Ecological Studies of the Macrobenthic Fauna of Ashtoum El-Gamil Protectorate, Port Said

Elshenawy1, Nagwa; Ibrahim, Nesreen; Sharaf, Gibree

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2015.2277

Ecological Studies of the Macrobenthic Fauna of Ashtoum El-Gamil Protectorate, Port Said

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Ashtoum El-Gamil protectorate, Egyptian Environmental Affair Agency, Port-Said, Egypt.

² Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

10.21608/ejabf.2015.2277

Abstract

Macrobenthic invertebrates samples were collected seasonally from five stations, selected according to their environmental ecosystem (marine, brackish and fresh) in Ashtoum El-Gamil protected area. This protectorate is located in the north western part of Lake Manzala. Macrobenthic community was found including thirty five species belonging to four groups. Of these species, 3 Polychaetes, 19 gastropods, 7 bivalves and 6 crustacean. Some of them are freshwater species and others are marine. Gastropods were dominated other groups, the highest average standing crop was recorded in station V. Macrobenthic fauna reached its maximum average value in spring in the whole area, while winter was the minimum productive season. Environmental parameter and nature of the sediment were important factors affecting distribution and abundance of macro benthic invertebrates. But It has been found that the percentage of the live organisms which have been monitored do not exceed 7% of total organisms.

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