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Fatima Zohra Khelil-Radji

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 343-352

    Aouicha Haddou-Dekhir, Yacine Boutiba, Sihem Abid-Kachour, Fatima Zohra Khelil-Radji & Mohamed Bouderbala
    The benthic stands of the soft and rocky substrates of the Paloma Island, Algeria
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.343.352

    ABSTRACT
    The Oran coastal zone (Algeria) is distinguished by a remarkable wealth of habitat and species (Posidonia meadow, coralligenous groupers, and endemic seaweed). This work has allowed us to inventory and identify one hundred (100) macrobenthic species of soft substrates and 65 macrobenthic species of rocky substrates. The contents of the different grain size fractions show a homogeneity between the four stations with a trimodal sand dominated by coarse sand (diameter = 0.08–10 mm). The distribution of these species was mapped using the System of Geographic Information (GIS). Finally, the computation of the Shannon-Wiener (H) and Simpson (Si) indices of the rocky and soft substrates of this study area reveal an average ecological richness with a high biological diversity. It is necessary to undertake annual monitoring of macrobenthos through a wider investigation of several sites and stations in a longitudinal and vertical distribution. The “overall biological quality” index will be calculated and refined in order to rank the different sites by establishing specific in- dices for each site.