Distribution and seasonal variation of the benthic fauna of the Ashtamudi Lake, south-west coast of India

Abstract

Distribution abundance and ecology of the benthic fauna, from two stations in the Ashtamudi Lake (Kerala) have been reported. Faunal density was much higher in the lower part of the lake with peaks of abundance during the monsoon. Corresponding biomass values were also observed. While polychaetes and amphipods constituted the bulk of the population at both the stations, isopods and pelecypods were well represented in the lower reaches and oligochaetes in the upper reaches of the estuary