Henriques: Soft Shore, Intertidal Faunal Community Structure

The effects of pollution (nutrient enrichment). and the presence of macrovegetation on the species diversity and density of large benthic fauna in the Manukau Harbour, Auckland, were studied by sampling eight soft shore, intertidal habitats. Pollution was found to reduce faunal density but to have only a slight effect on species diversity. The presence of dense meadows of the intertidal seaweed Gracilaria secundata var. pseudoflagellifera did not appear to affect the community structure of the underlying large benthic fauna greatly. However, species diversity of large benthic fauna was higher on both eelgrass (Zostera muelleri) flats and in mangrove (Avicennia resinifera) forests than in comparable nonvegetated habitats. Presence of mangroves also increased faunal density whereas eelgrass flats showed a slight decrease in density in relation to comparable nonvegetated habitats.