Recovery of meiofauna communities following mudflat disturbance by trampling associated with crab-tiling10.1016/j.marenvres.2007.03.002
Johnson GEL (Johnson, Gareth E. L.), Attrill MJ (Attrill, Martin J.), Sheehan EV (Sheehan, Emma V.), Somerfield PJ (Somerfield, Paul J.)
Abstract: The provision of artificial shelters for the collection of crabs, known as crab-tiling, and the subsequent harvesting of the soft "peeler" crabs for angling bait, are associated with trampling disturbance of intertidal mudflats in the United Kingdom. Recovery of meiofauna communities following crab-tiling activity was investigated on an intertidal mudflat in SW England. Harvesting of experimental plots was reproduced six times over a 2-week period. Meiofauna was collected at low tides 12 h, 36 h, and 144 h after treatment. Meiofaunal and nematode abundance, and nematode species number, was significantly greater in controls compared to crab-tile stations at 12 h. At 36 h and 144 h there were no significant differences between treatments, indicating recovery had occurred in 12-36 h. Multivariate analysis showed nematode assemblage composition from control plots to be significantly different from crab-tile plots at 12 h. No significant differences were observed between sediment physical parameters with treatment. Results suggest that the predominant effect of disturbance may be vibration-induced burial, which causes nematodes to bury deeper into the sediment, beyond the depth sampled, and explains the rapid recovery.
Keywords: meiofauna; recovery; crab-tiling; disturbance; nematodes
A new species of Xenotrichulidae (Gastrotricha) from southern and southeastern USA
Hummon WD (Hummon, William D.), Todaro MA (Todaro, M. Antonio)
Source: CAHIERS DE BIOLOGIE MARINE 48 (3): 297-302 2007
Abstract: A new gastrotrich, Xenotrichula paralineata sp. nov., is described from the Gulf coast at Biloxi, Mississippi. The species is characterized as the only medium sized xenotrichulid species, lacking tentacles, that has locomotor cirri of similar size, pedunculated dorsal scales, ovoid pluria, an oval patch of 14 transverse scales atop the head, 9 medial scales per furcal branch, cirri beneath the gut at U47, and a furcal indentation to U82. It is here distinguished from its Mediterranean sibling species, Xenotrichula lineata Schrom, 1972.
Keywords: Gastrotricha; Xenotrichulidae; Meiofauna; systematics; Italy; USA; new species
http://portal.isiknowledge.com/portal.cgi?DestApp=WOS&Func=Frame
No comments:
Post a Comment