Intra‐annual variation of the spatiotemporal distribution and abundance of Talitridae and Oniscidea (Crustacea, Peracarida) at Bizerte Lagoon (northern Tunisia)

Abstract

During 1 year from spring 2007 to winter 2008, we conducted four seasonal samplings along a transect in the supralittoral zone of Bizerte Lagoon at Menzel Jmil (Tunisia) to study the intra‐annual variation of Peracarida diversity, Talitridae and Oniscidea. For each season, one transect was studied and quadrates were placed successively from the shoreline to the road backing the shore. Talitridae and Oniscidea were the most abundant taxa in our samples reaching highest densities in summer, when fourteen species were found. The minimum and maximum values of species richness of Talitridae were observed in winter (four species) and summer (eight species), respectively, while for Oniscidea, species richness ranged from one species in winter and five species in spring. Both Talitridae and Oniscidea exhibited intra‐annual variation in their spatial distribution; in that, they moved away from the shoreline in winter and were found near the waterline in the other seasons. ANOVA test shows a high significant correlation between both Talitridae with Suaeda maritima and Oniscidea with the plants S. maritima,Salicornia arabica and Obione portulacoides.

Effect of light intensity on the locomotor activity rhythm ofOrchestia montaguiandOrchestia gammarellusfrom the supralittoral zone of Bizerte lagoon (North of Tunisia)

“…Many studies are interested to this family which plays an important ecological role as decomposers of organic matter and are considered as bioindicators of the quality of sandy beach (Griffiths et al 1983;Ketmaier et al 2003). This role was estimated by genetic (De Matthaeis et al 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998Scapini et al 1995;Bulnheim & Schwenzer 1999;Bouslama et al 2001;Ketmaier et al 2003;Bouslama 2009), reproduction, and spatio-temporal distribution Scapini et al 1999;Charfi-Cheikhrouha et al 2000;Gonçalves et al 2003;Marques et al 2003;Bouslama et al 2007;Gambineri & Scapini 2008;Jelassi et al 2012;Jelassi, Zimmer et al 2013), as well as behavioral approaches (Scapini et al 1993;Scapini 1997;Nasri-Ammar & Morgan 2005, 2006Rossano et al 2008, Ayari & Nasri-Ammar 2012a, 2012bJelassi, Akkari-Ayari et al 2013;.…”

Locomotor behaviour in males, females and groups ofOrchestia montagui(Amphipoda, Talitridae) in the supralittoral zone of Bizerte lagoon

“…Talitrid amphipods represent one of the prevailing macrofaunal groups in sandy beaches (Dahl 1946;McLachlan & Jaramillo 1995) and other wetlands (Jelassi et al, 2012, Jelassi et al, 2013a, 2013b. These supralittoral decomposers of biological debris are regarded as a potential bio-indicator of the quality of sandy beaches (Griffiths et al 1983;Ketmaier et al 2003).…”

Biodiversity of Talitridae family (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in some Tunisian coastal lagoons

“…Several studies were focused on the role of environmental factors and showed the influence of factors than others Scapini et al 1995;Scapini and Fasinella 1990;Scapini et al 1999;Scapini and Quochi 1992). Jelassi et al (2012) showed that Talitridae abundance was tightly controlled by air temperature. The highest abundance observed in this site could be also explained by the important recruitment in spring (Jelassi 2014).…”

“…In Tunisia, amphipod communities inhabiting the supralittoral zone of wetlands, other than sandy beaches (Jelassi and Nasri-Ammar 2013;Jelassi et al 2012;Jelassi et al 2013a), have not received much attention. Thus, aims of this study were to produce a list of amphipod species collected in the supralittoral zones of different lagoons, to estimate species richness, abundance, and density, and we focus on environmental factors that may control their spatial distribution.…”

“…This group constitutes one of the dominant macrofaunal groups in sandy beaches (Dahl 1946;McLachlan and Jaramillo 1995). Their ecological relevance has justified worldwide studies, for instance with respect to their behavioral plasticity (Scapini and Fasinella 1990;Scapini et al 1993;Scapini et al 1995), locomotor activity rhythms Morgan 2005, 2006;Ayari and NasriAmmar 2012a, b;Jelassi and Nasri-Ammar 2013;Jelassi et al 2013a, b), the factors influencing their spatial distribution and oriented movements in sandy beach (Scapini and Quochi 1992;Borgioli et al 1999;Scapini et al 1999;Ayari and Nasri-Ammar 2011;Jelassi et al 2012;Jelassi et al 2013c), their behavioral strategies (Fallaci et al 1999), and genetic structure of different populations Bulnheim and Schwenzer 1999). With regard to biodiversity, along the European coasts, talitrid populations have been compared genetically to assess inter-and intraspecific variations .…”