Evaluation of benthic quality status and ecosystem functioning of soft bottom macrobenthos in the intertidal region with reference to Gulf of Khambhat, India

The Gulf of Khambhat is a dynamic intertidal regime influenced by variety of factors such as multiple water runoff from different rivers, wastewater input from industries and urban areas and natural phenomenon like tidal influence. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the quality status of the intertidal areas along the gulf of Khambhat. Present study is a baseline study for the monitoring of ecosystem health of macrobenthos along the gulf of Khambhat coast. Macrobenthos are known as indicators for the organic enrichment, hence macrobenthos were used to assess the benthic quality status. BIOENV identified sediment quality parameters as most influential parameters and segregated the locations as sandy and sandy muddy habitat. Two robustly use biotic indices AMBI and BOPA were used to assess the ecological quality status of macrobenthos. From the biotic indices Alang was identified as most polluted location where as Diu as pristine habitat. Biological trait analysis (BTA) and Functional diversity indices (FD) explained the functioning of ecosystem along the Gulf of Khambhat where habitat heterogeneity was playing a major role in the species as well as functional diversity. Though biotic indices were showing positive results with functional diversity, no significant relationship was recorded.