DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF MACROBENTHOS AND FISHES IN BAY,

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 delta close to the 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 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. 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 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