Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of ecosystem engineering caused by reefs of Sabellaria wilsoni (Polychaeta: Sabellariidae) on the meiofauna community of Algodoal Island, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Two types of sandy reefs (ball and platform structures) as well as the surrounding sandy sediments of two distinct beaches (low tide terrace and dissipative) were studied. Sampling was carried out at each location in June (rainy season) and December (dry season) 2008, along two profiles perpendicular to the coastal line. A total of 22 taxa of meiofauna were found, with average density of 1,774.2 ind/10 cm2. Nematoda was the dominant taxon in all seasons and at all locations. ANOVA testing showed that, of the univariate parameters, only richness was significantly different between environments. PERMANOVA highlighted significant differences in the interaction between the environmental factors, as well as between types of reefs and beaches. Changes in structural and abiotic factors led to higher diversity in the reefs, indicating the importance of S. wilsoni as an ecosystem engineer in this Amazonian estuarine sandy beach environment.
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