Abstract

GUZMAN ALVIS, Angela I.; SOLANO, Oscar D.; CORDOBA TEJADA, Marlon E.  and  LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ, Angela C.. MACROINFAUNAL COMMUNITIES OF SHALLOW TROPICAL SOFT BOTTOMS (COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN). Bol. Invest. Mar. Cost. [online]. 2001, vol.30, n.1, pp.39-66. ISSN 0122-9761.

With the aim to characterize the soft-bottom macrofauna and its spatial and temporal distribution patterns in the Santa Marta area, a two years sampling program was performed at depths between 7 to 60m. Density, biomass and diversity of the community were determined. The BIOENV method was applied in order to relate the distribution of the associations and the environmental variables (depth, turbidity, organic matter, organic carbon, organic nitrogen, organic phosphorus and median particle diameter). A density of 1499 indiv x m-2 and 10.9 g x m-2 wet biomass were obtained. The collected organisms belonged to six taxa: polychaetes, crustaceans, sipunculids, molluscs, bryozoans, and echinoderms; the first one was the most important in terms of abundance and biomass. Four clusters were obtained following a depth gradient, but no clear temporal pattern became evident. Due to a large number of generalist genera among the clusters, a sole community conformed by several zones with diffuse boundaries was defined. Depth is the variable which better explains the distribution of the community; the corresponding correlation coefficient was high in comparison with other macrobenthos studies carried out in the Caribbean as well as in temperate, unpolluted areas. In the Caribbean, depth alone, or with other variables, exhibits the best relationship with the biological structural patterns.

Keywords : Marine macrobenthos; Communities structure; Distribution patterns; Tropical soft-bottoms; Colombian Caribbean.

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