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Proceedings of the International Academy of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2019, 9(3): 73-88
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Article

Effect of urban pollutants on distribution of meiofauna worms in the southern cities of Caspian Sea

M. Zarghami¹, F. Nazarhaghighi², M. M. Sohrabi Mollayousefi³
¹Young Researchers and Elite Club, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran
²Young Researchers and Elite Club, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
³Department of Geology, Islamshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran

Received 12 March 2019;Accepted 20 April 2019;Published 1 September 2019
IAEES

Abstract
The Caspian Sea is a large lake renowned for its diverse aquatic fauna. This study investigates recent meiofauna worms from sediment samples collected during spring, summer, autumn and winter 2012 from 12 stations (ranging in depths 5, 10, 20 and 50 meters) in the Southern Caspian Sea from Bandar Amirabad to Ramsar. The benthic environmental factors including temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity and pH were measured by CTD during the sampling time. Associated factors includes: grain size, Total phosphate, Total nitrate, total organic matter and calcium carbonate concentration were also measured. In this research three classes of worms (Nematodes, Annelida and Platyhelminthes) were identified. The result of One Way ANOVA showed that density of Worms has been different significant with depth and stations (P<0.05). Result of Pearson correlation showed that between density of worms and %Silt and Clay, %TOM, depth and %CaCO₃ had been negative correlation. The highest density being observed in autumn, most density of worms was observed in Babolsarstations (B1) (759.78 ind/0.1m²). That showed a good situation for living there. Urbanization had important role in this area that increased abundance of meiofauna tolerance worms.

Keywords worms;Caspian Sea;environmental factors;Meiofauna.

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