The influence of environmental factors on species diversity on crab and mangrove community in salt panning and non-salt panning in Wete District; Pemba

Omar, Said H. (2019) The influence of environmental factors on species diversity on crab and mangrove community in salt panning and non-salt panning in Wete District; Pemba. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

The influence of environmental factors on species diversity on crab and mangrove community in salt panning and non -salt panning in Wete District; Pemba by collecting data through field observation and experimental procedure. In Start 3 Trial version and Graph Pad Prism 6 version were used to analyze data. In this study 14 mangrove crab species were identified in Kangagani and 13 observed in Shengejuu. The species diversity index (H') in the non-salt pan zone was 2.42 and 2.40 for Kangagani and Shengejuu respectively, whereas H’ in the salt pan zone was 1.17 for both Kangagani and Shengejuu. Statistically, there was a significant difference of mangrove crab diversity in Kangagani between non-salt and salt pan zones where P = 0.0001, t=16.78 df=10. Results in Shengejuu also showed significant differences where P = 0.0350, t=2.318 df=15. Seven (7) species of mangrove plants were identified in Kangagani and 4 species were identified in Shengejuu in the non-salt Zones. Also five physico-chemical variables examined (salinity, temperature, pH, Relative humidity and rainfall). There was correlation of crabs abundance and soil pH where (p ˂ 0.0026, r = 0.7374). The results showed there was correlation between temperature and crabs abundance where (p˂0.0010, r = -0.6170). Mangrove crabs are the organisms that play a significant role in the dynamics of the mangrove ecosystems in the world. With regards to mangrove Crab Species diversity, different crabs were identified in both Salt Pan and Non- salt Pan Zones - located at Kangagani and Shengejuu study sites. Mangroves forest should be replanted the same species after destruction by salt producers and others environmental degradation Key words: crab and mangrove diversity, salt panning and non-salt panning areas

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