title: Analysis of macrobenthic assemblages and ecological health of Yellow River Delta, China, using AMBI & M-AMBI assessment method.
abstract: Yellow River delta (YRD) is a typical example of a valuable coastal ecosystem that is under increasing anthropogenic threat in China. To understand the current health status of this region, three surveys in 2011 for the abiotic conditions and macrobenthic assemblages were performed. The concentration of trace metals were relatively low in the sediment at all sampling stations representing a good sediment quality. A total of 159 macrobenthic species were identified during the three surveys. ABC curves showed that the macrobenthic fauna at 8 sampling stations suffered disturbances from human activities. M-AMBI index indicates that the benthic ecological quality of YRD is currently still not in a good condition. Five trace metals, water temperature and depth were the main environmental variables affecting the distribution pattern of macrobenthic assemblages. Community succession has occurred over the past 60years, as evidenced by changes of species composition, key species, distribution pattern and range.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
authors.forename: Baoquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS), Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands; University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjeerd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bouma
authors.affiliation: NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS), Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Soissons
authors.affiliation: NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS), Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cozzoli
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
authors.forename: Quanchao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10049, China.
authors.forename: Zhengquan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China. Electronic address: llchen@yic.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007448:Invertebrates; D045483:Rivers
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants
keywords: Biotic indices; Community succession; Ecological health assessment; Macrobenthos; Yellow River delta