2005年对长江口潮滩湿地互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)生长区不同季节大型底栖动物群落特征的研究表明:长江口互花米草生长区的大型底栖动物有21种,其中甲壳纲10种、多毛纲5种、腹足纲5种、辨鳃纲1种。主要种类有拟沼螺(Assiminea sp.)、背蚓虫(Notomastus latericeus)、尖锥拟蟹守螺(Cerithidea largillierli)、中国绿螂(Glauconome chinensis)、钩虾(Gammaridae sp.)等。食性功能群均以碎屑食者和植食者为主。大型底栖动物平均栖息密度为(650.5±719.2)个/m^2,标准误主要是由于北湖的拟沼螺密度很大。栖息密度从大到小的顺序为沿河口梯度从内到外分布的北湖边滩、崇明东滩、金山卫边滩。大型底栖动物群落分布不均匀,沿河口梯度变化存在明显的空间差异。栖息密度和物种多样性在夏季最高,冬季最低。大型底栖动物平均生物量为(20.8±6.1)g/m^2,季相变化为夏季〉秋季〉春季〉冬季。BIO-ENV分析表明沉积物粒径和盐沼高度是大型底栖动物群落特征的主要影响因素。不同研究结果的差异除了时空因素外可能与互花米草的种群动态有关。加强不同时间尺度的研究有助于正确评价互花米草对大型底栖动物的影响。
Benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Spartina alterniflora zones in the Yangtze Estuary, in China, were investigated seasonally in 2005, and their structure and biodiversity were analyzed. Twenty-one species were identified, across four Classes; 10 species of Crustacea, five species of Polychaeta, five species of Gastropoda, and one species of Lamellibranchia. Dominant species included: Assiminea sp., Notomastus latericeus, Cerithidea largillierl, Gtauconome chinensi and Gammaridae sp. Functional groups were comprised of a phytophagous group and a detritivorous group. The average density of all benthic macroinvertebrates was 650.5 ±719.2 inds/m^2 in the survey area. The high value of the standard deviation of the average density was a result of abundant Assiminea sp. at Beihu tidal flats. The average density of macroinvertebrates from Beihu tidal flat, Chongming Dongtan to Jinshanwei tidal flat decreased gradually. There was significant difference between compositions and abundance of macroinvertebrates along the estuary gradient (P 〈 0.05). The density and biodiversity were highest in summer and lowest in winter. The mean biomass of macroinvertebrates was 20.8 ± 6.1 g/m^2. Biomass changed seasonally in the same way as density, with the change in biomass being: summer (Aug.) 〉autumn (Oct.) 〉spring (Apr.) 〉 winter (Dec.). A BIO-ENV analysis showed that the mean grain size of sediment, height of Spartina and salinity were the ma- jor factors which affected the structure of the macroinvertebrate community. Variations in the community structure were probably caused by the population dynamics of S. alterniflora along with the variation in sampling time and location.