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A MULTIDECADAL COMPARISON OF INTERTIDAL AMPHIPOD CRUSTACEAN DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE ON SAPELO ISLAND, GEORGIA**

Abstract

Haustoriid amphipods (Subphylum: Crustacea) are integral components of coastal ecosystems, functioning as food for higher trophic levels, assisting in nutrient cycling, and acting as ecological links. Due to their ecological importance and responsiveness to environmental stressors, these amphipods can act as effective bioindicators, assisting in the monitoring of ecosystem health and stability. Despite this importance, the taxonomic diversity and distribution of haustoriids are understudied along the coast of Georgia, U.S.A. A study published in 1967 examined the niche diversity of intertidal haustoriid amphipods on Sapelo Island, Georgia; however, no subsequent research has been conducted to document the shifts in the structure and composition of haustoriid communities on the island. Seasonal sampling was replicated to assess any changes in haustoriid diversity and distribution over the last 60 years. At each intertidal site, amphipods were collected using a shovel along three perpendicular transects. Each transect ran perpendicular to the spring low tide mark and progressed towards the dunes. Three to five 0.1 m2 scoops of sand were collected on each transect, depending on width of the beach. Recent collections reveal a large decrease in the number of amphipods and a shift in species composition. Haustoriid abundances decreased from over 3000 indivuduals collected in 1964 to under 200 individuals collected in 2024. Such shifts in haustoriid assemblages over a multidecadal scale may reflect changes in environmental conditions, physical aspects of the shoreline, predation levels, pollution levels, or anthropogenic use of the island, highlighting the utility of amphipod diversity studies in environmental assessments and ecological monitoring.

Acknowledgements

GCSU Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences

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