<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"><smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"> Composition and distribution of epigrowth fauna in Visakhapatnam harbor, east coast of India </smarttagtype></smarttagtype></smarttagtype>

Abstract

<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"> Biological examination of epigrowth fauna on concrete underwater structures and shell settled on made structures was carried out at three selected stations in Visakhapatnam harbor (latitude 17°14' 34" N and longitude 83°17<img src=‘/image/spc_char/right_quote.gif’> 45<img src=‘/image/spc_char/right_quote.gif’><img src=‘/image/spc_char/right_quote.gif’>E) during low tide for a period of three months. The study revealed changes in the composition and distribution of epigrowth fauna at inner harbor (st.1), outer harbor (st.3) and an intermediate location in between these two (st.2). The number of species was high at seaward station (20, st.3) when compared to st.1 (8); whereas the overall population showed gradual decrease seawards (3,890 no / 50 ml at st.1 – 2,267 no / 50 ml at st.3). Based on the Pearson coefficient, two distinct groups were identified among the fauna, such as <i style="">Corophium – Polydora </i>group (seaward stations) and <i style="">Capitella-Mytilopsis </i>group (inner harbor). The strong correlation between organisms and the abiotic factors (salinity, dissolved oxygen and <i style="">p</i>H) was found to be the decisive factor for the spatial distribution of epigrowth fauna. </smarttagtype></smarttagtype>