Aquatic Microbial Ecology
AME is a hybrid research journal on all aspects of aquatic microbial dynamics, in particular viruses, prokaryotes and eukaryotes (planktonic and benthic, autotrophic and heterotrophic) in marine, freshwater and brackish habitats.
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Article Acceptance Rate20% (2024)
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01971
copiedSpatio-temporal variation of microphytobenthos biomass, diversity and assemblage structure in the Loire Estuary, France
- Lourenço Ribeiro
- Ismaïl Benyoucef
- Michel Poulin
- Bruno Jesus
- Philippe Rosa
- Vona Méléder
- GuoYing Du
- Laurent Barillé
ABSTRACT: Diatom-dominated microphytobenthos (MPB) communities of 4 intertidal mudflats along the meso- and polyhaline reaches of the Loire Estuary, France, were investigated during a year cycle. They were analysed in terms of biomass, diversity, species composition and growth form distribution. The assemblages of the 2 upstream sites were characterised by high biomass and lower diversities and were mostly dominated by epipelon. The 2 downstream, most haline sites had lower biomass and higher diversities and were dominated by both epipelon and tychoplankton. Diversity did not exhibit a clear seasonal signal in the upstream mudflats, but it was higher during the first half of the study in the downstream sites. The coexistence of 2 growth forms seems to increase diversity of the mudflat assemblages. Species distribution was mainly linked to changes in sediment texture and salinity, both with a marked seasonal variability. MPB biomass was inversely related to MPB diversity and positively related to both mud content and the epipelon. MPB diversity was not, however, significantly correlated with mud content. Slight changes in sediment texture, even if causing variations in assemblage composition, did not change overall diversity. The existence of an important and even dominant tychoplanktonic fraction could be considered a distinctive feature of these benthic environments in the Loire, as well as in other macrotidal estuaries.
KEYWORDS
Lourenço Ribeiro (Corresponding Author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Ismaïl Benyoucef (Co-author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France
Michel Poulin (Co-author)
- Recherche et collections, Musée canadien de la nature, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6P4, Canada
Bruno Jesus (Co-author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France
Philippe Rosa (Co-author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France
Vona Méléder (Co-author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France
GuoYing Du (Co-author)
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
Laurent Barillé (Co-author)
- Laboratoire Mer Molécules Santé (EA 2160), Faculté des Sciences et des Techniques, Université de Nantes, BP 92208, 44322 Nantes cedex 3, France