Spatial and temporal distribution of the benthos in the Mfolozi-Msunduzi Estuary, KwaZulu – Natal
type: CreativeWork
description: The objectives of the study were to describe the subtidal component of the invertebrate benthic fauna and to investigate spatial and temporal distribution of the fauna. Samples were collected quarterly in 2009 to investigate seasonal patterns of the benthos of the system. Another aim of this study was to determine the benthic biomass of the Mfolozi – Msunduzi estuarine system. Results indicated that 23 taxa were recorded in 2009 with 18 and 15 taxa in the Mfolozi and Msunduzi Estuary, respectively. The most abundant species were the burrowing ocypodid crab Paratylodiplax blephariskios and the polychaete Dendronereis arborifera. These were followed by the polychaetes Ceratonereis sp., Prionospio sexoculata and the amphipods Corophium triaenonyx. Freshwater taxa, such as Simuliidae, Baetidae, Chironomidae and Ecnomidae were recorded in the upper reaches of the Mfolozi Estuary during summer, this was due to the area being dominated by freshwater inflow. No significant differences (p<0.05) were found between sampling seasons and between sampling sites with regard to the mean number of taxa, mean densities (N.m-2), species richness (D), species evenness (J') and species diversity (H'). The cluster and MDS ordination showed that the benthic fauna of the system could be separated into three most important clusters, the first of which comprised mostly of the Msunduzi sites, indicating that seasonal changes did not influence the community structure of the Msunduzi Estuary. the second group comprised mostly of the Mfolozi winter (June and August) samples while the third group comprised the Mfolozi summer (March and November) samples and this clearly showed that seasonal changes played a major role in structuring the benthic community in the Mfolozi Estuary. The SIMPER results indicated that P. blephariskios and D. arborifera were the taxa most responsible for structuring the benthic community in both the Mfolozi and Msunduzi Estuaries. BIOENV showed that the single variable m…
abstract: The objectives of the study were to describe the subtidal component of the invertebrate benthic fauna and to investigate spatial and temporal distribution of the fauna. Samples were collected quarterly in 2009 to investigate seasonal patterns of the benthos of the system. Another aim of this study was to determine the benthic biomass of the Mfolozi – Msunduzi estuarine system. Results indicated that 23 taxa were recorded in 2009 with 18 and 15 taxa in the Mfolozi and Msunduzi Estuary, respectively. The most abundant species were the burrowing ocypodid crab Paratylodiplax blephariskios and the polychaete Dendronereis arborifera. These were followed by the polychaetes Ceratonereis sp., Prionospio sexoculata and the amphipods Corophium triaenonyx. Freshwater taxa, such as Simuliidae, Baetidae, Chironomidae and Ecnomidae were recorded in the upper reaches of the Mfolozi Estuary during summer, this was due to the area being dominated by freshwater inflow. No significant differences (p<0.05) were found between sampling seasons and between sampling sites with regard to the mean number of taxa, mean densities (N.m-2), species richness (D), species evenness (J') and species diversity (H'). The cluster and MDS ordination showed that the benthic fauna of the system could be separated into three most important clusters, the first of which comprised mostly of the Msunduzi sites, indicating that seasonal changes did not influence the community structure of the Msunduzi Estuary. the second group comprised mostly of the Mfolozi winter (June and August) samples while the third group comprised the Mfolozi summer (March and November) samples and this clearly showed that seasonal changes played a major role in structuring the benthic community in the Mfolozi Estuary. The SIMPER results indicated that P. blephariskios and D. arborifera were the taxa most responsible for structuring the benthic community in both the Mfolozi and Msunduzi Estuaries. BIOENV showed that the single variable m…
author: Ngqulana, Sibusisiwe Gloria
keywords: Invertebrate benthic fauna, Fauna, Benthos
license: https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/da015002-dab4-4ce4-8d1f-120de5b699aa/download
date published: 2012
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:17:03Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand