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Variability of foraminifera associations in seagrass ecosystems in shallow water during winter (Kerkennah – Southern Tunisian coasts)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2017

Raida Trabelsi ,
Jannet Elloumi ,
Asma Hamza ,
Najla Ayadi ,
Ihsen Zghal  and
Habib Ayadi
Raida Trabelsi
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de recherche UR/11ES72 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
Jannet Elloumi*
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de recherche UR/11ES72 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
Asma Hamza
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de recherche UR/11ES72 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer de Sfax. Rue de Madagascar – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
Najla Ayadi
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Département de Géoressources. Laboratoires 3E Eau/Energie/Environnement, Route Soukra Km 4 – BP: W 3038- Sfax, Tunisia
Ihsen Zghal
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Département de Géoressources. Laboratoires 3E Eau/Energie/Environnement, Route Soukra Km 4 – BP: W 3038- Sfax, Tunisia
Habib Ayadi
Affiliation:
Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de recherche UR/11ES72 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J. Elloumi, Université de Sfax, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Département des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de recherche UR/11ES72 Biodiversité et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, Route Soukra Km 3.5 – BP 1171 – CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study intends to reliably estimate the general status of the benthic and the epiphytic foraminifera community related to each studied seagrass ecosystem (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa and Halophila stipulacea) distributed in different shallow sites in the coastal archipelago of Kerkennah (Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia) during winter. We were able to first sort and subsequently identify some characteristics conditioning their behaviour. Twenty-four species of foraminifera were encountered. Among them, three epiphytic species identified on these seagrass leaves had a much lower abundance than those in the sediment. We were interested in highlighting the foraminiferal community related to Halophila stipulacea, since this seagrass species is newly introduced into the Mediterranean sea. Thanks to the statistical study, we were able to identify the favourable habitat for epiphytic and benthic foraminifera among the three seagrass ecosystems. A correlation between the identified foraminifera species and some environmental parameters was addressed using a variety of software.

Keywords

ForaminiferabenthicepiphyticseagrassKerkennah
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 98 , Special Issue 8: Special Section: European Marine Biology Symposium Papers 2018 , December 2018 , pp. 1945 - 1954
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2017 

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