Macro-epibiont assemblages of mangrove forests in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman

Abstract

In mangrove ecosystems, trees and aerial roots provide a hard substrate for the attachment of several groups of epibiont species. However, the diversity and abundance of epibionts varies in different geographic areas and has not been studied in many regions. Here, we studied the species composition, abundance, and biomass of macro-epibionts on Avicennia marina tree surfaces and pneumatophores along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. A total of four species of epibionts were recorded, including an oyster Crassostrea sp., two barnacles Amphibalanus amphitrite and Microeuraphia permitini, and a snail Littoraria intermedia. Species composition did not show significant differences among sites, while abundance and biomass differed significantly. Oysters accounted for the largest proportion of biomass in the epibiont assemblages. In contrast to the distinct vertical distribution of epibionts on tree surfaces, there was no clear geographic distribution pattern of species from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. We suggest that the differences in mangrove epibiont assemblages are largely determined by local hydrographic conditions. These baseline data will contribute to the management and conservation of valuable mangrove ecosystems.