Abstract
The Arabian Gulf Sea habitat has high temperatures and salinity conditions which determine the distribution and diversity of benthic animals such as the gastropods. The gastropods have developed various adaptations mechanism like aestivation to survive in extreme abiotic conditions. However, salinity levels, temperature level, and anthropogenic environments are the key factors that influence assemblage of gastropod fauna across these coastal environments.
Introduction
Biodiversity in the Arabian Gulf Sea and General Information on the Gastropods
The Arabian Gulf Sea is one of the marine habitats characterized by high levels of salinity and temperature. The region has a variety of habitats like muddy, macroalgae, mangrove and seagrass, coral reefs, diagenetic hard grounds, and corals. According to Sheppard et al. (2010), this marine habit is experiencing rapid changes due to increase in development activities experienced in this region. Such developments include increased industrial activities, tourism development, infrastructure and residential based developments. This has resulted in a significant removal of shallow and productive habitat. Combined with harsh environment conditions identified above, these developments have adverse effects on benthic ecology in this region.
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Gastropods are the largest class of the phylum Mollusca and comprises of slugs and snails. Kohan, Badbardast, and Shokri (2012) asserted that this class is second largest in the number of species following insects and resides in marine ecosystems. Therefore, both environmental and biological factors of the marine habitats influence the distribution and occurrence of marine gastropods.
Biodiversity of Gastropods in the Gulf Sea and Al-Wakra Beach in Qatar (Doha)
According to Kohan et.al (2012), the species of marine gastropod found in the Gulf Sea habitats varies significantly and exists large numbers. The gastropods indicate an effective assemblage across the coastal region according to abiotic conditions. This assemblage is divided into species which are restricted to subtidal, intertidal, and supratidal zones; those restricted to a specific substrate; and those species being limited by various physiochemical parameters. The increase in temperature and salinity of the habitats creates unfavorable conditions for the survival of the gastropod species (Al-Maslamani , et al. 2015).
Due to the intense temperatures and salinities in these habitats, Al-Maslamani et.al (2015) argued that the gastropod species undergoes aestivation. Aestivation acts as the adaptation mechanism when gastropods are exposed to these extreme conditions. During aestivation, they experience suppression of the metabolic rate which leads to a reduction of water. Each species has varying level of tolerating the harsh abiotic factors and when the level has exceeded the species dies. Other adaptation mechanisms include light coloring of the shell, evaporative cooling mechanism, and thermo-regulation mechanisms (Al-Khayat, 2008).
Al-Wakra Beach in Qatar presents high abundance and low diversity (few species) of the gastropod species. This is because the entire Qatar region is characterized by extreme conditions of cold temperatures. In addition, the region is highly impacted by anthropogenic environments as asserted by Al-Maslamani et.al., (2015).
Previous Study on the Gastropods in the Arabia Gulf Sea
Al-Maslamani et.al. (2015) carried out a baseline research to monitor how gastropods along the internal zone of Qatar responds to various hyper-saline and hyper-thermic conditions. They utilized the technique of Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS) to determine the hyper-saline and hyper-thermic conditions which influence the assembling of intertidal gastropod. The study revealed that the assembling of gastropods varied with the salinity gradient and geographical temperature. The diversity and abundance of the live species of gastropods decreased with increasing temperature and rising salinity (Sridhar & Bhaskaran, 2015). The study found a large number of dead species in areas with extreme salinities and temperatures.
From the above discussion, it is evident that the harsh conditions of the marine habitats across the Gulf region have varying effects on different macrobenthos species. For instance, the high salinity and extreme temperatures adversely affect the diversity of gastropods across these coastal environments.
References
Al-Khayat, J. A. (2008). Molluscs of the state of Qatar. Qatar Biodiversity Newsletter, 2 (1), 1-5.
Al-Maslamani, I., Al-Masdi, A., Chatting, M., Obbard, J., & Giraldes, W. (2015). Baseline monitoring gastropods in the intertidal zone of Qatar -target species and bioindicators for hyper-thermic and hypersaline Saline Conditions. International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences, 3 (12), 62-72.
Kohan, A., Badbardast, Z., & Shokri, M. (2012). The Gastropod Fauna along the Bushehr Province Intertidal Zone of the Persian Gulf. Journal of the Persian Gulf, 3 (9), 33-42.
Sheppard, C., Al-Husiani, M., Al-Jamali, F., Baldwin, R., Bishop, J., Benzoni, F., . . . Durvasula, V. (2010). The Gulf: A young sea in decline. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60 , 13-38.
Sridhar, P., & Bhaskaran, B. (2015). A Study of Marine Biodiversity: Macrobenthos in Arabian Gulf. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 6 (10), 55-60.
