Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 11 (2): 184-188, 2012

ISSN 1990-9233
© IDOSI Publications, 2012

Occurrence and Abundance of Macrobenthos of

Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep Islands, Bangladesh
1
M. Asadujjaman, 2,3M. Belal Hossain, 1M. Shamsuddin, 1M.A. Amin and 1A.K.M. Azam

1
Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
2
Department of Biology, FOS, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei 1413
3
Fisheries and Marine science, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh

Abstract: The present study was undertaken to know the distribution of intertidal macrobenthos of Hatiya and
Nijhum Dweep during premonsoon (January-June, 2010). The macrobenthos of Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep were
collected by using hand-held mud corer (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) having a mouth opening of 0.01 m2 from seven
different stations. A total of 10 major groups/taxa were identified during premonsoon from all stations. The
maximum density (4511 individual /m2) was found at Nijhum Dweep Namar Bazar and the minimum (433
individual /m2) at Nalchira Ghat. The macrobenthos included polychaetes (45.03 %), oligochaetes (16.65 %),
shrimp larvae (13.93 %), crab (9.63 %), gastropods (3.56 %), isopods (1.15 %), bivalves (1.15 %), copepods
(0.73 %), annelids (0.42 %), amphipods (0.63 %) and others (7.12 %). Polychaetea, oligochaetea, shrimp larvae
and crab contributed 85.24 % of total population. Polychaete was dominant by contributing 45.03 % of total
macrobenthos. The information which is included here can be used to measure the impact of pollution, to
conserve biodiversity of those area and anyone can use for further study.

Key words: Macrobenthos % Intertidal Zone % Abundance % Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep

INTRODUCTION large area of mangrove mudflats, tidal creeks, reed beds

with high biodiversity [6]. These two islands are
Macrobenthos are an important and integral frequently subjected to tropical cycles, erosion and
component of all aquatic ecosystems which lives on, in or strong wave action.
near the bottom of water bodies [1] Benthic organisms Although globally macrobenthos have been much
serve as direct food for other higher trophic organisms studied but in Bangladesh the published information on
(fin and shell fishes) and act as ecological engineer macrobenthos of coastal area is scanty. Sharif [7] and
recycling the organic matter and other debris [2]. Hossain [1,3] gave an idea on the Macrobenthos of
They have been used for long time as indicator of water Meghna River estuary which deals with the benthos
and sediment quality by major biomonitoring programs distribution of the Hatiya Island that included only one
[2]. Some benthic organisms (shrimp, crab, oyster, clam point of this Island and their study did not cover Nijhum
etc.) are important source of protein for human and some Dweep as well. So the aim of this study is to document the
are used as ingredients for fish and poultry feed abundance and composition of macrobenthos around
production [3]. Lime and pearl are two important products Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep Islands.
of Macrobenthos [4]. Longhust [5] first investigated the
relationship between demersal fish and soft bottom MATERIALS AND METHODS
benthos in a West African estuary and found that
macroinvertebrates were the main diet for fish. These Sampling Locations: The samples were collected from
organisms link the producers and with higher tropic seven stations of Hatiya Island and two stations of
levels. Nijhum Dweep (Fig. 1).
Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep are the two islands under
the Noakhali district located in the northern part of Bay of Nalchira Ghat: Nalchira Ghat is situated in the northern
Bengal and southern part of Bangladesh. They occupy a part of Hatiya and southern part of Noakhali. It is

Corresponding Author: M. Belal Hossain, Department of Biology, FOS, University Brunei Darussalam,
Brunei 1413, Cell: +6738665470.
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 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 11 (2): 184-188, 2012

Fig. 1: Sampling locations of Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep Islands, Bangladesh.

subjected to high erosion. Salinity varied from 3-12 ppt. Tamaruddin Ghat: It is located at the west of the Ojkhali
In this sandy area tidal influence is strong. Temperature Bazar (Hatiya Upazila). Tidal influence is very strong here.
varied from 25-32°C at this area. Samples were collected from sandy bottom erosion area.
Temperature varied from 22-29°C and salinity ranged from
Kazir Bazar: The station is located at the east of the 3-15 ppt.
Ojkhali Bazar (Hatiya Upazila). Tidal influence is active.
Samples were collected from clay bottom area. It is Nijhum Dweep Trawler Ghat: It is located at southern
subjected to erosion. Average temperature and salinity part of Hatiya and northern part of Nijhum Dweep. Tidal
are 28°C and 4-12 ppt. influence is active here. Salinity varied from 10-20 ppt and
temperature 25-30°C. Samples were collected from clay
Surjamukhi Bazar: It is situated in the south-eastern bottom area. It is subjected to high erosion.
area from Ojkhali Bazar. Tidal influence is active. Samples
were collected from clay bottom area. It is not subjected Nijhum Dweep Namar Bazar: It is located at southern
to erosion. Average temperature and salinity are 25-27°C most part of Hatiya. Salinity varied from 15-25 ppt and
and 4-12 ppt. temperature 25-33°C. Tidal influence is active and water
body is turbid. It is used as fishing zone.
Charchenga Ghat: The station is situated in the south-
western part of Ojkhali Bazar. Tidal influence is strong. Sample Collection and Analysis: The seven working
Samples were collected from sandy bottom area. It is stations were selected in different parts of Hatiya and
subjected to high erosion. Temperature varied from Nijhum Dweep. Each station was divided into three
25-31°C and salinity 8-15 ppt. sub-stations (sub-station=01, sub-station=02 and

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sub-station=03). Three replicate samples were collected Table 1: Group/taxa-wise total abundance of macrobenthos in all stations
at Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep.
from each station with hand-held mud corer (10 cm x 10 cm
Species Individual/m2 Percentage (%) Rank of abundance
x 10 cm) having a mouth opening of 0.01 m2 during Polychaetea 682.54 45.03 1
pre-monsoon (January-June, 2010). The sampler was Oligochaeta 252.38 16.65 2
pushed into the sediment and sediment of the corer was Shrimp larvae 211.11 13.93 3
Bivalvia 17.46 1.15 7
taken in polyethylene bags and marked over the bags by
copepoda 11.11 0.73 8
a marker pen. Replicate samples were taken from intertidal Crab 146.03 9.63 4
area of the stations. The sediment samples were Amphipoda 9.52 0.63 9
transferred from polyethylene bag to bucket and mix with Isopoda 17.46 1.15 7
Gastropoda 53.97 3.56 6
water. Then the mixed water passed through a hand-sieve Annelida 6.35 0.42 10
with 0.5 mm mesh. The sieved organism were preserved Others 107.94 7.12 5
with other residues in the plastic container with 10% Total 1515.87 100.00
buffered formalin and labeled and then transferred to
Table 2: Station wise total abundance of macrobenthos at Hatiya and
laboratory for further analysis. In the laboratory, small Nijhum Dweep
amount of “Rose Bengal” was added to increase visibility Percentage Rank of
of organisms. For identification, the samples were taken Station Name Individual/m2 (%) Individual
into a round transparent Petri dish (diameter 15 cm and Nalchira Ghat 433.33 4.05 7
Kazir Bazar 1033.33 9.67 4
depth 2 cm) and placed on a white paper background for
Surjamukhi Bazar 2100.00 19.65 2
the easy contrast of vision. Organisms were sorted and Charchenga Ghat 1555.56 14.55 3
enumerated under major taxa and preserved in small vials Tamaruddin ghat 566.67 5.30 5
by using small brush or forceps. Binocular microscope Nijhum Dweep Namar Bazar 4511.11 42.20 1
Nijhum Dweep Trawler Ghat 488.89 4.57 6
with digital camera, model No: XSZ21-05DN) was used to Total 10688.89 100.00
identify and capture the image of benthos. An attempt has
been made to identify the macrobenthos up to genus or
species level but due to time limitation, lack of fund and
appropriate literature it was not possible.

RESULTS AND DISCUSION

Quantitative distribution of intertidal Macrobenthic

of Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep has been furnished in
Table (1, 2) and Figures (2, 3). The fauna comprised 10
taxa.
Fig. 2: Percentage composition of macrobenthos in the
Polychaetes: Presence of polychaetes were the study area.
highest (682.54 ind./m2) among macrobenthos. They were
limited at Nalchira ghat due to pressure of human
activities. Maximum value (2588.89 ind./m2) was found at
Nijhum Dweep Namar Bazar and minimum (44.44 ind./m2)
at Nalchira Ghat. They were common at all stations.

Oligochaetes: Olygochaetes were common at all

stations and occupied second position as regards
abundance of total Macrobenthos. The maximum
value (888.89 ind./m2) was recorded at Nijhum Dweep
Namar Bazar and the minimum (22.22 ind./m2) value was
recorded at Tamaruddin Ghat and Nijhum Dweep Trawler Fig. 3: Percentage composition of macrobenthos at each
ghat. station.

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Gastropods: They constituted 53.97 % of total Alam [10] identified 8 major taxa namely polychaetes,
Macrobenthos (Table 1). Gastropods had its highest decapoda, bivalvia, gastropods, amphipods, bopoda,
density (288.89 ind./m2) at Surjamukhi Bazar and lowest mysidacea, pisces and diptera from the intertidal zone of
(22.22 ind./m2) at Tamaruddin Ghat and Kazir Bazar the Halishar coast, chittagong. In this study 10
groups/taxa were identified and including these groups
Amphipods: Amphipods contributed 0.63 % of total adding some more groups (oligochaete, crab, copepods
Macrobenthos (Table1). Maximum value (22.22 ind./m2) and isopods). At Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep a total of 10
was found at Surjamukhi Bazar and Nijhum Dweep Trawler groups were identified where polychaetes were the
Ghat and the minimum (11.11 ind./m2) at Nijhum Dweep dominant species and constituted 45.03 %. Polychaetes
Namar Bazar and Tamaruddin Ghat. were found in all stations of study area. The maximum
abundance 682.54 ind./m2 and minimum 6.35 ind./m2 were
Bivalvia: Bivalvia were found only two stations of the found in the study area. Hossain [3] described 20 taxa of
study area. Maximum value (111.11 ind./m2) was found at macrozoobenthos of the Meghna River estuary,
Nijhum Dweep Namar Bazar and minimum (11.11 ind./m2) consisting of oligochaetes (53.75 %), polychaetes
at Kazir Bazar (Table 2). Bivalvia ranked 7th and (33.31 %) and mesogastropods (4.94 %). These three
contributed 1.15 % of total Macrobenthos (Table 1). groups together contributed about 90 % of total
population. Population density varied from 96 to 9410
Copepods: They constituted 0.73 % of total ind./m2. The maximum and minimum incidence was found
Macrobenthos (Table 1) and the ranked 8th. Maximum during post-monsoon and monsoon at Chandpur and
value (33.33 ind./m2) was found at Nijhum Dweep Namar Hatiya respectively. In the present study during
Bazar and Nalcrira Ghat and minimum (11.11 ind./m2) at premonsoon 10 taxa (polychaetes (45.03 %), olygochaetes
Charchenga Ghat. (16.65 %), shrimp larvae (13.93 %), bivalvia (1.15 %),
copepods (0.73 %), crabs (9.63 %), amphipods (0.63 %),
Shrimp Larvae: It constituted 13.93 % of total isopods (1.15 %), annelids (0.42 %) and gastropods (3.56
Macrobenthos (Table 1) and the ranked 3rd. Maximum %) were recorded. Rao and Sharma [11] reported that
value (655.56 ind./m2) was found at Surjamukhi Bazar and nematodes, foraminiferans and ostracodes relatively
minimum (11.11 ind./m2) at Kazir Bazar. higher number occurred in during the postmonsoon in
Gosthain estuary. During monsoon and summer season
Crab: Crab was common at all stations. They constituted relatively bivalves, oligochaetes and polychaetes were
9.63 % of total Macrobenthos (Table 1) and the ranked 4th. dominant. This study shows polychaetes (682.54 ind./m2)
Maximum value (522.22 ind./m2) was found at Surjamukhi and oligochaetes (252.38 ind./m2) were dominant during
Bazar and minimum (11.11 ind./m2) at Nijhum Dweep pre-monsoon at Hatiya and Nijhum Island. This difference
Namar Bazar. was mainly due to different seasons. Nandi and
Chowdhury [12] identified different species of benthos
Isopods: They constituted 1.15 % of total such as polychaeta (5 species), gastropoda (5 species),
Macrobenthos (Table 1) and the ranked 7th. Maximum decapoda (5 species), coelenterata (2 species), bivalvia (2
value (77.78 ind./m2) was found at Nalchira Ghat and species), pisces (2 species) and nemertinea (1 species)
minimum (11.11 ind./m2) at Surjamukhi Bazar. from the mud flat of Sagar Island, sunderbans and West
Abundance and composition of macrobenthos are Bengal, India.
varied in the stations due to prevailing abiotic and biotic Every living organism plays an important role in the
factors. Biotic factors that affects the living organisms in environment. For maintaining ecological balance of
the intertidal zone such as competition for space and environment existence of micro, macro and meio-benthos
food, predation, reproduction substrate settlement is essential. Ecological imbalance and environmental
preference, osmoregulation [8]. Abiotic factors that affect problems are occurred when any group of organisms are
the living organisms in the intertidal area such as salinity, extinct or lost. Hatiya and Nijhum Dweep are two
temperature, air and light exposure, tidal flow, waves and important islands for Bangladesh for their high biological
current action, substrate, wind direction and strength, diversity. By realizing high plant and animal biodiversity
dissolved O2, storms, natural disasters [9]. in this area, Bangladesh government designated Nijhum

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Dweep as national park in 2001 [6] but details study on 7. Sharif, A.S.M., 2002. A comparative study on
biodiversity has not yet been conducted. So to get a Plankton and benthos of the Meghna River-estuary
comprehensive picture of benthic biodiversity a further during monsoon and post monsoon. M.S. Thesis,
study is recommended. Institute of Marine Sciences, University of
Chittagong, Bangladesh. pp: 125.
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