The Impact of Bottom Trawling on the Abundance and Composition of Benthic Communities in the Western Shrimp Fishing Area
(Liffe - Busif) in Khuzestan Province Coast

Rezae, Simin; Shoukat, Parvaneh; Banaee, بنایی

Volume 16, Issue 2 (summer 2026) J. Aqua. Eco 2026, 16(2): 66-82 | Back to browse issues page

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Rezae S, Shoukat P, Banaee ب. The Impact of Bottom Trawling on the Abundance and Composition of Benthic Communities in the Western Shrimp Fishing Area (Liffe - Busif) in Khuzestan Province Coast. J. Aqua. Eco 2026; 16 (2) :66-82
URL: http://jae.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1173-en.html

The Impact of Bottom Trawling on the Abundance and Composition of Benthic Communities in the Western Shrimp Fishing Area (Liffe - Busif) in Khuzestan Province Coast

Simin Rezae

, Parvaneh Shoukat ^*

, بنایی Banaee

Abstract: (5 Views)

This study investigated the effects of bottom trawling on the distribution, abundance, and diversity of benthic communities in the western shrimp fishing area (Liffe–Busif) along the coast of Khuzestan Province, Iran. Ten sampling stations were selected, and benthic communities were sampled during two periods in 2017: early September, during the shrimp fishing closure period, representing the pre-trawling condition, and late November, during the shrimp fishing season, representing the post-trawling condition. Benthic organisms were collected using a Peterson grab sampler with a sampling area of 225 cm². Physicochemical parameters, including temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, were measured concurrently. Benthic community structure was assessed using the Shannon–Wiener, Simpson, Evenness, and Margalef indices. A total of 64 taxa (genera and species) were identified during the pre-trawling period, compared with 47 taxa during the post-trawling period. Mean benthic density was higher before trawling and declined following the trawling season. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in the mean abundance of benthic communities among stations and sampling periods (p < 0.05). The echinoderm Amphipholis squamata was the most abundant taxon recorded. Polychaetes, echinoderms, and arthropods exhibited higher abundances before trawling, whereas most major taxonomic groups, particularly arthropods, showed marked declines after trawling. In contrast, mollusks exhibited a slight increase in abundance during the post-trawling period. Based on the Shannon–Wiener index, the ecological quality of the studied stations ranged from poor to very poor following the trawling period. Overall, the findings indicate that bottom trawling was associated with substantial changes in the abundance, composition, and diversity of benthic communities, with dissolved oxygen and temperature also contributing to observed patterns in benthic community structure.

Keywords: Bottom trawling, Amphipholis squamata, Benthic Communities, Shannon index, Khuzestan Province Coast.

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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Published: 2026/07/1