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Map indicating the sampling sites
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Benthic organisms diversity were observed in the sequence of Annelida > Mollusca > Crustacea > "Diversa" group. Levels of trace metals in benthic organisms were in the range 0.12-96.86 µg/g during winter and 0.98-54.13 µg/g in summer. Species diversity index (H'), evenness index (J) and index of dominance (λ) were in the range 0.951-1.368 bits/unit...
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Context 1
... a 'Van-Veen' grab with a mouth opening of 0.1 m -2 , benthic organisms were collected from five Kuwait Bay sites. Further, from each site, five transect samples were collected to minimize sampling errors (Fig. ...
Citations
... This findings is similar to the investigation of Bu-Olayan and Thomas who observed that the diversity of benthic organisms were in the sequence of Annelida > Mollusca > Crustacea > others group in Kuwait Bay of the Arabian Gulf. Evenness index (-) was found to be increased with increasing Bu-Olayan H and Thomas [46] identified that low diversity indices correspond to the increase in trace metal level in benthic species collected from four sites, wherein high abundance of certain benthic species and high trace metal levels due to manmade perturbations were observed altering the diversity indices and those indices would validate benthic organisms as an indicator to trace metal pollution in Kuwait marine ecosystem, however primary or secondary data regarding trace metal concentrations is absent in the present study area [46]. ...
... This findings is similar to the investigation of Bu-Olayan and Thomas who observed that the diversity of benthic organisms were in the sequence of Annelida > Mollusca > Crustacea > others group in Kuwait Bay of the Arabian Gulf. Evenness index (-) was found to be increased with increasing Bu-Olayan H and Thomas [46] identified that low diversity indices correspond to the increase in trace metal level in benthic species collected from four sites, wherein high abundance of certain benthic species and high trace metal levels due to manmade perturbations were observed altering the diversity indices and those indices would validate benthic organisms as an indicator to trace metal pollution in Kuwait marine ecosystem, however primary or secondary data regarding trace metal concentrations is absent in the present study area [46]. ...
... Subsequently, compared to the diversity values reported from the Saudi coast, considerably lower values were reported from the other parts of the Arabian Gulf recently. For example, macrobenthic species diversity of 1.9 to 3.1 reported from Qatari nearshore waters (Al-Khayat, 2005), less than 1.5 from Kuwait Bay (Bu-Olayan and Thomas, 2005) and <2 from the Dubai creek (Saunders, et al., 2007). The goal of these studies are to understand the pollution effects on benthos, therefore, sampling was restricted within the polluted areas, which might have resulted in recording low species' number and diversity. ...
... Previous studies have indicated that, variations in the community structures, diversities and populations densities of macrobenthic fauna between different locations of intertidal zones resulted from different parameters. These parameters could be water salinity variations, organic contents of sediments, intensity and type of pollution, climate change, and type of sediments grain sizes [5,[23][24][25][26]. Because of the interference of more than one parameter in determining the community structures and diversity of the inhabiting organisms, it is always difficult to refer such variations to a single component. ...
The community structure of macrobenthic fauna in the intertidal zones at two locations, along the west coast of Abu Dhabi (UAE) have investigated. The two locations, Tarif and Radim, have experienced human impacts represented in coastal alteration due to both dredging and nourishment activities. In each location three sediments samples were collected from a transect that extended from high tide mark on the beach to low tide in the sea direction. Forty-four taxa were recorded that belonging to five groups representing the macrobenthic faunal assemblages in the two locations namely, Foraminifera, Mollusca (Gastropods and Bivalves), Insects, Crustaceans (Maxillopoda and Malacostraca), and Polychaetes. In both locations, Foraminifera dominated the samples followed by Mollusca. The obtained results highlighted the differences in species composition and their distribution not only between the two studied locations but also within the different stations of the same transect. Moreover, the statistical analyses have shown that correlations between grain sizes percentage in the different stations and the percentage composition of the faunal communities in each transect was not significant p = 0.07 in Tarif and p = 0.62 in Radim). The presences of abnormalities in considerable number of the Foraminifera species Peneroplis sp. could be due to its translocation with sediments from stressed environment to the study site. The study showed the extent to which coastal alteration can disturb the established macrobenthic fauna communities and their recovery might extend to several years.
... Benthic research from the Gulf is scarce (Basson et al., 1977;McCain, 1984a,b;Coles and McCain, 1990;Jones et al., 1998;Bu-Olayan and Thomas, 2005;Al-Yamani et al., 2009;Joydas et al., 2011Joydas et al., , 2012Joydas et al., , 2015. A majority of the published studies are based on data from a limited area in each case. ...
The biota in the Arabian Gulf faces stress both from natural (i.e., hyper salinity and high sea surface temperature), and human (i.e., from oil-related activities) sources. The western Arabian Gulf was also impacted by world's largest oil spill (1991 Oil Spill). However, benthic research in this region is scarce and most of the studies have been conducted only in small areas. Here, we present data on macrobenthos collected during 2002–2003 from the open waters and inner bays in the northwestern Arabian Gulf aimed to assess the ecological status and also to evaluate the long-term impact, if any, of the 1991 Oil Spill. A total of 392 macrobenthic taxa with an average (±SE) species richness (S) of 71 ± 2, Shannon-Wiener species diversity (H′) of 4.9 ± 0.1, and density of 3,181 ± 359 ind. m⁻² was recorded from the open water stations. The open waters have “slightly disturbed” (according to AZTI's Marine Biotic Index, AMBI) conditions, with “good-high” (according to multivariate-AMBI, M-AMBI) ecological status indicating the absence of long-term impacts of the oil spill. Overall, 162 taxa were recorded from inner bays with average (±SE) values of S 41 ± 9, H′ 3.48 ± 0.39, and density 4,203 ± 1,042 ind. m⁻². The lower TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) stations (LTS, TPH concentrations <70 mg kg⁻²) show relatively higher S, H' and density compared to the higher TPH stations (HTS, TPH concentrations ≥100 mg kg⁻²). In the inner bays, AMBI values indicate slightly disturbed conditions at all stations except one, which is moderately disturbed. M-AMBI values indicate good status at LTS, while, high, good, moderate, and poor status at HTS. The “moderately disturbed” conditions with “moderate-poor” ecological status in some locations of the inner bays specify a severe long-term impact of the oil spill.
... Very few benthic studies were reported from the western Gulf region (Al-Yamani et al., 2009;Basson et al., 1977;Bu-Olayan and Thomas, 2005;Coles and McCain, 1990;Jones et al., 1998;Joydas et al., 2011Joydas et al., , 2012McCain, 1984a,b) and the studies reported from south of Abu Ali in the Saudi coast of the Gulf are still fewer. Coles and McCain (1990) studied the benthic communities in the Saudi Coast of the Gulf including the Gulf of Salwa and reported a decreasing trend in both benthic density and species number from north to south owing to the southward increase in salinity. ...
The Arabian Gulf (AG), is a hypersaline and high seawater temperature water body. There are some semi-enclosed bays in AG where extreme salinity and water temperature prevail due to limited flushing and high evaporation. The Gulf of Salwa (GS) (24°40′–25°50′ N) is the best example of such a semi-enclosed water body, which shows a progressive southward increase in salinity (up to 63 during summer) and seawater temperature (up to 40° C during summer) due to the southward decrease in tidal flushing. Here, we present the results of a study conducted on response of macrobenthic communities exposed to hypersaline and high temperature conditions in the GS.
In the southern part of GS, where salinity exceeded 60 and seawater temperature exceeded 35º C during summer, several taxa those recorded at northern part were not able to survive, but Fabricia sp., Heteromastus filiformis, Platynereis insolita and Nereis sp.1, chironomid larvae, podocops and cumaceans were found to withstand. There were 93% reduction in species number and 57% reduction in species diversity in the southern region compared to the northern region.
This study provides an example of extremes anticipated elsewhere in the world after some decades from global warming.
... Non essential elements do not have any positive effects on organisms and they are harmful already in low doses. They can inhibit an essential element to bind to enzyme and disturb the normal enzymatic function in the body [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. ...
... m -2 ; winter: 700-2,000 ind. m -2 , Bu-Olayan & Thomas, 2005), and an earlier survey along the coast of Saudi Arabia (silt/sand bottom, 670-3,740 ind. m -2 , Coles & McCain, 1990). ...
The arid subtropical ecosystem of the central Arabian Gulf was used to explore the combined effects of low primary productivity, high salinities, and variable temperatures on the composition and structure of benthic macrofauna at 13 sites encircling the Qatar Peninsula in winter and summer (or late spring) of 2010 and 2011. The low abundance, biomass, and remarkably high species turnover may be a reflection of the oligotrophic, thermally variable, hypersaline coastal environment. The number of species and within-habitat diversity was lowest in the highest salinities but increased with finer-grained sediments and lower salinity. A remarkable temporal variation in species composition observed may reflect insufficient primary production to sustain new populations recruited from the seasonal exchange of water from the adjacent Sea of Oman. Low abundances accompanied by continued replacement of species may be a “new model” for extremely arid conditions associated with global warming.
... This findings is similar to the investigation of Bu-Olayan and Thomas who observed that the diversity of benthic organisms were in the sequence of Annelida > Mollusca > Crustacea > others group in Kuwait Bay of the Arabian Total 2221 100 * 1-5% = rank 7; 06-10% = rank 6; 11-15% = rank 5; 16-20% = rank 4; 21-25% = rank 3; 26-40% = rank 2; >41%=rank 1. Gulf. Evenness index (-) was found to be increased with increasing Bu-Olayan H and Thomas [41] identified that low diversity indices correspond to the increase in trace metal level in benthic species collected from four sites, wherein high abundance of certain benthic species and high trace metal levels due to manmade perturbations were observed altering the diversity indices and those indices would validate benthic organisms as an indicator to trace metal pollution in Kuwait marine ecosystem, however primary or secondary data regarding trace metal concentrations is absent in the present study area [41]. ...
... This findings is similar to the investigation of Bu-Olayan and Thomas who observed that the diversity of benthic organisms were in the sequence of Annelida > Mollusca > Crustacea > others group in Kuwait Bay of the Arabian Total 2221 100 * 1-5% = rank 7; 06-10% = rank 6; 11-15% = rank 5; 16-20% = rank 4; 21-25% = rank 3; 26-40% = rank 2; >41%=rank 1. Gulf. Evenness index (-) was found to be increased with increasing Bu-Olayan H and Thomas [41] identified that low diversity indices correspond to the increase in trace metal level in benthic species collected from four sites, wherein high abundance of certain benthic species and high trace metal levels due to manmade perturbations were observed altering the diversity indices and those indices would validate benthic organisms as an indicator to trace metal pollution in Kuwait marine ecosystem, however primary or secondary data regarding trace metal concentrations is absent in the present study area [41]. ...
A research on the assemblages of benthic macro faunal community in the coastal areas of Bangladesh was
conducted during February-March, 2015 following the standard methods to assess the status of environmental pollution. The abundance (r=0.846) and species richness (r=0.864) of the macrobenthic communities were significantly influenced by the water salinity of the sampling sites (p ≤ 0.05). Both the study areas namely the Bakkhali River Estuary and the Meghna River Estuary showing the highest (3909 ± 540 ind./m2) and lowest (2236 ± 689 ind./m2) density of benthic macrofaunal abundance respectively might be considered as moderately polluted areas according to the results obtained from Shannon-Wiener index of species diversity (2.69 ± 0.13 and 2.00 ± 0.11 respectively) and Margalef’s species richness (2.21 ± 0.43 and 1.36 ± 0.11 respectively). Therefore, it is plausible that the macrobenthic community explained in the present study might be a key future outline to assess the status of coastal water pollution of those concerned areas of Bangladesh.
... The Hg concentration in arthropods and molluscs was within the range reported for crustaceans and molluscs in the Bay of Biscay, Atlantic [8]. Results revealed that molluscs expressed the low metal accumulation, which was inconsistent with the previous studies in the other regions [21][22][23]. It is expected that benthic organisms of high metal bioaccumulation were found at the KODS because nearly 30 million cubic meter sediment which dredged from Kaohsiung Harbor dumped into the disposal annually. ...
The distribution of metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni) in the sediments and in benthic invertebrates (arthropod, echinoderm, and mollusc) from the Kaohsiung Ocean Disposal Site (KODS) during 2014 was studied in terms of biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF). The mean concentration of metals in the sediments varied in the following order: Zn >> Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Hg > Cd. Results showed that the metal concentration in the sediments from the KODS was in agreement with that of other Asia harbors; there was no drastically high metal level in the Kaohsiung area. Results also showed that arthropod Acanthephyra species had accumulated high metal concentrations (e.g. 0.53, 3.02, 6.80, 53.24, 162.2, and 1.42 μg g−1 of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Ni, respectively), whereas mollusc Fusinus hyphalus had the lowest metal concentration. A positive correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between the concentration of Cr in the sediments and in arthropods. For all benthic invertebrates investigated, the BSAF of Cd and Hg were higher than 1.0. Especially the BSAF of Cd was remarkably high, e.g. for arthropods (30.0), echinoderms (38.7), and molluscs (42.2); whereas the BSAF of Pb, Cr, and Ni were low (BSAF << 1.0). According to the above results, benthic invertebrate of arthropods had a large metal accumulation capacity and thus could be suggested as the bioindicator of metal contamination of marine systems in further studies.
... An excessive amount of the attention of meals heavy metals is related to the etiology diseases, specially cardiovascular, renal, neurological, and bone diseases [2] . The highest trace metal levels in benthic molluscs and annelids of Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf compared to other regions of the word [3] . Zn and Cu pollution swimmer crabs and attributed this to the 1991 Gulf War oil spill into Kuwait's marine environment [4] . ...
Measurement of heavy metals in bio-indicators (shrimp, crabs and squids) has diagnosed excessive relevant in eco toxicological terms; reflect the bioavailability in the ecosystem that reasonable measurement of public health standards for the animals' health. So, the aim of the present study is to find the levels of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, As, Zn, Ni, Hg, Fe and Cr) in shrimp, crabs and squids from the Arabian Gulf. The results showed that the heavy metals in shrimp, squids and crabs recorded no significant differences between them for the most metals, and no significant differences between muscles, exoskeleton and whole body metals for shrimp and crabs. Pb, Cu and Cd heavy metals were not detectable in water, sediment, shrimp, crabs and squids. The bio concentration (BCF) for squids recorded higher values than shrimp and crabs for As, Zn and Hg metals, but BCF for shrimp recorded high values for Fe and Cr. The accumulate of Zn, Hg, As in squids recorded more values than crabs, shrimp, sediment and water, but sediment recorded more values for Fe, Ni, and Cr than others. This study offers baseline information on the impact of trace metals contamination on these species and aquatic environments.
