Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the density, diversity and alteration of species
composition of macrofauna and meiofauna in nearby stations and also with distance to
the aquaculture cages in Setiu Lagoon, Terengganu. The macrobenthos of Phylum
Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Nemertea and the meiobenthos of Phylum
Arthropoda, Nematoda, Annelida and Nauplii were determined. Multivariate analysis
revealed that there were significant differences in macrobenthos composition during both
samplings between samples taken near and far to the cages but there were no clear
patches of meiofauna. Meiofauna only showed a significant reflects to the changes of
physicochemical parameters on November with 1,972,121 (ind. /m
2
) found during first
sampling and decreased to 1,570,909 (ind. /m
2
) during second sampling. Instead,
macrofauna did not show significant reflects to the physicochemical changes. Total
density (ind. /m
2
) of macrobenthos during first sampling was 5,020 (ind. /m
2
) and 6,412
2
(ind. /m
) macrobentos found during second sampling.
