This study presents an assessment of the diversity and spatial distribution of benthic macrofauna communities along the Moulay Bousselham lagoon and discusses the environmental factors contributing to observed patterns. In the autumn of 2018, 68 stations were sampled with three replicates per station in subtidal and intertidal areas. Environmental conditions showed that the range of water temperature was from 25.0 °C to 12.3 °C, the salinity varied between 38.7 and 3.7, while the average of pH values fluctuated between 7.3 and 8.0. In vegetated habitats, biomass values of the seagrass Zostera noltei Hornemann ranged between 31.7 gDW/m² and 170.2 gDW/m² while the biomass of the seagrass Ruppia cirrhosa (Petagna) Grande between 54.2 gDW/m² and 84.7 gDW/m². Sediment analyses showed that the lagoon is mainly composed of sandy and silty sediments. We recorded 37,165 individuals of macrofauna distributed in 63 taxa belonging to 50 families, with a mean abundance value of 4582.8 ind/m² and biomass average of 22.2 g/m². Distance-based linear modeling analysis (DISTLM) identified sediment characteristics, water parameters and habitat type (biomass of Z. noltei) as the major environmental drivers influencing macrozoobenthos patterns. Our results clearly revealed that the hydrographic regime (marine and terrestrial freshwater), sediment distribution and characteristics and the type of habitat (vegetated vs unvegetated substrate) are the key factors determining the species composition and patterns of macrozoobenthos assemblages.

中文翻译：

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前哨沿海泻湖中大型动物群的空间格局：生物多样性和环境驱动因素

这项研究提出了对沿Moulay Bousselham泻湖底栖大型动物群落的多样性和空间分布的评估，并讨论了有助于观察到的格局的环境因素。2018年秋季，在潮间带和潮间带区域对68个台站进行了采样，每个台站进行了3次重复。环境条件表明，水温范围为25.0°C至12.3°C，盐度在38.7至3.7之间变化，而平均pH值在7.3至8.0之间波动。在植被生境中，海草Zostera noltei Hornemann的生物量值在31.7 gDW /m²和170.2 gDW /m²之间，而海草Ruppia cirrhosa的生物量（帕塔尼亚）重达54.2 gDW /m²至84.7 gDW /m²。沉积物分析表明，泻湖主要由沙质和粉质沉积物组成。我们记录了37165个大型动物，分布在50个科的63个分类中，平均丰度值为4582.8 ind /m²，平均生物量为22.2 g /m²。基于距离的线性建模分析（DISTLM）确定了沉积物特征，水参数和栖息地类型（诺氏Z的生物量））作为影响大型动物的主要环境驱动力。我们的结果清楚地表明，水文状况（海洋和陆地淡水），沉积物的分布和特征以及生境的类型（植被对非植被底物）是决定大型动物群组成的物种组成和模式的关键因素。