Spatial Patterns of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Intertidal Areas of a Southern European Estuary: The Tagus, Portugal |
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Authors: | Ana Maria Rodrigues Sónia Meireles Teresa Pereira Alice Gama Victor Quintino |
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Institution: | (1) Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e Mar – CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal |
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Abstract: | This study characterizes the composition and spatial distribution patterns of the benthic macrofauna in the intertidal mudflats
of the Tagus estuary, western Portugal. A total of 68 species, more than 226,000 specimens with a total wet weight biomass
of approximately 1170 g were identified in 380 sites. The species Streblospio shrubsolii, Cyathura carinata, Tharyx sp., Hydrobia ulvae and Tubificids were the most common and abundant. Scrobicularia plana strongly dominated the biomass. The invertebrate macrofauna of the Tagus estuary shows similarities to what is known from
other temperate mudflats. The diversity of species, their overall abundance and the ratio of Molluscs plus Crustaceans to
Polychaete species corroborate the distinctiveness between temperate and tropical mudflats and sandflats. The spatial distribution
of the fauna reflects the sediment characteristics but the relationship between the environmental and the biological data
is not as strong as obtained for sublittoral areas. This relationship diminishes from the sublittoral shelf to sublittoral
estuarine areas, showing minimum values in this study, suggesting that such a relationship is less straightforward as natural
disturbance increases. Nevertheless, a mixture of grain-size, elevation (inundation time) and particular habitats (relic oyster
beds) form the best explanatory factors for the spatial distribution patterns of the intertidal benthic macrofauna of the
Tagus estuary. |
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Keywords: | spatial patterns benthic macroinvertebrates intertidal Tagus estuary |
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