AI Article Synopsis
- The Gulf of Aqaba is a warm, high saline, and oligotrophic water body with significant ecological features.
- This study presents the first quantitative data on deep-sea benthos, identifying 55 benthic species with a density of 160-670 ind. m and varied species richness and diversity.
- The ecological health of the benthic communities is good to high, showing no major stress despite potential urban development in the region, making this research vital for future environmental assessments.
Article Abstract
The Gulf of Aqaba (hereafter 'the Gulf') is a narrow, semi-enclosed, warm, high saline, and oligotrophic water body. This baseline study provides the first quantitative data on deep-sea (207-1281 m depth) benthos of the Gulf. Fifty-five benthic species (predominantly polychaetes) with a density of 160-670 ind. m, species richness of 11-25, and Shannon-Wiener diversity (H') of 3.14-4.17 bits. ind. were recorded from nine stations. The density and H' of benthos of the Gulf are comparable with those of the Red Sea, while both are lower than those reported from the Arabian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The good-high ecological status of benthic communities indicates the absence of major stress in the deep-sea habitats of the Gulf. As large-scale urbanization is proposed in the Saudi coastal areas of the Gulf, this study is expected to provide a baseline dataset for future environmental impact assessments.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112028 | DOI Listing |
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