Response of Estuarine Meiofauna Assemblage to Effects of Fertilizer Enrichment Used in the Sugar Cane Monoculture. Pernambuco, Brazil

In situ application of inorganic fertilizer was used to simulate environmental eutrophication associated with the sugar cane monoculture. Meiofauna community structure is herein used to assess this experimental impact. Nine quadrangular areas (4m2 each) were randomly defined in the midlittoral estuarine area. Three of these areas received a high dose of sugar cane fertilizer (375 g/m2 Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium), three areas received a low dose of the fertilizer (187.5 g/m2) and the other three areas represented the control. The fertilizer was applied every week. Environmental parameters and meiofauna were sampled using three–to-four week intervals. Six samplings were subsequently performed maintaining this interval. Meiofauna was counted and identified to major taxonomic groups. Meiofauna community structure varied throughout the experimental areas. Control areas maintained their abundance values during the study period, but within the enriched areas meiofauna abundance decreased greatly. MDS and ANOSIM analysis showed significant variation in the meiofauna community structure among experimental areas and also along the experimental period in the enriched areas.