Macrobenthos in Van Phong bay, Khanh Hoa province

Abstract

This paper presents the characteristics of macrobenthic communities in different ecosystems of Van Phong bay based on studies from 2000 to 2013 as well as the supplement survey in intertidal soft bottom in 2013. There were 1,044 taxa belonging to 231 families, 32 orders, 15 classes and 4 phyla were recorded. A total of 867 taxa were identified at species level, including 315 mollusc species, 299 polychaete species, 194 crustacean species, and 59 echinoderm species. Among them, 72 taxa are commercial species which were being exploited for food or handicraft during the last 15 years. The species composition of macrobenthos in coral reefs (612 taxa) was more diversified than that in seagrass bed (270 taxa) and subtidal soft bottom (445 taxa). There was a spatial variation in density and biomass of macrobenthos in subtidal soft bottom (varied from 283 - 5,408 individuals/m2 and from 0.42 - 21.75 g/m2). Generally, the biomass of macrobenthos in southern coastal areas of the bay was much higher than that in the northern coastal stations, offshore stations and the stations near the bay mouth. The density of macrobenthos in coral reefs and seagrass beds was similar in 2003 and 2006 (ranged from 3,365 - 3,581 individuals/m2 in 2003, and from 5,005 - 5,011 individuals/m2 in 2006).