MACROBENTHIC INVERTEBRATES NEAR SEWER OUTLETS IN DUBAI CREEK, ARABIAN GULF

Two sewer outlets in Dubai Creek on the Arabian Gulf, are used intermittently for sewage dumping. During October 1990 a total of 140 core samples (0.01 m2 to a depth of 10-15 cm) were collected from the low tide line at the two outlets, two control stations away from the outlets inside the Creek, and another control station on an exposed beach outside the Creek. All stations inside the Creek had a similar sedimentary composition, which was different from that outside the Creek. A slight accumulation of organic carbon was found in sediments from the Creek, particularly at one of the sewer outlets. Faunal analysis revealed that the mean abundance of animals, numbers of species, species diversity, species richness, and evenness were not significantly different among sewer outlets and control stations inside the Creek. However, the dominance of Capitella capitata, Polydora kempi, and P. antennata at these stations may indicate an organic pollution in the Creek. Although higher numbers of animals and species were found at the station outside the Creek, species diversity and evenness were very low. This is due to the abundance of the burrowing clam, Donax cuneatus, which accounted for 86% of total fauna at this station.