The meiofaunal community structure of a Mediterranean lagoon (Gialova lagoon, Ionian Sea)

Abstract

The higher taxonomic structure of a meiofaunal community was investigated in an Eastern Mediterranean lagoon (Gialova lagoon, Ionian Sea). Seven stations were sampled on a seasonal basis during 1995-1996. Stations within the lagoon were found to support a maximum of 14 meiofaunal taxa with densities ranging from 17 to over 2000 individuals per 10 cm 2 . Nematodes were not always the most abundant taxa, although they dominated about half of the total 28 samples. Uni-and multivariate analyses were employed to study the community structure. The distribution pattern of the meiofaunal community varied both across the lagoon and over the seasons. On the basis of the spatial differences a meiofaunal coenocline, correlated with the degree of isolation, was observed, composed of mainly two zones: one defined by the area close to the marine channel and the other the more isolated area in the inner lagoon. Meiofaunal distribution pattern was not clearly correlated to one environmental variable, but rather to many, and spatial and seasonal effects could be seen.

Meiofaunal Dynamics and Heterogeneity along Salinity and Trophic Gradients in a Mediterranean Transitional System

“…However, an overall high number of richness (i.e., 16 taxa) was recorded in the present study showing levels higher than those documented from both Mediterranean and European transitional water bodies [17][18][19]22,58,59]. Nematodes were the dominant taxon as frequently reported in lagoon systems worldwide [2,17,22,60,61]. This is likely related to their capacity to colonize the fine (suboxic or anoxic) sediments that generally characterize lagoons [19].…”

Biological components of Greek lagoonal ecosystems: an overview

“…The Greek lagoons are not all equally explored scientifically. More attention has been paid to the lagoons of Amvrakikos Bay (NICOLAIDOU & KARLOU, 1983;NICOLAIDOU et al 1985;NICOLAID-OU & KARAKIRI, 1989, REIZOPOULOU et al 1998CHRISTAKI & GOTSIS-SKRETAS, 1990;KORMAS et al 2001, REIZOPOULOU & NICOLAIDOU, 2004 while the most comprehensive study was carried out in Gialova, on the Southwest Peloponnese (ARVANITIDIS et al 1999;PETIHAKIS et al 1999;KOUTSOUBAS et al 2000a,b;McARTHUR et al 2000, TRIAN-TAFYLLOU et al 2000 (Table 2). Different aspects of the numerous eastern Macedonian and Thrace lagoons, such as phytobenthos (OR-FANIDIS et al, 2000, 2001aMALEA et al, 2003MALEA et al, , 2004, zoobenthos (KEVREKIDIS, 1997(KEVREKIDIS, , 2004aGOUVIS & KOUKOURAS, 1993, GOUVIS et al, 1997 and fishes (KOUTRAKIS & TSIKLIRAS, 2003) were also explored.…”

“…Meiobenthos has only been studied in Gialova lagoon, where 18 meiofaunal taxa were found (McARTHUR et al, 2000). These are: foraminiferans, ciliates, cnidarians, turbelarians, gnathostomulids, gastrotrichs, nematodes, nemertines, rotifers, gastropod and bivalve molluscs, annelids, amphipods, harpacticoid copepods, dipteran larvae, bryozoans, holothuroids and ascidians.…”

Impact of Organic Loads and Environmental Gradients on Microphytobenthos and Meiofaunal Distribution in a Coastal Lagoon

“…Nematodes and harpacticoid copepods are usually the two most abundant taxa in marine sediments but this may not be the case in lagoons where they can be easily substituted by turbellarians and oligochaetes due to the large variety of habitats of this ecosystem (Castel, 1992;Millet and Guelorget, 1993). Although microphytobenthos and meiofauna biomass and composition have been extensively investigated in the last decades in several Mediterranean estuarial areas and lagoons (Aissa and Vitiello, 1984;Plante-Cuny et al, 1993;Barranguet et al, 1994;Barranguet and Alliot, 1995;Barranguet, 1997;McArthur et al, 2000), very few studies have been carried out on microphytobenthos and meiofauna distribution in the Italian lagoons (Ceccherelli and Cevidalli, 1981;Colangelo and Ceccherelli, 1994;Facca et al, 2002;Fiordelmondo et al, 2003).…”