Population fluctuation and vertical distribution of meiofauna in a tropical mudflat at Mandovi estuary, west coast of India

237-245A study was conducted to observe the meiofaunal community structure and its temporal and spatial fluctuation and a profile of vertical distribution of a mudflat in relation to sediment temperature, grain size, organic carbon and sedimentary chlorophyll a. The sampling was carried out for three seasons viz. Pre-monsoon (summer), monsoon and post-monsoon. The faunal density (no/10 cm2) ranged between 945-2063/10 cm2 and 704-1549/10 cm2 at stations 1 and 2 respectively. The fauna was dominated by nematodes, turbellarians and harpacticoid copepods. The fauna fluctuated seasonally. A vertical zonation in the distribution of fauna was significantly correlated with interstitial water, chlorophyll a and sediment organic carbon. It is suggested that meiofauna in mudflats serve as food for the higher trophic levels