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Meiofaunal stratification in relation to microbial food in a tropical mangrove mud flat

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Meiofaunal stratification in relation to microbial food in a tropical mangrove mud flat
 
Creator Ansari, Z.A.
Sreepada, R.A.
Matondkar, S.G.P.
Parulekar, A.H.
 
Subject meiobenthos
stratification
mangroves
mud flats
metabolites
mangrove swamps
tropical environment
vertical profiles
 
Description The vertical gradients of meiofauna mainly in relation to biochemical changes and microbial abundance in the upper 20 cm of deposit of a mangrove mud flat were studied. Strong vertical gradients in the redox potential (Eh), interstitial water and sedimentary organic compounds were recorded. Microbial and phytobenthos also showed clear vertical gradients and a significant number of bacteria were encountered in the 15-20 cm depth. Abundance of meiofauna followed distinct vertical gradient and the number decreased significantly with increasing depth in the sediment. The reducing environment was characterisEd. by high population of nematodes, turbellarians and harpacticoids. Merofaunal taxa were significantly correlated with Eh and interstitial water of the sediment. Among the meiofaunal food, organic matter, ATP phytobenthic abundance and bacterial counts were positively correlated with meiofaunal density. Biochemical constituents did not yield any significant correlation with meiofauna. Food availability played a supporting role while physical environmental parameters were more important in meiofaunal dispersion in mangrove mud flats
 
Date 2009-05-06T10:31:12Z
2009-05-06T10:31:12Z
1993
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Tropical Ecology, Vol.34; 204-216p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/2796
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [1993]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher International Society of Tropical Ecology, Varanasi, India