Structural and compositional dynamics of macroinvertebrates and their relation to environmental variables in Buenaventura Bay

Abstract

Buenaventura the to environmental distribution bay of is variables. macroinvertebrates characterized The objective by a in great the of bay dynamic the and present its of habitat, work environmental was however to determine variables. it is necessary the There espatio-temporal to is document descriptive on variation information its dynamics in the concerning in structure relation and composition of macroinvertebrates and their relationship with the environmental variables. Four sampling (April-June-September-November) were carried out throughout 2015, in four stations (Estuary River-Internal Estuary-External Estuary-Marine Estuary). At each station three samples of sediments, physicochemical variables of the water and macroinvertebrates were collected. A total of 532 individuals were found in 17 species and 9 families. The abundance varied from 0.7±1.2 to 29.7±7.4 individuals per trawl and the richness varied from 0.3±1.2 to 4.7±1.2 species per trawl. The multiple regression analysis suggests an influence of the variables salinity and percentage of clays on the structure and composition of macroinvertebrates in the bay. The abundance and richness of macroinvertebrates was higher when the salinity conditions prevailed in the estuary. © 2018 INVEMAR. All rights reserved.