Structural Changes in Macroinvertebrate Communities Associated with Reduction in the Management of Coastal Saltpans

Abstract EN

Saltpans with different management levels were studied for macroinvertebrate community and abiotic variables like water depth, water conductivity, and organic matter in sediments.

Significant variation was observed between saltpans, between ponds within saltpans, and between periods within ponds for abundance, and also between saltpans for biomass.

Environmental variables varied significantly between saltpans and between ponds.

Significant positive correlations occurred between depth and total abundance, between depth and Corixidae abundance, and also between organic matter in sediments and diversity.

Significant negative correlations were observed between depth and diversity and between organic matter in sediments and total abundance.

Multidimensional Scaling and Canonical Correspondence Analysis confirmed results of analysis of variance and correlations.

Invertebrate communities were numerically dominant as also revealed by ABC method.

Abandoned saltpan ponds show the largest changes in water depth, with communities dominated by some opportunist species, varying within short temporal scales, which is typical from highly disturbed systems.