Investigations of the Benthos of Mangrove Coastal Lagoons in Southern Cuba

Abstract

Benthic studies were undertaken in two mangrove-lagoons on the south coast of Cuba. Both lagoons are approximately 30-50 cm deep and the tidal range is 15-20cm. There is little influx of fresh water, and the lagoons are normally euhaline. Most of the lagoon bottom is not colonized by plants, although filamentous algae (Cladophma and Enteromorphu spp.) and Thlassia testzddium grow in a few places. Meiobenthic organisms account for 92 0,b of the invertebrates in the benthic zone of the lagoon. The five most common taxn (Nematoda, Copepoda, Tanaidacea, Oligochaeta, Polychaeta) account for 88-94 0 ; of the total number of individuals in Tolete Lagoon and in Basto Lngoon the five most common taxa (Nematoda, Copepoda, Ostracoda, Amphipoda, Polychaeta) account for 97-98 (1 ,,. Biomasses were 26.8 g/m? in Tolete and 20.2 g/m2 in Basto Lagoon.The dominant taxon on the roots of Khimphora nlangle is Crustarea (Balanus eburneus, B. recurrus and Corophizon insidiosurn), accounting for over 60 (1 of the total number of individuals. They are fol loned by molluscs (Cmsaostren rhizophorn) and the polychaetes (Berpulids).

Relationship of Free - Lingving Nematode Communities to Some Environmental Characteristics in the Organic Shrimp Farms, Ca Mau Province

“…The results of this study indicated that the FLNC in the TGOSFP has characterized by high abundances and diversity. The density of FLNC in the TGOSFP was higher than observed in several studies such in Can Gio mangrove mudflat (1,156 -2,032 inds/10cm 2 ) [23], Bengal mangrove, India (35 -280 inds/10 cm 2 ) [24], South Cuba mangrove (36 -245 inds/10 cm 2 ) [25] and in Hinchinbrook Island, Australia (14 -1,840 inds/10 cm 2 ) [26]. Furthermore, the abundances of FLNC in the TGOSFP were similar to the more recently observed in Gazi Bay, Kenya (1,976 -6,707 inds/10cm 2 ) [27].…”

The meiobenthos of five mangrove vegetation types in Gazi Bay, Kenya

“…10 cm-'). Lalana-Rueda & Gosselck (1986) in contrast found the copepods to be the second most common .taxon in terms of individual dominance.…”

“…Copepods, polychaetes, gastrotrichs, larvae of crustaceans and insects only appeared sporadically. The five most important taxa in the Toledo Lagoon were nematodes, copepods, Tanaidacea, oligochaetes and polychaetes and in the Basto Lagoon nematodes, copepods, ostracods, amphipods and polychaetes (Lalana-Rueda & Gosselck, 1986). Among the different sampling sites, Rhizophora and Sonneratia sediments contained the highest abundance (respectively 89 and 95%) of nematodes, but also had the highest mud content (respectively 4 and 3 %).…”

“…Most publications on the distribution of meiobenthos in mangrove sediments focus on the upper layers of the sediment, while studies on vertical distribution are scarce (Gerlach, 1958;Decraemer & Coomans, 1978;Hodda & Nicholas, 1985;Dye & Lasiak, 1986;Lalana-Rueda & Gosselck, 1986;Alongi, 1987a, b). Only two studies examine the meiobenthos densities in deeper layers (Dye, 1983a;Nicholas et al, 1991).…”

Zonación vertical del macrobentos de sustratos sólidos del estuario del río Massangana, Bahía de Suape, Pernambuco, Brasil

“…Las comunidades bentónicas observadas en el estuario estudiado presentaron el mismo patrón de zonación vertical de los invertebrados de manglares, en los niveles supra, medio e infralitoral, con coincidencias al nivel de especies para el Brasil (Araújo & Maciel 1979, Nunes & Almeida 1979, Aveline 1980, Silva-Brum & Absalão 1989, Rosa-Filho & Farrapeira-Assunção 1998, Farrapeira et al 2000, Beasley et al 2005, Farrapeira 2006, 2008 y para otras localidades del Océano Atlántico tropical (Plaziat 1984, Por 1984, Ellison & Farnsworth 1992, Lalana-Rueda & Gosselk 2007, Romero-Murillo & Polanía 2008. Merece destacarse la región intermareal media, definida como "zona balanoide", caracterizada por la presencia de cirripedios Amphibalanus amphitrite, A. improvisus y A. reticulatus y ostras Crassostrea rhizophorae (Rosa-Filho & Farrapeira-Assunção, 1998), que en el estuario estudiado presentó un predominio de Bostrychietum.…”