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Characterization of the meiobenthic community inhabiting the Zwin coastal lagoon (Belgium, The Netherlands) and the role of the sedimentary environment
Baldrighi, E.; Alvisi, F.; Van Colen, C.; Grassi, E.; Catani, L.; Ape, F.; Vasapollo, C.; Manini, E.; Baguley, J.G.; Semprucci, F. (2025). Characterization of the meiobenthic community inhabiting the Zwin coastal lagoon (Belgium, The Netherlands) and the role of the sedimentary environment. Water 17(18): 2669. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w17182669
In: Water. MDPI: Basel. ISSN 2073-4441; e-ISSN 2073-4441
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open access 417751 [ download pdf ]
Keyword
    Meiofauna
Author keywords
    tidal lagoon; Zwin Nature Park; anthropogenic activities; depositional environment
Authors  Top 
  • Baldrighi, E.
  • Alvisi, F.
  • Van Colen, C.
  • Grassi, E.
  • Catani, L.
  • Ape, F.
  • Vasapollo, C.
  • Manini, E.
  • Baguley, J.G.
  • Semprucci, F.
Abstract
    Coastal waters are sensitive habitats that support high biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem goods. Changes in sedimentation regimes due to land-use and engineering activities in the coastal zone affect biodiversity and these habitats’ ecological value. This study aims to characterize the meiobenthic communities inhabiting the Zwin tidal lagoon, located on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, and to evaluate to what extent the sedimentological characteristics and the quantity and composition of organic matter influence the composition and distribution of meiofauna. The meiobenthic community showed traits of a well-established population dominated by nematodes, followed by copepods + nauplii. Notably, meiofauna rapidly colonized the area after its opening to the sea in February 2019 (two years before sampling), showing that even very weak tidal currents were sufficient to suspend and transport these animals to the new environment. Our results suggest that the Zwin lagoon is a productive system with high food quality (i.e., PRT/CHO ≥ 1), predominantly of marine origin. Major structural differences in communities were related to the sedimentary environments at the investigated stations and estimations of the quantity of food. The present findings confirm that sedimentary dynamics and depositional processes, through their influence on sediment properties (e.g., grain size) and organic matter’s quantity and composition, shape meiofaunal communities and their vertical and horizontal distributions.
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