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Environmental factors affecting nematode community structure in the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2008

E. Hua ,
Z.N. Zhang  and
Y. Zhang
E. Hua
Affiliation:
College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
Z.N. Zhang*
Affiliation:
College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
Y. Zhang
Affiliation:
College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Z.N. Zhang, College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, People's Republic of China email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper describes the major features of nematode assemblages collected at 18 stations in the Changjiang River estuary and its adjacent waters and identifies dominant species within communities in relation to environmental parameters. Meiofauna from the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent waters comprised 21 major taxa of higher categories. Subsamples of nematodes were extracted and identified to the species level. In general, the nematode community structure was similar to that of muddy sublittoral areas world-wide. The most abundant genera were Daptonema, Cobbia, Sabatieria, Dorylaimopsis and Terschellingia, accounting for 50.0%. The studied area exhibited high nematode abundance and high species biodiversity. Measurements of environmental factors were made, including grain size, salinity, temperature, sediment organic matter content, Chl-a and Phaeo-a. Different combinations of environmental variables are responsible for the meiofauna and nematode communities' structures. However, BIOENV results indicate that water depth, salinity, Chl-a, Phaeo-a and silt–clay content were more closely linked to variation in meiofauna (mainly nematode) community structure in the studied area. Among these, water depth, salinity, Chl-a and Phaeo-a were most responsible for nematode assemblage discrimination in the studied area.

Keywords

environmental factorsnematodescommunity structureChiangjiang EstuaryPeople's Republic of China
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 109 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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