DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF MACROBENTHOS AND FISHES IN ABU QIR BAY, EGYPT
Mohamed Reda Fishar and Alaa El-Din El-Haweet National Institute of Oceanograp
hy and Fisheries (NIOF), Egypt The Mediterranean coastal region of Egypt extends for about 1000 km, form Salloum (west border) to Rafah (east border). The northern coast of the Nile delta close to the Mediterranean sea is characterized by three shallow lakes; Edku (in the west) Burullus (in the middle) Manzala (in the east) These lakes receive most of the drainage water from the Nile delta land. StudyStudy areaarea ProspectsProspects forfor developmentdevelopment
1-High biodiversity of fisheries, migratory birds and marine resources 2-High biodiversity of palm and Orchard trees
3-Residential development adjacent to highly populated Alexandria City and economic centers close to the recently established International road
4-Textile industry, fertilizers and Natural gas plants Main Problems and threats to the area
• Pollution:
a. Rosetta branch of the River Nile
Abu Qir Bay b. Lake Edku Water discharge via Maadia outlet c. El-Tabia Pumping Station 2. Erosion EffectsEffects ofof problemsproblems onon floraflora andand faunafauna inin thethe area:area:
• The loss of habitat
• Changes in existing habitat
• Change on water quality of the bay SamplinSamplingg sitessites 1-Abu Qir
It lies near Abu Qir city. The area receives a substantial load of industrial, agricultural and domestic pollution. Bottom of the site is sandy black mud with bad odor. 2-Lake Edku
This coastal lagoon is a basin for agricultural drains and domestic wastes. It covers an area of 126 km² with a mean depth of 1 m. Bottom is muddy with organic detritus and slightly vegetation around the boarder. 3-Edku Sea Coast
Represent the Edku coastal area at the Abu Qir Bay near Edku city. This area characterized by extended sandy beach and dense fisheries activities. 4-Rosetta
The sampling site situated near the mouth of Nile River to the Mediterranean Sea. It characterized by the presence of rocky sides and muddy bottom RESULTS A) Fish Distribution of total number of fishes in investigated area
4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 Number of individuals 500 0 Rosetta Edku Abu Qir Lake Edku
Site
3000
2500
2000
Number Number 1500
1000
500 Lake Edku
Abu Qir 0 Edku Site و 04. Rosetta يام- Jul ر يان سرام 04 ر ي- - بو 04 تكا- 04 03 trip Temporal variations of occurrence % of different fish species in sampling sites
Rosetta 31 species recorded
Rosseta
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Occurrence% Alepes djedaba djedaba Alepes Caranx crysos crysos Caranx 10 Liza aurata aurata Liza 0 Dussumieria acuta Dussumieria Dicentrarchus labrax Liza salianus salianus Liza July.04 Mugil cephylus Hemiramphus picarti picarti Hemiramphus Species Mar.04 Sepia spp Sepia Oc t.03 Epieniphelus alexandeinus alexandeinus Epieniphelus Penaeus keruthers Penaeus Sardina pilchardus Terapon puta puta Terapon Sardinella maderensis
Oct.03 Jan.04 Mar.04Trigra lucerna May.04 July.04 Stephanolepis hispidus hispidus Stephanolepis Trichiurus lepturus lepturus Trichiurus Edku Coast Edku 34 species recorded Edku Coast July.04 .04 May Mar.04 Jan.04 Oct.03 Species
Umbrina serousa Sparus aurata Solea aegyptiaca Sardinella aurita Polybius henslowi Oreochromus aureus Metapenaeus monoceros Lithognathus mormyrus Hemiramphus far
Engraulis encrasicolus
Diplodus bellottii
Dalophis imberbis
Alepes djedaba July.04
Mar.04 Oc t.03 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Month
Occurrence% Lake Edku 5 species recorded
Lake Edku
c July.04 80 May .04 60 Mar.04 40 MonthJan.04
Tilapia zilli 20 Oct.03 Occurrence% 0
Oct.03 Jan.04 Mar.04
Clarias lazera Sarotherodon galilaeus May.04 July.04 O r eo c hr o mu s nil ot icu s Species
O r eo c hr o mu s au r e us b ir Q Abu July.04 May.04 Mar.04 Jan.04 Oct.03 60 species recorded Abu Qir
Alectis alexandrinus Apogon taeniatus Boops boops Clarias lazera Diplodus vulgaris Hemiramphus far Liza aurata Mugil cephylus Species Oreochromus Penaeus stebengi Sardina pilchardus Sepia spp
Siganus luridus
Sparisoma cretensa
Stephanolepis
Trachinus araneus
Uranoscopus Oc t.03 May .04 0 Mont 20 40 h 60 80 100
Occurrence% Statistical analysis fish samples collected from Abu Qir Bay during the period from October 2003 to July 2004.
S N D J H'
(NO. of species) (Individuals) (Richness) (Evenness) (Diversity)
Rosetta 47 401 7.676 0.7333 2.823
Edku Coast 69 1704 9.139 0.4052 1.715
Abu Qir 92 499 14.65 0.7716 3.489
Lake Edku 19 510 2.887 0.9007 2.652 Cluster analysis of fish species between sampling sites Abundance of Fish species in different sampling sites
84 species were identified
59 species
8 species
12 species
5 species Percentage of fish species number in sampling area
Catadromous fishes Fresh water 12.31% fishes 7.69%
Crustacea Marine species 14.62% 65.38% Macrobenthos Qauantitative Community composition
Whole area Abu Qir Annelida Annelida 22.64% Arthropoda 15.38% 48%
Mollusca Mollusca 22.96% 36.54%
Arthropoda 54%
Lake Edku Edku Rosetta
Annelida Mollusca 1.67% 36.67%
Annelida Annelida Arthropoda 33.51% 4.76% 10%
Arthropoda 61%
Arthropoda Mollusca 58% 7.57% Mollusca 85.71% Spatial distribution
1) Number/m²
Annelida Mollusca Arthropoda 1600 1400 1200
m 1000 800 600
No. of organis of No. 400 200 0 Abu Qir Lake Edku Edku Coast Rosetta Stations 2) Weight/m²
Annelida Mollusca Arthropoda
600 500 400 300 200 100 G.F.W of organisms of G.F.W 0 Abu Qir Lake Edku Edku Coast Rosetta Stations Statistical data analysis of macrobenthic community
S N D J H'
(NO. of species) (Individual) (Richness) (Evenness) (Diversity)
Rosetta 38 2814 4.659 0.7622 2.773
Lake Edku 39 2228 4.929 0.8081 2.961
Edku Coast 17 3761 1.944 0.5765 1.633
Abu Qir 29 4605 3.32 0.704 2.371 Cluster analysis of macrobenthic community between sampling sites Cluster analysis on macrobenthic species in the whole study area
Janthina sp. capetella capitata Synidotea variegata Modiolud barbatus Venerupis Tellina Corophium volutator Gammarus aequicoda Portunus pelagicus Myasis Donax Carcinus maenas Nereis cultifera polydora ciliata Mactra Corallina Balanus amphitrite Nassrius Cypreides littoralis Melanoides tuberculata Cleopatra bulimoides Corbicula Modiolud barbatus Tubificidae sp. Natica sp. Nucula nucleus Chironomus larvae Bellamyia Semisalsa 0 20406080100
Similarity Abundance of macrobenthic invertebrates recorded from the sampling area
• 45 species were recorded in the whole Bay Percentage of benthic species number in sampling area
Ascidiacea Hydrozoa 4.44% Mollusca Baryozoa 2.22% 42.20% 2.22%
Annelida 11.11%
Arthropoda 37.80% Annual fluctuation of biodiversity of macrobenthos (number of species recorded) in some parts of Egyptian Mediterranean coastal zones for different surveyed periods
Mollus c a Arthropoda Annelida Baryozoa Hydrozoa Ascidiacea Echinodermata Nematoda 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Number of species 10 0 Alexandria Alexandria Abu Qir bay MEDCORE
1986 1989-1990 1995 2003-2004 Survey CONCLUSION
The area of study (Abu Qir Bay) have influenced by a great pressure from human impacts which cause a remarkable decrease on biodiversity of fishes and benthic invertebrates. Recommendations • Construct reference conditions for benthic assemblages. • Develop a monitoring strategy using selected zoobenthic quality elements. • Develop benthic and fish community indexes that adequately describe the state of coastal waters. THANK YOU