Meiofauna and nematode diversity in some Mediterranean subtidal areas of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea

Sediments of three different subtidal areas (15-705 m depth) of the Italian coasts (Manfredonia, Brindisi and Gallipoli) were investigated to study meiofauna and nematode composition. The nematodes were identified to the genus level and their abundances compared using multivariate analysis. Our data...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientia marina 2008-03, Vol.72 (1), p.5-13
Main Authors: Cristiana de Leonardis, Roberto Sandulli, Jan Vanaverbeke, Magda Vicx, Susanna de Zio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
community structure
mediterranean sea
meiobenthos
nematodes
subtidal area
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Sediments of three different subtidal areas (15-705 m depth) of the Italian coasts (Manfredonia, Brindisi and Gallipoli) were investigated to study meiofauna and nematode composition. The nematodes were identified to the genus level and their abundances compared using multivariate analysis. Our data showed an evident depth gradient in meiofauna abundance: the shallowest sites had more diverse and abundant meiobenthic communities than the deeper ones. Nematodes were the dominant taxon (83-100%) at all sites, followed by Copepoda (0.5-8%). Sabatieria, Astomonema, Dorylaimopsis, Terschellingia and Daptonema were among the dominant nematode genera in the three areas. Nematode genus H’ diversities were not significantly dissimilar, though at community level some differences were detected among the study areas. The greatest differences were observed in the comparison of the communities from Manfredonia and Gallipoli. Furthermore, there was a difference between shallow (
ISSN:0214-8358
1886-8134
DOI:10.3989/scimar.2008.72n15