Effect of the burrowing crab on the microfauna community at the coastal of khor Al-Zubair NW Arabian Gulf

Abstract EN

The main objective of study area to evaluate the effect of Burrowing crabs on the microfauna in three habitats (intertidal flat, super tidal flat and salt marsh) in the beach of Khor AL- Zubair, NW Arabian Gulf.Many organisms such as Ostracods, Nematodes.

Turbellorians, Foraminifera and Copepods are community distributing in the study area.The results showed that the densities of all studied organisms varied significantly among habitats.

Highest values were observed in an intertidal flat while lower in salt marsh.

The Microfauna in the intertidal flat and supratidal flat habitats were more affected than salt marsh habitat and they were controlled by burrowing crabs.

Ostracods, Turbellarians, Foraminifera, and copepods densities were significantly lower indisturbed than control in both habitats.

Nematodes which did not effected by burrowing crabs behavior and digging process, there was no significant difference between the disturbed and controing.In general the study found that burrowing crabs play an important role to control Microfauna community structure in Khor AL- Zubair estuarine, the crabs disturbance effect the surface assemble and the reaction of microfauna was differ depend on the intensity and changing theirdistribution.