Comparison of macrofaunal assemblages in temperate seagrass meadows and neighboring seabeds along the southeastern coast of Shandong Peninsula, China

Abstract

Comparative study of macrofaunal assemblages in seagrass meadows and neighboring seabeds along the southeastern coast of Shandong Peninsula, China were performed. A total of 136 species were identified, including polychaetes (49 species), crustaceans (28), molluscs (58), and echinoderms (1). Species numbers of macrofauna in seagrass meadows and the neighboring seabeds were 52 and 65, respectively, whereas those in autumn were 90 and 56, respectively. Average macrofaunal abundances in spring in seagrass and neighboring seabeds were 2388.9 and 2516.7 ind./m2, respectively, whereas those in autumn were 11,689.0 and 1733.3 ind./m2, respectively. Ranges of species richness index, evenness index, and Shannon-Wiener index in seagrass meadows and the neighboring seabeds were 1.3–2.7, 0.7–0.9, 2.8–3.8, and 1.04–2.4, 0.5–0.9, 1.6–3.4 during spring, whereas those in autumn were 0.1–4.2, 0.3–0.8, 0.8–3.6 and 1.4–3.5, 0.5–0.9, 2.2–4.5. Bottom water temperature, salinity, sediment chlorophyll a concentration, and water content were the most important environmental factors influencing macrofaunal assemblages.