engleski

Preliminary study on the Bivalve assemblages of the northern Adriatic sea

Present study is a part of comprehensive investigation on the soft-bottom benthic communities in the northern Adriatic circalittoral zone. It aimed to compare and characterize the assemblage structure and seasonal dynamics of Bivalvia associated with three different benthic communities, i.e. biocoenoses of coastal detritic (DC), muddy detritic (DE), and transitional community of detritic bottom (DL). A total of 1531 individuals, belonging to 46 species and to 22 families, were identified. The structure of the total bivalve fauna was determined by the distinctive dominance of Nucula nitidosa, Phaxas pellucidus and Kurtiella bidentata. The nMDS plots of Bivalvia assemblages at three sampling stations show relatively high faunistic affinity between investigated communities, especially between muddy detritic (DE) and transitional community of detritic bottom (DL). The results of ANOSIM (global R=0.641 ; T=999 ; p<0.1%) confirmed that bivalve assemblage at coastal detritic bottoms significantly differed from the two other sites (RSJ005:SJ107=0.865 ; RSJ007:SJ107=0.875). Seasonal patterns were recorded in the community of coastal detritic bottoms (DC) ; in others, the total faunistic composition suggested favourable distribution for warmer seasons. Dominance diversity patterns indicated higher diversity and evenness at the muddy detritic community (DE) in relation to the transitional community of detritic bottom (DL) and the community of coastal detritic (DC). The spatial and seasonal distributions of Bivalvia assemblages in the biocoenoses of the northern Adriatic Sea were also investigated.

Bivalve assemblages ; circalittoral zone ; benthic communities ; northern Adriatic Sea

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