Effect of nutrient enrichment on seagrass associated meiofauna in Tanzania

Simple item page
dc.creatorDaudi, Lilian Nduku
dc.creatorLugomela, Charles Venance
dc.creatorUku, Jacqueline Nduku
dc.creatorDe Troch, Marleen
dc.date2015-12-15T12:48:16Z
dc.date2015-12-15T12:48:16Z
dc.date2012
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-03T13:36:17Z
dc.date.available2021-05-03T13:36:17Z
dc.descriptionAbundance, diversity and community structure of meiofauna, with special emphasis on epiphytic harpacticoid copepods, occurring in Tanzanian seagrass beds under various nutrient inputs was determined. All measured parameters for epiphytic meiofauna and diatoms (fucoxanthin) were negatively affected by nutrient input and this was detected even at the higher taxonomic levels of meiofauna, supporting the validity of higher taxon surrogacy in environmental impact studies. However, benthic meiofauna and other biofilm characteristics (chlorophyll a) did not show any difference between sites suggesting that nutrient enrichment had less impact on these variables. This indicates a differential impact of pollution on epiphytic vs. benthic communities. Consequently, different trophic levels will be impacted in various ways and hence the effects of pollution on the overall ecosystem functioning of seagrass beds are complex and not straightforward. Although the seagrass plants themselves don’t show any major changes under different nutrient input, associated organisms that guarantee energy flow at basal levels of the food web in this ecosystem can be largely impacted.
dc.descriptionThis work was funded by VLIR-UOS under the South-South mobility allowance (2009)
dc.identifierDaudi, L.N., Lugomela, C., Uku, J.N. and De Troch, M. 2012. Effect of nutrient enrichment on seagrass associated meiofauna in Tanzania. Marine Environmental Research 82 (2012) 49e58
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2012.09.005
dc.identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/132
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/47584
dc.languageen
dc.publisherElsevier Ltd
dc.subjectEpiphytic meiofauna
dc.subjectHarpacticoid copepods
dc.subjectDiversity
dc.subjectCommunity structure
dc.subjectNutrient enrichment
dc.subjectSeagrass ecosystem
dc.titleEffect of nutrient enrichment on seagrass associated meiofauna in Tanzania

Files

Collections

Institute of Development Studies