Benthic macrofauna communities in coastal earthen ponds used for fish farming in the south atlantic coast of the iberian peninsula

Abstract

Macrobenthos communities inhabiting coastal fish-farming earthen ponds have been studied during two yearly seasons in three different farms of the Gulf of Cádiz (SW Iberian Peninsula), two of them sited in Portugal (Portimao and Olhão) and one in Spain (Puerto Real). Each farm has a different culture system and hydrologic regime. We are presenting here the main characteristics, dominant species and/or taxonomic groups and differences among the three studied ponds.