title: Distribution patterns of macrobenthic species in relation to organic enrichment within aquaculture earthen ponds.
abstract: The relationship between organic enrichment and macrobenthic colonization patterns was investigated during an 8-month period in Diplodus sargus (white seabream) production ponds. A stratified sampling design was applied and each pond was divided into three zones: water entrance (WE); central (C); and automatic feeder zones (AF). Generally, the number of species and Shannon-Wiener diversity increased from the WE to the AF zone. Abundance did not present a clear trend. The recently developed marine biotic index (AMBI) was applied and showed to be sufficiently robust to discriminate, within a relatively small area, differences in macrobenthic communities due to organic enrichment. Nevertheless, caution is advised when applying this index or others based on ecological group's assignment, as the classification of a certain area may differ when allocating a certain species to an unsuitable group. This is particularly evident when common species are involved.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e das Pescas (INIAP/IPIMAR), Centro Regional de Investigação Pesqueira do Sul (CRIPSul), Av. 5 de Outubro, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal. scarvalho@cripsul.ipimar.pt <scarvalho@cripsul.ipimar.pt>
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barata
authors.forename: Fábio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Miguel B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cancela da Fonseca
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pousão-Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D044822:Biodiversity; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011156:Population Density; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000502:physiology; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D009584:Nitrogen; D000077194:Chlorophyll A