Quantitative Assessment of the Intertidal Environment of Kuwait II: Controlling Factors

摘要

Multivariate analysis of variance, canonical correlation and canonical discriminate analysis were performed on environmental data collected from the Kuwaiti intertidal zone to determine the statistical relationships between the sediment, chemical, biological, spatial and temporal variables. The quantitative analysis showed that the sediment type was the paramount factor influencing the distribution and composition of the intertidal benthic fauna. The muddy, sandy and rocky shores support three distinct faunal communities. The seasonal variation in the benthic fauna community was not statistically significant but variation in biological data due to differences in transect location and tidal level were significant.