Macrobenthic Invertebrates of the Hersek Lagoon(Marmara Sea, Turkey) under Pollution Pressure

Hisli O., Balkıs H., Mülayim A.

ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA, cilt.74, sa.3, ss.445-453, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 74 Sayı: 3
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Dergi Adı: ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.445-453
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The Hersek Lagoon is a small lagoon located in the Marmara Sea. It is a breeding and feeding area for

many bird species, which makes it an internationally important wetland despite its small size. However, it

is under pressure due to the deterioration of the natural water regime and increasing pollution. Although

macroinvertebrates are important indicators in the environmental monitoring, no study has been conducted on the macroinvertebrate fauna of this lagoon. The present study was conducted to evaluate the

relationship between environmental parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates. Totally, 34 species were

identified in the lagoon, two of which (Hydroides dianthus (Verrill, 1873), Lekanesphaera monodi (Arcangeli, 1934)) are reported from the Sea of Marmara for the first time. Three alien species were detected

in the lagoon: Ruditapes philippinarum (A. Adams & Reeve, 1850), Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1802 and

Hydroides dianthus (Verrill, 1873). Diversity index values at all stations showed that macrobenthic fauna

is poor in terms of species diversity. Low levels of dissolved oxygen and the high total organic carbon

content throughout the lagoon sediment seem to negatively affect the benthic fauna, especially at stations

far from the open sea. The fact that the dominant species in the lagoon are resistant to organic pollution

also supports this view.