Responses of benthic meiofaunal community to an artificial oil contamination

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of oil contamination on community composition of the meiobenthos. Generally, results of investigations on oil-spill effects on meiobenthos are incompatible. The effects of oil spill seemed to be dependent on scale of spilled oil and habitat characteristics. Because of ubiquitous distribution in nature, high abundance, fast reproduction, benthic larva period, sensitivity to pollution and rapid life cycles, meiobenthos are widely regarded as ideal organisms to study the potential ecological effects of natural and anthropogenic impacts. Furthermore, meiobenthos have been suggested as pollution indicators. The community structure of meiobenthos was studied at one control and seven different oil concentrations. Meiobenthic samples were collected at Manri-po beach. Meiofaunal density of high oil concentration was lower than that of low concentration. Density of nematode and N/C ratio results have shown similar results. Two groups were delineated by a CLUSTER analysis of the Bray&#8211 Curtis similarity matrix based on the density of the meiofauna. Group 1 included samples from the control and low concentration samples. Group 2 included samples with High concentration. But, Simprof test showed that Group 1 and 2 were similar group.med to be dependent on scale of spilled oil and habitat characteristics. Because of ubiquitous distribution in nature, high abundance, fast reproduction, benthic larva period, sensitivity to pollution and rapid life cycles, meiobenthos are widely regarded as ideal organisms to study the potential ecological effects of natural and anthropogenic impacts. Furthermore, meiobenthos have been suggested as pollution indicators. The community structure of meiobenthos was studied at one control and seven different oil concentrations. Meiobenthic samples were collected at Manri-po beach. Meiofaunal density of high oil concentration was lower than that of low concentration. Density of nematode and N/C ratio results have shown similar results. Two groups were delineated by a CLUSTER analysis of the Bray&#8211 Curtis similarity matrix based on the density of the meiofauna. Group 1 included samples from the control and low concentration samples. Group 2 included samples with High concentration. But, Simprof test showed that Group 1 and 2 were similar group.