Characteristics of macrozoobenthic community structure in typical wetlands of Macao

We conducted a seasonal investigation on the community structure of macrobenthos in four typical wetlands in Macao from December 2012 to September 2013. A total of 66 species were identified, including 45 species of molluscs, 9 polychaetes, 8 crustaceans and 3 fishes. The macrobenthic species composition in wetlands was characteristized by brackish water species, freshwater species and estuarial low salinity species. Bottom-type species dominated in the life form composition, herbivorous and plankton feeders dominated in functional feeding composition. The species occurred in Lotus Flower Bridge Flat (46 species) most. Two-Way analysis of variance show that there was significant difference in species number among different seasons. Limnoperna fortunei, Angulyagra polyzonata, Bellamya purificat, Dendronereis pinnaticirris, Ilyoplax deschampsi and Trapezium liratum were the main dominant species. The descending order of macrobenthos density was autumnsummerwinterspring. The descending order of biomass was autumnspringwintersummer. Shannon-Wiener species diversity and Pielou evenness indices were the highest in Lotus Flower Bridge Flat, but no significant difference was detected in the two indices among different seasons and sampling sites.