Temporal Changes in the Abundance of Macrobenthos in the South China Sea, Area II: Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah

Abstract

The macrobenthic fauna in the South China Sea (Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah) was surveyed during pre NE monsoon (4 Jul.- 8 Aug. 1996) and post NE monsoon (25 Apr.-31 May 1997). Over 90 species were collected by Smith-McIntyre grab of 47 stations. The overall density of macrobenthic fauna in Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah area was 100 ind. m^-2 on average in the pre NE monsoon and 167 ind.m-2 on average in the post NE monsoon. Most species were carnivore/scavengers followed by deposit-feeder and fewer suspension-feeder or herbivores both in the pre and post NE monsoon. There was a marked seasonal variation in faunal composition between the pre and post NE monsoon. During the pre NE monsoon polychaeta was the most abundance followed by crustacea while during the post NE monsoon crustacea was the most abundance followed by polychaete and the remaining groups of macrobenthic fauna which were poorly represented in the survey areas both in the pre and post NE monsoon periods. All the diversity indecies decline from the pre to post NE monsoon.