Species composition and habitat preferences of benthic ostracod and foraminifera in seagrass and non-seagrass systems within a tropical estuary

摘要: Ostracods and foraminifera are excellent indicators of environmental change can act as proxies for the presence seagrass meadows. These have been under-utilized in vulnerable coastal ecosystems South-east Asia, fundamental habitat parameters required such application monitoring not yet established. We investigated preferences ostracods foraminiferal species non-seagrass habitats within Sungai Pulai Estuary (Johor, Malaysia), a system currently undergoing major changes. Samples consisted surficial downcore sediments collected from two meadows habitat. Multivariate analysis determined variations spatial depth distribution meiofauna. Species dominance, abundance varied between sites, whereas diversity community structure with sediment depth. found fewer ostracod individuals (N = 1133) than 7242). were more species-diverse (H′ 3.34) non-vegetated area compared areas 2.74), most diverse 3.60) areas. Opportunistic species, Loxoconcha lilljeborgii, Asterorotalia pulchella, Murrayinella globosa, Ammonia tepida Elphidium neosimplex dominated meiofaunal assemblages. The Nummulitidae Paracyprididae samples provided information related to rare families. Salinity, organic matter percentage sand explained much distribution. Our findings provide new insight into factors influencing estuary, comprising baseline understanding vulnerability anthropogenic