Biodiv Sci ›› 2014, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (5): 630-639.  DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1003.2014.00109

Special Issue: 红树林及红树植物 海洋生物多样性

• Marine Biodiversity Special Feature • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Impact of Spartina alterniflora on benthic macro-invertebrates communities on mangrove wetland in Xicungang Estuary, Guangxi

Caiyun Zhao1, Xiaoyan Liu1, Jiade Bai2, Fengchun Lü1, Junsheng Li1,*()   

  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012
    2 Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing 100076
  • Received:2014-06-03 Accepted:2014-09-15 Online:2014-09-20 Published:2014-10-09
  • Contact: Li Junsheng

Abstract:

In order to assess the ecological impacts of Spartina alterniflora on mangrove ecosystems, we investigated macro-invertebrate communities in S. alterniflora wetlands and a mangrove wetland between October 2012 and September 2013, in the Xicungang estuary, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The species composition, biomass and diversity of macro-invertebrates were compared at different times between the mangrove habitat and S. alterniflora community. Sixteen species from Arthropoda, Mollusca, Annelida, Cnidadia and Sipuncula were collected from the two habitats. Twelve species were found in mangrove wetlands whereas 10 species were found in S. alterniflora wetlands. Perhaps due to the invasion of S. alterniflora, Glauconome chinensis became the predominant species, leading to a greater macro-invertebrate biomass in S. alterniflora wetlands than in mangrove wetland. On the other hand, the Margalef, Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson and Pieous diversity indices of macro-invertebrates were lower in S. alterniflora habitat than in mangrove habitat. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the effect of sampling periods and habitats on the number of species, biomass and diversity indices of macro-invertebrates. Our results showed that Shannon- Wiener index and Simpson diversity indices differed between the two habitats, the Margalef and Pieous diversity indices differed among sampling periods, number of species and biomass were affected by both habitats and sampling periods. Based on multiple linear regression analyses, macro-invertebrate biomass was related to the density of S. alterniflora, and Shannon-Wiener, Simpson diversity and species richness of macro-invertebrates were all related with the height of S. alterniflora. According to our NMDS (non-metric multidimensional scaling) analysis, macro-invertebrate communities in S. alterniflora habitat mainly differed from those of mangrove habitats due to sampling periods. In conclusion, the invasion of S. alterniflora in mangrove wetlands in Xicungang estuary increased the biomass of macro-invertebrates, while decreased the diversity of them, and also changed the community structure of macro-invertebrate assemblages.

Key words: macro-invertebrates, Spartina alterniflora, community structure, biodiversity biological invasion