montante na estação localizada na margem. Três grupos diferentes podem ser distinguidos, separando o verão/outono (valores elevados de abundância) da primavera e do inverno.
Segundo a análise BIOENV, o oxigénio dissolvido, a temperatura e a salinidade da água, foram as variáveis ambientais responsáveis pela distribuição espacial e sazonal dos epibentos, explicando 17.2% da variabilidade. A abundância e a biomassa estiveram melhor correlacionadas com a temperatura. O tipo de sedimento também foi importante na distribuição espacial dos epibentos, sendo que a abundância, biomassa e índices de diversidade estiveram melhor correlacionados com o sedimento fino (<0.125mm).

Palavras-Chave: epibentos; ecossistema estuarino; diversidade; variáveis ambientais



 

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