Data Regarding Qualitative and Quantitative Composition of Benthic Populations from Musura Bay-Danube Delta, Romania

Abstract

Abstract:The present paper refers to some data regarding zoobenthic communities from one of northern lagoon of the Danube delta, known as Musura bay (ROSCI0065, coded as coastal lagoon *1150). Faunal composition is influenced by the mixture of waters from the Danube and the marine coastal zone. According to monitored areas, there are dominant freshwater or marine invertebrates forming populations that live in the sediments. The aim of this paper is to offer a view of the endopsammic and endopelitic benthic communities from Musura bay, during two years of observations (2013 and 2014) and analyze the seasonal dynamics of invertebrates' populations. Based on quantitative samples collected from infralittoral zone, the paper presents the qualitative structure and a quantitative analyze (abundance, constancy-F%, dominance-D% and W D %) of invertebrate populations from all taxa (belonging to Foraminifera, Nematoda, Gasteropoda, Oligochaeta, Polychaeta, Ostracoda, Copepoda, Cumacea, Amphipoda and Chironomidae etc.) found in the researched zones, in connection with variation of local ecological conditions. Some considerations regarding the role of invertebrates' populations as food resources for lagoon fishes are done.