VARIABLES FÍSICAS, QUÍMICAS Y MICROBIOLÓGICAS EN RELACIÓN A LA PRESENCIA DE MACROINVERTEBRADOS EN ZONAS ROCOSOS DE SANTA ELENA, ECUADOR

Abstract

Human intervention on coastal marine ecosystems that are home to important organisms such as macroinvertebrates has caused the loss of environmental goods and services, prompting a worldwide interest in learning more of these ecosystems and their environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine the physical, chemical and biological variables and their possible relationship to the presence of mobile macroinvertebrates in the intertidal zone of protected area (La Lobería and La Chocolatera) and unprotected (Ballenita) in the province of Santa Elena. During low tide in the month of December 2015, sediment samples were taken to analyze Pb, Hg, Cd and TPH and water samples pH, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and total coliforms. In addition, the three layers of the intertidal zone determined the abundance, diversity and distribution of species on the sites were monitored. The results obtained show similar values of heavy metals in all the sites; Ballenita, on the other hand had the highest levels of TPH and total coliforms, causing decreased diversity on the site. At Lobería abundance, wealth and higher uniformity was reported directly related to the low level of contamination present.