Gastropods in the Intertidal Zone of Asry Beach, Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

A study of intertidal gastropods using quadrat method was conducted from August 2012 to July 2013. Specifically to identify and classify taxonomically the gastropods in Asry Beach, Kingdom of Bahrain; find out significant differences in the number of identified gastropods within the taxonomic groups; and determine heterogeneity and alpha diversity of species using Shannon diversity index (H), and species richness using Magalef's (d) diversity index. A total of 2,136 individual species were identified in the sandy and rocky intertidal zones which belong to 16 families, 5 genera and 28 species of gastropods. Statistical analysis using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with multiple comparisons depicted significant difference on the number of gastropods at varying taxonomic groups. Result of Shannon (H) and Magalef's (d) diversity indices revealed diversity and species richness of the three species, Calliostoma selectum, Lirobittium attenuatum, and Homalopoma luridum. Gastropods are abundant in the sandy and rocky intertidal zone.

Assemblage of Gastropods in the Rocky Intertidal Zone of Asry Beach, Kingdom of Bahrain

“…Composition of molluscs was compared in two communities of rocky shore beaches exposed to human activities. Results showed greater abundance and evenness in the site with less human activities [9] which is comparatively different from the claim that human factor considerably exerts no effect on diversity of gastropods in Asry Beach based on the results of monitoring studies [17]. Likewise, the researches being compared used diversity indices in quantitative analysis of data.…”

“…Hence this area remains undisturbed which promotes massive growth of algae that provides nutrients and venue for ecological and intra-inter-specific interactions [5] among the faunal community of organisms. Based on observation and results of the study on the entire intertidal ecosystem [17] human factor is considerably not a limiting factor for the gastropod assemblage to be abundant in the area. This is in contrast to some research findings that human activities may intensify the exploitation of gastropod species for commercial purposes [11,14].…”

“…As a public beach, the area is often threatened by unaccountable wastes which may also affect the macrocomponents of the marine ecosystem. Hence continuous monitoring of the macroinvertebrates specifically the gastropods in the intertidal ecosystem is being undertaken since 2011 [17]. The intertidal ecosystem in Asry Beach is predominantly rocky and sandy.…”