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Distribution of meiofaunal abundance in relation to environmental factors in Beibu Gulf, South China Sea

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Abstract

This study aims to explore the distribution of meiofaunal abundance in relation to environmental factors in the Beibu Gulf, a natural semi-enclosed part of the South China Sea, surrounded by China and Vietnam. Meiofauna and ten benthic environmental factors were determined at 27 sampling stations in the Beibu Gulf in four surveys during 2006–2007. The results show a clear geographical trend in meiofaunal abundance, water depth, salinity and clay content. The meiofaunal abundance and the clay content decreased, whereas the water depth and the salinity increased from the north to the south of the Gulf. The percentage of meiofaunal abundance in the 0–2 cm layer increased, whereas in the 2–5 cm and 5–10 cm layers it decreased from the north to the south of the Gulf. Correlation analysis show significant negative correlations between meiofaunal abundance and water depth, benthic temperature, salinity and pH, but significant positive correlations between meiofaunal abundance and dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a and clay content.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China

    Lizhe Cai, Sujing Fu, Jie Yang & Xiping Zhou

  2. Laboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Global Change, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China

    Lizhe Cai

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  1. Lizhe Cai
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  2. Sujing Fu
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  4. Xiping Zhou
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Correspondence to Lizhe Cai.

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Foundation item: The part of the Chinese Offshore Investigation and Assessment Project funded by the State Oceanic Administration of China.

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Cai, L., Fu, S., Yang, J. et al. Distribution of meiofaunal abundance in relation to environmental factors in Beibu Gulf, South China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 31, 92–103 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-012-0256-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-012-0256-2

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