Identification the relationship between the environmental parameters with the the structure of macrobentic communities in a coastal ecosystem under human activities Nayband Bay (north of Persian Gulf)

This investigation was carried out to study the effect of probable contaminants existing in the Southern Pars region on density and species richness of macrobentic communities under tidal area in Nayband Bay and to determine the environmental parameters caused by human activities which influence the Benthic communities of this region. Three stations were selected that were different in terms of susceptibility to activity of oil and gas industries in the region. Station 1 was considered as the control station (Haleh) station 2 and station 3 as a station with moderate susceptibility and very high susceptibility, respectively. Sampling from sediment in each station was carried out in two winter and summer seasons (2009 – 2010) by Van veen grab with area of 0.04 m2. Further, water sampling from the depth of 1.5 meter was done using Rotner sampling bottle. The highest individuals (2172) and species (68) per m2, Shannon index (3.54) and Pielou uniformity (0.84) were observed in the control station and then in the stations 3 and 2, respectively. The highest were obtained in the control region. Also, the results showed a significant correlation between changes of environmental factors and changes of heavy metals and of population structure of macro benthic in different stations. In all three stations, significant correlations were observed between environmental factors including total hardness, reduction potential, amount of phosphate and copper and structure of macro benthic (Pw= 0.70). The present research suggested that disorders caused by industrial and human activities somehow affect environmental and thereby have influences on benthic communities.