Effect of submerged marine debris on the species compositions and community characteristics of the macrobenthos in the subtidal zone of Jeju Island, Korea

Abstract

Submerged marine debris alters local species compositions and the characteristics of benthic communities. However, few studies have explored species composition and characteristics within benthic communities. Here, we investigate the effects of submerged marine debris on the species compositions of the macrobenthos, as well as the characteristics of debris distribution, in subtidal sediments and rocky areas. Our results indicated that, when debris is present in subtidal sediment areas, mobile species (arthropods), which do not typically occur in the subtidal sediment area, are highly abundant dominant. In debris-covered rocky subtidal areas, the number of species, density, diversity, and biomass are all low. The Iwagaki oyster (Magallana nippona; megabenthos; > 1 cm) only occurred at debris-free sites. Our study provides evidence that submerged marine debris affects macrobenthos; however, due to the small number of surveys and short distances between sites, some of these effects remain unclear. As such, we will supplement these data in a future study.