%A Wenqian Cai, Jing Liu, Juan Zhou, Yang Xia, Lusan Liu %T Composition of macrozoobenthos functional feeding groups and assessment of ecological quality using the feeding evenness index calculated from biomass data %0 Journal Article %D 2016 %J Biodiv Sci %R 10.17520/biods.2016062 %P 1045-1055 %V 24 %N 9 %U {https://www.biodiversity-science.net/CN/abstract/article_8899.shtml} %8 2016-09-20 %X

Based on biological and environmental materials collected during May and September of 2011, the composition of macrozoobenthos functional feeding groups was analyzed. Meanwhile, the feeding evenness index calculated from biomass data, together with M-bAMBI erected using biomass data, were used to assess the ecological quality of Bohai Bay for the first time. Results showed that the macrozoobenthos community was divided into five feeding groups, including a carnivorous group (CA), omnivorous group (OM), planktivorous group (PL), herbivorous group (HE) and detritivorous group (DE). Except for group HE, the other four groups were all sampled in the study area. Groups PL and OM displayed the greatest percentages of community average biomass in both voyages and the group DE displayed the smallest percentage. Cluster analysis indicated that the composition of the macrozoobenthos feeding group in the Haihe Estuary was significantly different from other areas. The risk index (RI) values were relatively lower in the Haihe Estuary than the other areas in the study region. Meanwhile, an obvious spatial gradient was observed along the Haihe estuary towards the offshore area during May 2011. The average feeding evenness index value was 0.28 indicating poor ecological quality in most study areas. In addition, the lower bjFD values were found in the Haihe Estuary, Beitang outlet and their surrounding areas, which was similar to the RI spatial pattern. BEST analysis indicated that temperature, salinity, heavy metals, and nutrients were the main environmental factors affecting the feeding evenness index. Compared with the M-bAMBI, bjFD was more sensitive to the poor environmental quality status of the Haihe Estuary and Beitang outlet. In general, bjFD could be used to evaluate the ecological quality of Bohai Bay.