STUDY ON COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF MACROZOOBENTHOS AND IMPACT FACTORS IN PEARL RIVER ESTUARY

The present study focus on the seasonal distribution and relations to environmental factors of the macrozoobenthos community of the area in Pearl River estuary, based on surveys conducted from August 2008 to May 2009. A total of 34 macrozoobenthos taxa were identified. Polychaeta and mollusca were the dominant groups. The average biomass and density of macrozoobenthos in study area were more in spring than in autumn, its value were 758 ind/m2, 5.03g/m2 and 274ind/m2, 2.34/ind/m2, respectively. The deposit feeders were numerically dominate in the Pearl River estuary. The Shannon-Weiner index, Pielou evenness index, species richness index had not significant difference between the four seasons. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the Zn, Cu, Pb, MPO4 concentration and transparency had the significant correlation with the macrozoobenthos community in summer, and NH4+-N concentration had be in autumn, and water transparency and temperature had be in winter and spring, respectively