Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T08:26:04.590Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Structure of benthic macroinvertebrates and dynamics in the northern lagoon of Tunis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2009

S. Tlig-Zouari ,
T. Mami  and
F. Maamouri
S. Tlig-Zouari*
Affiliation:
Research Unit of Biology, Ecology and Parasitology of Aquatic Organisms, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Campus, El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
T. Mami
Affiliation:
Research Unit of Biology, Ecology and Parasitology of Aquatic Organisms, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Campus, El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
F. Maamouri
Affiliation:
Research Unit of Biology, Ecology and Parasitology of Aquatic Organisms, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Campus, El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: S. Tlig-Zouari, Research Unit of Biology, Ecology and Parasitology of Aquatic Organisms, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University Campus, El Manar, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia email: s.zouaritlig@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Sampling data on abiotic parameters and benthic communities in the northern lagoon of Tunis were obtained seasonally from November 1999 to November 2000. Abiotic parameters studied revealed evident improvement of water quality compared with previous. Indeed, management has re-established a tidal marine influence (Gulf of Tunis), induced a remarkable change in physico-chemical parameters and as a consequence, a regulation of the lagoon environmental quality. A total of 90 species of benthic macroinvertebrates, belonging to seven different taxa were collected in the northern lagoon of Tunis. A comparison of ecological indices indicate significant variations in the spatial and seasonal distribution and structure of the benthic community and reflect changes that might be related to open marine water and climatic influences as well as effects of discharge of the neighbouring city. Generally, the lagoon macrobenthic community appeared to be better structured, richer and more diverse than the one described before sanitation works began. However, significant disturbance of the benthic communities is detected in the south-eastern lagoon zone (C) and is dominated by disturbance indicator species. In contrast, the Station A2 which is sufficiently influenced by marine currents, is dominated by species of marine affinity and indicates an undisturbed zone. Multivariate analysis indicates heterogeneity in the benthic community structure between stations and suggests that the most significant variations of abundance occur in the groups: Anthozoa, Placophora, Cephalopoda, Ascidia and Echinodermata. The results of correspondence analysis also testify to a gradational distribution of benthic species in relation to hydrological and edaphic (organic matter) factors.

Keywords

macroinvertebratespollutionsanitation worksbiodiversitylagoon of Tunis
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 7 , November 2009 , pp. 1305 - 1318
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Amanieu, M., Guelorget, O. and Michel, P. (1977) Richesse et diversité de la macrofaune benthique de la lagune littorale méditerrenéenne de Prévost. Vie et Milieu 27, 85–109.Google Scholar
Basset, A., Galuppo, A. and Sabetta, T. (2006) Environmental heterogeneity and benthic macroinvertebrate guilds in Italian lagoons. Transitional Waters Bulletin 1, 48–63.Google Scholar
Bazairi, H., Bayed, A. and Hily, C. (2005) Structure et bio-évaluation de l’état écologique des communautés benthiques d'un écosystème lagunaire de la côte atlantique marocaine. Comptes Rendus Biologiques 328, 977–990.Google Scholar
Belkhir, M. and Hadj Ali Salem, M. (1981) Contribution à l'étude des mécanismes d'eutrophisation dans le lac de Tuni: évolution des paramètres physico-chimiques et biologiques. Bulletin de l' Institute National Scientifique Technologique et Océanographique, Pêche Salammbô 8, 81–98.Google Scholar
Ben Charrada, R. (1992) Le lac de Tunis après les aménagements. Paramètres physico-Chimiques de l'eau et relation avec la croissance des macroalgues. Marine Life 1, 29–44.Google Scholar
Ben Maiz, N. (1992) Analyse de la qualité des eaux et évolution des peuplements végétaux du lac nord de Tunis. Rapport Interne, Société de Promotion du Lac de Tunis (S.P.L.T.P.) p. 28 + annexes 1 & 2.Google Scholar
Ben Maiz, N. (1993) Evolution des peuplements phytobenthiques après les travaux d'assainissement du lac nord de Tunis. In Boudouresque, C.F., Avon, M. and Pergent-Martini, C. (eds) Qualité du milieu marin. Indicateurs biologiques et physico-chimiques. France: Gis Posidonie Publication, pp. 89–104.Google Scholar
Blanchet, G., Montaudouin, PCh. and Bachelet, G. (2005) Structuring factors and recent changes in subtidal macrozoobenthic communities of a coastal lagoon, Arcachon Bay (France). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 64, 561–576.Google Scholar
Borja, A., Franco, J. and Pérez, V. (2000) A marine biotic index to establish the ecological quality of soft-bottom benthos within European estuarine and coastal environments. Marine Pollution Bulletin 40, 1100–1114.Google Scholar
Bruun, A.F. (1940) Etudes quantitatives sur la faune du lac de Tunis et du golfe de Tunis dans la région de Salammbô. Bulletin Station Océanographique Slammbô 40, 3–20.Google Scholar
Casagranda, C., Dridi, M.S. and Boudouresque, ChF. (2006) Abundance, population structure and production of macro-invertebrate shredders in a Mediterranean brackish lagoon, Lake Ishkeul, Tunisia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 65, 437–446.Google Scholar
Chaouati, A. and Bayed, A. (2005) Diversité taxonomique et structure de la macrofaune benthique des substrats meubles de la lagune de Smir. Travaux de l'Institut Scientifique Rabat 4, 33–42.Google Scholar
Clanzig, J. (1991) Le benthos de la lagune de Biguglia (Corse), tendances évolutives du milieu. Document CIEL1 2, 1–53.Google Scholar
Cognetti, G. and Maltagliati, F. (2000) Biodiversity and adaptative mechanisms in brackish water fauna. Marine Pollution Bulletin 40, 7–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooksey, C. and Hyland, J. (2007) Sediment quality of the lower St. Johns River, Florida: an integrative assessment of benthic fauna, sediment associated stressors, and general habitat characteristics. Marine Pollution Bulletin 54, 9–21.Google Scholar
Crouzet, P. (1973) L'hydrologie de la lagune nord de Tunis (Tunisie). Annals Institut Océanographique, Paris 49, 29–47.Google Scholar
Cruz-Motta, J.J. and Collins, J. (2004) Impacts of dredged material disposal on a tropical soft bottom benthic assemblage. Marine Pollution Bulletin 48, 270–280.Google Scholar
Glemarec, M. and Grall, J. (2000) Les groupes écologiques et zoologiques d'invertébrés marins face aux dégradations de l'environnement côtier. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France 125, 37–48.Google Scholar
Gray, J.S. (1979) Pollution-induced changes in populations. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, London. Series B 286, 545–561.Google ScholarPubMed
Guelorget, O., Perthhuisot, J.P., Frisoni, G.F. and Monti, D. (1987) Le rôle du confinement dans l'organisation biogéologique de la lagune de Nador (Maroc). Oceanologica Acta 10, 435–444.Google Scholar
Heldt, J.H. (1952) Eaux rouges. Bulletin de la Société Histoire Naturelle,Tunisie 5, 103–106.Google Scholar
Heldt, J.H. (1953) Mercierella enigmatica Fauvel et le comblement éventuel du lac de Tunis. Bulletin de l'Institut National Scientifique Technologique et Océanographique, Pêche Salammbô 33, 1–7.Google Scholar
Hill, M.O. (1974) Correspondence analysis; a neglected multivariate method. Applied Statistics 23, 340–354.Google Scholar
Keene, W.C. (1980) The importance of a reef-forming polychaete, Mercierella enigmatica Fauvel, in the oxygen and nutrient dynamics of a hypereutrophic subtropical lagoon. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 11, 167–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knoppers, B. (1994) Aquatic primary production in coastal lagoons. In Kjerfve, B. (ed.) Coastal lagoon processes. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers, pp. 243–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koutsoubas, D., Arvanitidis, C., Dounas, C. and Drummond, L. (2000) Community structure and dynamics of the molluscan fauna in a Mediterranean lagoon (Giolova lagoon, sw Greece). Belgian Journal of Zoology 130 (Supplement 1), 131–138.Google Scholar
Lancellotti, D.A. and Stotz, W.B. (2004) Effects of shoreline discharge of iron mine tailings on a marine soft-bottom community in northern Chile. Marine Pollution Bulletin 48, 303–312.Google Scholar
Legendre, P. and Legendre, L. (1998) Numerical ecology. 2nd English edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier, xv+. 853 pp.Google Scholar
Lercari, D., Defeo, O. and Celentano, E. (2002) Consequences of a freshwater canal discharge on the benthic community and its habitat on an exposed sandy beach. Marine Pollution Bulletin 44, 1397–1404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mistri, M., Rossi, R. and Fano, A. (2001) Structure and secondary production of a soft bottom macrobenthic community in a brackish lagoon (Sacca di Goro, north-eastern Italy). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 52, 605–616.Google Scholar
Mistri, M., Ghion, F., Modugno, S. and Rossi, R. (2002) Response of macrobenthic communities to an hydraulic intervention in an enclosed lagoon (Valle di Gorino, northern Italy). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 82, 771–778.Google Scholar
Mouillot, D., Laune, J., Tomasini, J.A., Aliaune, C., Brehmer, P., Dutrieux, E. and Do Chi, T. (2005) Assessment of coastal lagoon quality with taxonomic diversity indices of fish, zoobenthos and macrophyte communities. Hydrobiologia 550, 121–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nanami, A., Saito, S., Akita, T., Motomatsu, K. and Kuahara, H. (2005) Spatial distribution and assemblage structure of macrobenthic invertebrates in a brackish lake in relation to environmental variables. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 63, 167–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olsgard, F. and Gray, J.S. (1995) A comprehensive analysis of the effects of offshore oil and gas exploration and production on the benthic communities of the Norwegian continental shelf. Marine Ecology Progress Series 122, 277–306.Google Scholar
Paganelli, D., Sconfietti, R. and Marchini, A. (2005) The community of crustacean pericarids as indicator of spatial heterogeneity in two Adriatic lagoons: Sacca di Goro (Ferrara) and Lesina lagoon (Foggia). XV Congresso della Italiana di Ecologia—Torino, 1–7.Google Scholar
Pearson, T.H. and Rosenberg, R. (1978) Macrobenthic succession in relation to organic enrichment and pollution of the marine environment. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 16, 229–311.Google Scholar
Perez-Ruzafa, A. and Marcos Dego, C. (1993) La teorie del confinamiento como modelo para explicar la estructura y zonation horizontal de las communidades bentonicas en las lagunas costeras. Publicaciones Especiales. Instituto Español Oceanografia 11, 347–358.Google Scholar
Pielou, E.C. (1966) Shannon's formula as a measure of specific diversity: its use and measure. American Naturalist 100, 463–465.Google Scholar
Reizopoulou, S. and Nicolaidou, A. (2004) Benthic diversity of coastal brackish-water lagoons in western Greece. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Fresh Water Ecosystems 14, 93–102.Google Scholar
Reizopoulou, S. and Nicolaidou, A. (2007) Index of size ditribution (ISD): a method of quality assessment for coastal lagoons. Hydrobiologia 577: 141–149.Google Scholar
Rosenberg, R. (2001) Marine benthic faunal successional stages and related sedimentary activity. Scientia Marina 62, 107–119.Google Scholar
Rueda, J.L. and Salas, C. (2003) Seasonal variation of a molluscan assemblage living in a Caulerpa prolifera meadow within the inner Bay Càdiz (SW Spain). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 57, 909–918.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salas, F., Patricio, J., Marcos, C., Pardal, M.A., Pérez-Ruzafa, A. and Marques, J.C. (2006) Are taxonomic distinctness measures compliant to other ecological indicators in assessing ecological status? Marine Pollution Bulletin 52, 162–174.Google Scholar
Shannon, C.E. and Weaver, W. (1963) The mathematical theory of communication. Urbana, Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 117 pp.Google Scholar
Shin, P.K.S., Huang, Z.G. and Wu, R.S.S. (2004) An updated baseline of subtropical macrobenthic communities in Hong Kong. Marine Pollution Bulletin 49, 119–141.Google Scholar
Simboura, N. and Zenetos, A. (2002) Benthic indicators to use in ecological quality classification of Mediterranean soft bottom marine ecosystems, including a new biotic index. Mediterranean Marine Science 3, 77–111.Google Scholar
Tagliapietra, D., Pavan, M. and Wagner, C. (1998) Macrobenthic community changes related to eutrophication in Palude della Rosa (Venetian lagoon, Italy). Eustuarine, Costal and Shelf Science 47, 217–226.Google Scholar
Tlig Zouari, S., Mami, Th. and Maamouri Mokhtar, F. (1999) Diversité spécifique des peuplements macrobenthiques après l'aménagement du lac nord de Tunis. 1ère Journal, Franco-Tunisiennes de Zoologie, 20–21.Google Scholar
Trabelsi, B., Shili, A. and Ben Maiz, N. (2001) Marine flora of the north lake of Tunis 12 years after its restoration. MEDCOST 01, E. Ozhan, 23–27.Google Scholar
Van Berk, A.H. and Oostinga, H. (1992) North Lake of Tunis and its shores: restoration and development. Terra et Aqua 49, 23–32.Google Scholar
Vuillemin, S. (1952) Les récifs à Mercierella enigmatica Fauvel. Bulletin Société Sciences Naturelle, Tunisie 5, 209–211.Google Scholar
Ward, J.H. (1963) Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function. Journal of the American Statistical Association 58, 236–244.Google Scholar
Warwick, R.M. and Clarke, K.R. (1991) A comparison of some methods for analysing changes in benthic community structure. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 71, 225–244.Google Scholar
Young-Seuk, P., Mi-Young, S., Young-Cheal, P., Kyung-Hee, O., Eungchun, Ch. and Tae-Soo, Ch. (2007) Community patterns of benthic macroinvertebrates collected on the national scale in Kore. Ecological Modelling 203, 26–33.Google Scholar
Zaouali, J. (1977) Lac de Tunis: facteurs climatiques, physico-chimiques et crises dystrophiques. Bulletin de l'Office National des Pêches, Tunisie 1, 37–49.Google Scholar
Zaouali, J. (1981) Evolution des peuplements floristiques et faunistiques (Invertébrés) dans le lac nord de Tunis. Rapport Commission Internationale Mer Méditerranée 27, 185–187.Google Scholar
Zaouali, J. and Baeten, S. (1983) Impact de l'eutrophisation dans la lagune de Tunis (partie nord). 1ère partie. Indices bionomiques. Rapport Commission Internationale Mer Méditerranée 28, 323–326.Google Scholar
Zaouali, J. and Baeten, S. (1984) Etude historique et évaluation actuelle de l'impact de l'eutrophisation sur l'écosystème de la lagune de Tunis. Rapport Commission Internationale Mer Méditerranée 7, 671–678.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A. and Palathanassiou, E. (1989) Community parameters and multivariate analysis as a means of assessing the effects of tannery effluents on macrobenthos. Marine Pollution Bulletin 20, 176–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar