Investigation on Meiofauna and Substrate characteristic in the southern Caspian Sea (Guilan Province)

Abstract

Meiofauna with a size of 100-1000µ having important rule in food webs. This study was carried out in autumn and winter 1992 along 30 transects at depths of 10, 20, 50 and 100m. The sediment samples were collected by grab (0.1 m2 area). In addition to identification of meiofauna, the sediments were examined to determine T.O.M. and grain size parameters. The results showed that bivalvia, foraminifera, nematoda, ostracoda and copepoda were dominant taxa among 12 identified fauna groups, in which foraminifera and bivalvia were the most abundant. The nonparametric Kroscall-walis test showed significant difference among abundance of meiofauna in different depths. The depth of 20m had the most abundance and with increasing depth (5O and 100m), the abundance had a descending trend. The maximum and minimum mean abundance of meiofauna varied from 29315±37248 and 825±498 ind/10 em2 for depth of 10 and 100m, respectively. The substrate characteristics indicated that the depth of 50 and 10m included the most and the least organic matter. Also all depths indicated the same grain size and sediment composition was mostly silt. Most of meiofauna were found in substrates with 4 to 8 % organic matter.