Temporal and spatial patterns of annelid populations in intertidal sediments of the Quequén Grande estuary (Argentina)

Abstract

Temporal and spatial patterns of polychaete and oligochaete populations inhabiting intertidal sediments of the Quequen Grande estuary (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) were analysed monthly during a yearly period. Local sediments are poorly selected, very fine sands, with a high percentage of mud. Two sites, located at both banks of the estuary were studied: (1) Site N, with a comparatively steep slope and percentage of mud increasing with sediment depth; (2) Site Q, with a gentle slope and percentage of mud increasing towards the sediment surface. The assemblage of annelids was characterised by a very low specific richness, being composed just by 4 species: the polychaetes Laeonereis acuta, Boccardiella ligerica and Capitella sp., and the tubificid oligochaete Ilyodrilus cf. frantzi. Density of the nereid L. acuta reached a peak in late summer and a minimum in spring. The population of Capitella sp. also showed maximum densities in summer, but collapsed during early fall, disappearing completely from the study area. Densities of I. cf. frantzi were highly variable in time and space. Three of the 4 species showed maximum densities at site Q, where mud content was highest at the sediment surface. At this sampling site, most of the L. acuta population occurred within the upper 8 cm of the substrate. On the contrary, at site N, where mud and organic matter content increased with depth, this species was more abundant at subsurface layers (8–16 cm) than at the sediment surface.