Ecological Assessment of Macrobenthic Invertebrates in a Tidally Influenced Lagoon: A Case Study in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines

Ecological Assessment of Macrobenthic Invertebrates in a Tidally Influenced Lagoon: A Case Study in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Ecological Assessment of Macrobenthic Invertebrates in a Tidally Influenced Lagoon: A Case Study in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines Mico Villarin, Reynald Gimena, Dulce Fe Abragan, Warren Caneos This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Macrobenthic invertebrates in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines were assesed using transect-quadrat method and physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, salinity and total dissolved solids) were measured. Results showed that there were a total of 23 species found in the lagoon dominated by Cerithium sp., Diadema sp., Ostrea sp., Paguroidea sp. and Synapta sp. The diversity level in all stations was similar and showed no significant differences. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination highlighted that there is no clear segregation of species between stations. Cluster analysis also revealed that there is a close relationship of the samples from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4. SIMPER analysis also showed that high dissimilarity percentages were observed in most stations and were largely contributed by Ostrea sp., Cerithium sp., Synapta sp., Spongia sp. and Paguroidea sp. CCA also revealed that the relationship of every species that are affected by the physico-chemical parameters and what are the parameters that are affecting them. Macrobenthic invertebrates Biodiversity Taguines Lagoon Camiguin Island Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Introduction Coastal lagoons are ecologically valuable ecosystems that serve as transitional zones between terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments (Pérez-Ruzafa et al. 2011 , 2019 ) and may remain permanently connected to the adjacent sea or become temporarily isolated by sedimentary barriers (Kjerfve 1994 ; Gönenç and Wolflin 2004). These habitats are characterized by dynamic environmental conditions, including fluctuating salinity levels driven by tidal movements and freshwater inflows (Gillanders and Kingsford 2002 ; Pérez-Ruzafa et al. 2019 ). The ecological significance of these ecosystems lies in their ability to support diverse biological communities, including macrobenthic invertebrates, which play crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem processes and functioning. Taguines Lagoon, located in Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines, is an exemplary coastal lagoon where such dynamic processes occur. The interplay of tidal fluctuations and freshwater inputs creates distinct salinity gradients, shaping the structure and diversity of its aquatic life. Macrobenthic invertebrates, which inhabit the bottom substrates of aquatic systems, play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem functions (Chowdhury et al. 2022 ). They are essential for nutrient cycling, the decomposition of organic matter, and sediment stabilization, while also serving as a crucial link in the transfer of energy to higher trophic levels (Asadujjaman et al. 2012 ; Mieszkowska et al. 2013 ). Moreover, these organisms are highly effective bioindicators for assessing marine ecosystems, as they respond quickly to both anthropogenic and natural pressures (Pocklington and Wells 1992 ; Dauer 1993 ; Pancucci-Papadopoulou et al. 1999 ; Beasley and Kneale 2001 ; Calow 2009 ; Tampus et al. 2012 ; Chowdhury et al. 2022 ). Taguines Lagoon is a coastal lagoon situated in Benoni, Camiguin (9.13246 o N, 124.79425 o E) and generally consisted of fine and coarse sand (Jimenez et al. 2011 ). It exhibits dynamic spatial and temporal salinity variations driven by the interplay of tidal movements and freshwater inflow, creating a complex mosaic of habitats that support diverse assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates. The distribution of these organisms across salinity gradients offers valuable insights into their ecological preferences and tolerance ranges. Despite its ecological importance, research on the biodiversity of the lagoon and ecological dynamics remains limited. Beyond its ecological value, Taguines Lagoon plays a vital socio-economic role, supporting local fisheries that provide livelihoods and food security to nearby communities and fostering ecotourism through its scenic landscapes and rich biodiversity. However, this critical ecosystem faces mounting threats from human activities, including aquaculture expansion, infrastructure development, and pollution from domestic and agricultural sources. These pressures, combined with the scarcity of scientific data, underscore the urgent need for ecological assessments to inform sustainable management and conservation strategies. Therefore, this study was conducted to address the knowledge gap by investigating the species composition and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Specifically, it aimed to determine the species composition, relative abundance and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates; identify the distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates; and verify and identify the correlation between the environmental parameters and the biodiversity of macrobenthic invertebrates in the lagoon. By analyzing their spatial distribution in relation to salinity gradients, this research seeks to uncover the relationships between environmental factors and biological communities in a tidally influenced lagoon. The findings can be a source of baseline information for future monitoring efforts and contribute to the broader understanding of biodiversity patterns in coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, the outcomes of the study will have practical implications for the sustainable management of Taguines Lagoon, ensuring that it continues to provide essential ecosystem services while preserving its ecological integrity. Materials and Methods Study area Sampling of macrobenthic invertebrates was conducted in Taguines Lagoon, a coastal water body with a circumference of approximately 1,500 meters, strategically situated in Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines (Fig. 1 ). An ocular survey revealed various anthropogenic activities occurring within the lagoon, including aquaculture operations for species such as milkfish, tilapia, oysters, and green mussels; the presence of food establishments; a government office (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Camiguin); recreational parks; and fishing activities. To facilitate the study, four sampling stations were established across the lagoon. Field sampling of macrobenthic invertebrates Field sampling was done using transect-quadrat method. Initially, a 20-m transect was placed parallel to the coast with 2-meter distance away from the shoreline and was replicated thrice in a 1-m interval starting from the shoreline. Then, a quadrat (0.5 m x 0.5 m) was laid down alternately in every one meter and macrobenthic invertebrates present in the quadrat were then identified and counted. Unidentified samples were collected, placed in sample jars, preserved in a 95% ethanol and brought to the laboratory for further species identification. Measurements of physico-chemical parameters In-situ measurements of the physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) were also done using a Waterproof Portable Meter Kit (Oakton Instruments, Singapore). Data analyses To determine which species is dominating the lagoon, relative abundance was calculated using Microsoft Excel (2016). Diversity indices such as species richness (S), species evenness (J’), and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’) were also analyzed using Paleontological Statistics Software Package (PAST) version 2.17c (Hammer et al. 2001). One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was also performed to compare the diversity indices and environmental variables between stations, followed by Tukey’s test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.21. Prior to analysis, normality distribution and homogeneity of the data were tested, and assumptions were met. Venn diagram was also developed using Venny v. 2.1 (Oliveros 2007–2015) to graphically and clearly show the distribution, similarities and differences of the biodiversity between stations of the lagoon. The assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates were analyzed using non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) and cluster analysis based on square-root transformed abundance data. Transformed data were subjected to Bray-Curtis similarity measure prior to analysis. One-way Analysis of Similarity Percentages (SIMPER) was also used to determine which species contribute to the clustering and separation of samples while Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was done to identify the distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates in relation to different environmental parameters. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS), cluster analysis, SIMPER were analyzed using Primer v.7.0 (Anderson et al. 2008 ) and CCA using PAST version 2.17c (Hammer et al. 2001). Results and Discussion Species composition and relative abundance A total of 23 species were found and identified in the lagoon. Figure 2 shows the relative abundance of the invertebrate species found in the lagoon. Results revealed that Cerithium sp. , locally known as “tapusok”, was the most abundant species with a relative abundance of 45.74%. This was followed by Diadema sp., Ostrea sp., Paguroidea sp. and Synapta sp. with a relative abundance of 14.24%, 11.07%, 9.31% and 4.56%, respectively. Other species found but were less abundant include Perna viridis , Spongia sp., Monoplex pilearis , Ophiuroidea , Cirripedia , Patellidae , Echinometra mathaei , Holothuria sp., Thocus sp., Nerita sp., Anadara sp., Chiton sp. , Portunidae , Monetaria annulus , Tripneustes gratilla , Monetaria moneta , Bathybiaster loripes and Turbinidae . Cerithium species are abundant gastropods commonly found in marine environments and are widely distributed across various ecosystems (Nott and Nicolaidou 1990 ). Their ecological spread is influenced by a range of environmental factors, including temperature, salinity, pH, and total dissolved solids (Rumahlatu and Leiwakabbessy 2017). The presence of Cerithium species across all stations in the lagoon may be attributed to their ability to adapt to diverse substrates, such as sandy mud (Nott and Nicolaidou 1990 ). Their abundance could also result from a low number of predators, such as lobsters and fish, within the lagoon. Several ecological and environmental factors further shape the distribution and recruitment of Cerithium species in lagoons, including sediment composition, wave exposure, salinity levels, and interactions with other organisms. For example, species like Cerithium zonatum display higher recruitment rates in coarse sandy sediments compared to finer sands, suggesting a preference for specific substrate types, though recruitment is not solely dependent on sediment composition (Skilleter and Underwood 1993 ). Environmental variables such as wave exposure, moisture fluctuations, temperature, and salinity create habitat gradients that define the niches where Cerithium species thrive (Ayal and Safriel 1980 ). Additionally, interactions with other organisms, such as epizoites on their shells and hermit crabs in seagrass beds, contribute to their ecological dynamics (Creed 2000 ). However, environmental changes, such as increased freshwater influx or pollution, pose significant risks to their populations and habitat suitability. These threats underscore the importance of monitoring and conservation efforts to ensure the sustainability of Cerithium populations in lagoon ecosystems. Meanwhile, the presence of Diadema sp. may be due to the availability of abundant foods, such as seagrass and algae, in the lagoon as they graze and largely feed on these species (Ogden et al. 1973 ). Additionally, such abundance could be due to extensive gathering of sea urchins for food consumption which was also observed in the area resulting to the release of pheromones into the water. These pheromones send a chemical message that triggers their conspecifics to eject their sex cells simultaneously to reproduce (Lawrence 2001 ; Walker et al. 2007 ). Oysters ( Ostrea sp.) were identified as the third most abundant species in the lagoon, with cultivation activities for this species observed near Station 3. Their proliferation in lagoon ecosystems could be shaped by a complex interplay of ecological, environmental, and human factors. Key environmental parameters such as water temperature, salinity, and substrate characteristics significantly influence their abundance. Optimal spawning occurs at temperatures exceeding 14°C, with peak condition indices observed between 11–12°C (Cano et al. 1997 ). These oysters thrive in brackish environments where fluctuating salinity levels, driven by freshwater inflows, create ideal conditions (Altinsaçli et al. 2018 ). The availability of suitable substrates, such as raised topographical formations and shell coverage, further facilitates their gregarious settlement (Smyth et al. 2020 ). Biological factors also play a crucial role in their proliferation. The presence of picoplankton, including dinoflagellates and bacteria, provides essential nutrients for growth and reproduction (Cano et al. 1997 ). High densities of fecund adult oysters enhance natural recruitment and settlement processes (Smyth et al. 2020 ). However, human activities pose significant challenges to the sustainability of Ostrea populations. Unregulated harvesting hampers natural recovery, while additional pressures such as pollution, sedimentation, and interspecies competition further threaten their habitats (Naik and Gowda 2013 ). These challenges highlight the need for effective management strategies to conserve and sustain Ostrea populations in lagoon ecosystems. Furthermore, the natural occurrence of hermit crabs in specific gastropod shells can be explained by two factors, such as availability of empty shells and their relative abundance in the relevant size (Fransozo et al. 2008 ). A good number of empty Cerithium shells and low number of crab predators, e.g. lobsters and fish, present in the area could explain the abundance of hermit crab ( Paguroidea ) population. Echinoderms are fundamentally good indicators of health and status in marine waters (Llacuna et al. 2016 ) and the abundance of Synapta sp . could be an indication that the lagoon is still in good condition because of its presence in each station. Diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates Comparisons of the diversity (H’), species richness (S) and and evenness (J’) are presented in Fig. 3 . The mean richnness (S), evenness (J’) and diversity (H’) of macrobenthic invertebrates ranged from 7.33 ± 1.667 to 13.33 ± 1.856, 0.358 ± 0.028 to 0.596 ± 0.094 and 1.187 ± 0.131 to 1.728 ± 0.058 respectively. Results showed that Station 4 had relatively higher species diversity (H’ = 1.728 ± 0.058), followed by Station 1 (H’= 1.613 ± 0.105), Station 3 (1.380 ± 0.218) and Station 2 (H’ = 1.187 ± 0.131). A relatively higher diversity level observed in Station 4 could be due to the habitat preferences of those six unique species. The substrate types observed in the area were rocks, several broken pieces of shells and coral rubbles which are more suitable for marine gastropods. However, no significant differences on the species diversity were observed between stations. This might be an indication that the lagoon is still in good condition because biodiversity indicates how stable and productive the ecosystem is (Corcoran and Boeing 2012 ). Distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates Figure 4 shows the common and unique species found between stations of the lagoon. Results revealed that there were 10 species common to all stations which include Cerithium sp ., Ostrea sp ., Synapta sp ., Ophiuroidea , Cerripedia , Monoplex pilearis , Diadema sp ., Echinometra mathaei , Patellidae and Paguroidea . Two unique species ( Perna viridis and Bathybiaster loripes ) were found in Station 1 and one species ( Tripneustes gratilla ) in Station 2. Six species were found in Station 4 which include Turbinidae , Anadara sp ., Nerita sp ., Monetaria moneta , Monetaria annulus and Portunidae . However, no unique species was found in Station 3. Assessment of the physico-chemical parameters of the lagoon The measurements of the four physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, total dissolved solids and salinity) in the four sampling stations of the lagoon are presented in Figs. 5 – 8 . Analysis revealed that Station 3 had a significantly lower pH, total dissolved solids and salinity (p < 0.05) with the average values of 8.30 ± 0.122, 18.70 ± 1.942 and 24.10 ± 2.727 respectively, compared to other three stations. However, in terms of temperature, only Station 2 and Station 3 showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) with the average values of 30.57 ± 0.524 and 32.27 ± 0.067 respectively. Llacuna et al. ( 2016 ) mentioned that human activities and physico-chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS) and pH may affect the abundance and distribution of echinoderm and macrobenthic invertebrate species. They further explained that the physico-chemical factors play a role in the diversity and abundance of macrobenthic invertebrates and it can affect the growth rate, metabolic activity and immune response of any aquatic organisms. There is a large amount of literature on the relationship between environmental parameters and the faunal composition (Wright et al. 1998). However, the relationship between diversity/ richness/ biomass and environmental conditions is less clear. For example, Clarke and Scruton ( 1997 ) reported no significant correlation between numbers and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates and several environmental parameters including pH in 20 areas of Newfoundland, Canada. Effects of temperature on marine waters are still poorly known, particularly in systems where they interact with other environmental variables. Possibly that the major caused to a lower species diversity in Station 2 compared to other stations was not due to a higher temperature but because of the different substrates in the area including garbage as observe in the area during the sampling period. Low diversity can be caused by various anthropogenic activities that affect the intertidal zone like waste disposal from coastal communities (Llacuna et al. 2016 ). The significant decrease in salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) in Station 3 could be due to high freshwater inputs coming from the springs and households. Macroinvertebrate assemblages Figure 9 and 10 show the nMDS graph and cluster analysis of samples based on abundance data from the four sampling stations in the lagoon. Results of nMDS revealed that no clear segregation (40% similarity) of samples from different stations was observed. Meanwhile, the Cluster analysis also revealed that samples collected from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4 have close relationship with each other than samples taken from Station 3. SIMPER analysis revealed that Station 1 and 2 had 69.73% and 70.54% similarity respectively which were largely contributed by Cerithium sp ., Diadema sp . and Paguroidea . Station 3 and Station 4 had 64.86% and 76.76% similarity, respectively. High percentage similarity in Station 3 and Station 4 was mainly contributed by Ostrea sp ., Cerithium sp ., Synapta sp . and Paguroidea . In comparison between stations, results also showed that Station 1 vs Station 2 had a dissimilarity of 31.94% while Station 1 vs Station 3 had 46.53% of dissimilarity Station 2 vs Station 3 had 54.09% of dissimilarity, Station 1 vs Station 4 with 35.09% of dissimilarity, Station 2 vs Station 4 had 35.99%, Station 3 vs Station 4 had 46.47% dissimilarity, respectively. These dissimilarity percentages between stations were largely contributed by Ostrea sp ., Cerithium sp ., Synapta sp ., Spongia sp . and Paguroidea . Sabetta et al. ( 2007 ) mentioned that the species richness is also strongly affected by external pollution, which can have a major influence on the species–area relationships where relevant anthropogenic pressures occur. Cluster analysis showed the relationship of each station possibly that’s one of the reason why station three has a lower relationship compared to other station because of its environmental conditions given that it is shaded by trees and the anthropogenic activities that is present in the said area as observed in the location. While Station 1, 2 and 4 are closely relative to each other because of their environmental condition that are almost the same like physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, TDS (total dissolved solids) and pH that may affect the abundance and distribution of macrobenthic invertebrate species (Walag and Canencia 2016 ). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) (Fig. 11 ) revealed that the patterns of macroinvertebrate communities are greatly influenced by the different environmental factors such as salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), temperature and pH. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities confirmed that permanent salt contamination of macroinvertebrate communities affects the structure of benthic organisms. However, mollusks and crustaceans are capable of surviving in high saline conditions. These results are in accordance with several studies showing that Crustacea are the most salinity tolerant of the major invertebrate taxa groups (Kefford et al. 2003 ), That indicates that the lower salinity influences the absence of other species in Station 3 compared to other three stations and the role of salinity was defined in terms of total dissolved substance. While temperature has been long recognized as a major factor in the distribution, abundance and richness of aquatic organisms (Vannote et al. 1980 ). Water temperature is also important for the embryonic development, larval growth, emergence, metabolism and survivorship of aquatic organisms (Haidekker and Hering 2008 ). Furthermore, other parameters affecting macrobenthic invertebrates’ lives include water chemistry, including pH. Most aquatic organisms survive in waters with a pH range of 5.0–9.0. Therefore, the observed assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates in the lagoon could be due to tolerable range of environmental factors in all stations of the lagoon. Conclusion Macrobenthic invertebrates were investigated in the four sampling stations of an approximately 1.5-km Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines using transect-quadrat method. Three transects were laid down on each station with 1-m distance interval starting from the coastline. Then, a 0.5-m 2 quadrat was positioned in a left-right side alternately. All macrobenthic invertebrates within the quadrat were immediately identified and counted. Unidentified samples were brought to the laboratory for further identification. Diversity indices [e.g. species richness (S), species evenness (J’), and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’)] were then measured and statistically analyzed using One-Way ANOVA. Results revealed that there were no significant differences of the species diversity between the four sampling stations. In terms of relative abundance, Cerithium sp. and Diadema sp. were found to be the most abundant species in the lagoon. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) based on square-root transformed abundance data showed no clear segregation between samples from the four sampling stations. Cluster analysis also revealed that there is a close relationship of the samples from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4. SIMPER analysis also showed that high dissimilarity percentages were observed in most stations and were largely contributed by Ostrea sp. , Cerithium sp. , Synapta sp. , Spongia sp. and Paguroidea. The presence and assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates were found to be influenced by physico-chemical variables such as pH, temperature, salinity, total dissolved solids. However, further study should be conducted to verify the results. Declarations Acknowledgments We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Provincial Government of Camiguin headed by Gov. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo, Cong. Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo, Mayor Rogerio C. Acle and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Camiguin for their permission and moral support; Mr. Archie A. Along for the data analysis; Mr. Ralph Namayan for making the location map of the study and; College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Mindanao State University – Marawi for technical and administrative support. Compliance with Ethical Standards a) Authors’ Contributions W.C. and M.V. conceptualized the project and developed the materials and methods, conducted the experiment, and processed the samples. 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Hydrobiologia 577(1):127-139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0422-7 Skilleter GA, Underwood AJ (1993) Effects of habitat composition on recruitment of cerithid gastropods in sediments at One Tree Reef, Great Barrier Reef. Marıne Ecology-Progress Serıes 93:155-155. https://doi.org/10.3354/MEPS093155 Smyth DM, Horne NS, Ronayne E, Millar RV, Joyce PW, Hayden‐Hughes M, Kregting L (2020) Wild gregarious settlements of Ostrea edulis in a semi‐enclosed sea lough: a case study for unassisted restoration. Restoration Ecology 28(3):645-654. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13124 Tampus AD, Tobias EG, Amparado RF, Bajo L, Sinco AL (2012) Water quality assessment using macroinvertebrates and physico-chemical parameters in the riverine system of Iligan City, Philippines. Advances in Environmental Sciences 4(2):59-68. Vannote RL, Minshall GW, Cummins KW, Sedell JR, Cushing CE (1980) The river continuum concept. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 37(1):130-137. https://doi.org/10.1139/F80-017 Walag AMP, Canencia MOP (2016) Physico-chemical parameters and macrobenthic invertebrates of the intertidal zone of Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Advances in Environmental Sciences 8(1):71-82. Walker CW, Unuma T, Lesser MP (2007) Gametogenesis and reproduction of sea urchins. In Developments in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science. Elsevier 37:11-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-9309(07)80066-4 Wright JF, Furse MT, Moss D (1998) River classification using invertebrates: RIVPACS applications. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystem 8(4):617-631. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-0755(199807/08)8:43.0.CO;2-%23 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 16 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 03 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 29 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 29 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 27 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 22 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9497416","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":634466069,"identity":"8dfd0803-3c42-4df5-b3fb-3c8451367f54","order_by":0,"name":"Mico Villarin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mindanao State University – Main Campus","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mico","middleName":"","lastName":"Villarin","suffix":""},{"id":634466070,"identity":"13007f8e-e9bd-40db-86e9-e5cfc1f2a2ed","order_by":1,"name":"Reynald Gimena","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Caraga","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Reynald","middleName":"","lastName":"Gimena","suffix":""},{"id":634466071,"identity":"0a08e255-e444-449d-9f2d-3bb422377f47","order_by":2,"name":"Dulce Fe Abragan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Mindanao State University – Main Campus","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dulce","middleName":"Fe","lastName":"Abragan","suffix":""},{"id":634466072,"identity":"b834a19c-42b9-4403-ac8f-4bc5fa7d3ef8","order_by":3,"name":"Warren Caneos","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Mindanao State University – Main Campus","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Warren","middleName":"","lastName":"Caneos","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-22 14:08:35","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108957507,"identity":"ecb0b740-f608-45eb-ab50-e594a7361668","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 08:19:16","extension":"jpeg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":631360,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLocation map of Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island in Mindanao, Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/ecc1fde880124452d558382c.jpeg"},{"id":108977907,"identity":"5ac48da2-70bc-41f6-a897-d11081834bdb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:33:25","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":52969,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRelative abundance of species present in the four sampling stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/d00161c554127c71b4861360.png"},{"id":108957509,"identity":"a9ae2c56-d6f8-494a-bfcf-ffaf2b1c619f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 08:19:16","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":26996,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eShannon-Weiner diversity index of the different stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Values are mean ± S.E. Different letters (a-b; by \u003cem\u003eANOVA\u003c/em\u003e) indicates a significant difference (\u003cem\u003ep \u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.05) between four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/069836a0a61e7b97c2b8d1f7.png"},{"id":108957513,"identity":"9e556bc0-1886-4e6c-b580-a588c3d511df","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 08:19:16","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":210357,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCommon and unique species found between stations of Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/9e76b39127f60de34cfaedbd.png"},{"id":108977800,"identity":"af72fcee-9e28-4bae-8698-20330c67dd29","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:32:58","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":21678,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eWater pH measurements of the different stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Values are mean ± S.E. Different letters (a-b; by \u003cem\u003eANOVA\u003c/em\u003e) indicate a significant difference (\u003cem\u003ep \u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.05) between four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/00a97d2d46bcdfe90e015c6c.png"},{"id":108977848,"identity":"4224c806-feed-49f8-8234-f761663ded2b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:33:13","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28278,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTemperature measurements of the different stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Values are mean ± S.E. Different letters (a-b; by \u003cem\u003eANOVA\u003c/em\u003e) indicate a significant difference (\u003cem\u003ep \u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.05) between four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/88739145c8ea8e558d0d6f96.png"},{"id":108978034,"identity":"e38824f2-4710-48db-8b55-a00d246e4b8a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:33:48","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":30702,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eTotal dissolved solids (TDS) measurements of the different stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Values are mean ± S.E. Different letters (a-b; by \u003cem\u003eANOVA\u003c/em\u003e) indicate a significant difference (\u003cem\u003ep \u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.05) between four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/f04a119a4347d08b098b67c6.png"},{"id":108977726,"identity":"486f6b77-43b1-42b0-9c8d-f4afd18b9a9d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:32:42","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28558,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSalinity measurements of the different stations established in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Values are mean ± S.E. Different letters (a-b; by \u003cem\u003eANOVA\u003c/em\u003e) indicate a significant difference (\u003cem\u003ep \u003c/em\u003e\u0026lt; 0.05) between four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/c172fb1df63832fc5887e682.png"},{"id":108957511,"identity":"e7a8780e-8124-44e3-998f-854c6b45b454","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 08:19:16","extension":"jpeg","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":48751,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eNon-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) of square-root transformed data of macroinvertebrate abundance data showing the similarities of the samples from the four sampling stations of Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/bd943448d36a9bc034d2624f.jpeg"},{"id":108977897,"identity":"1e0e0e79-e0c3-451d-bc22-6e3df627e693","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:33:24","extension":"jpeg","order_by":10,"title":"Figure 10","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":48356,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCluster analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity resemblance of square-root transformed abundance data showing the similarities of the samples from the four sampling stations of Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.jpeg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/a96efba2c3e4193a6f3ef2f2.jpeg"},{"id":108978038,"identity":"b35da286-375a-4e1d-a6c5-4de5943bb9fe","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 11:33:48","extension":"png","order_by":11,"title":"Figure 11","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":120571,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDistribution of macrobenthic invertebrates in relation to the physico-chemical parameters. \u003cem\u003eLegend: : Cr = \u003c/em\u003eCerithium; \u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;Os = Ostrea; Ss =Synapta; Sp =Spongia; Hs =Holothuria\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;Ch =Chiton; Ns =Nerita\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;Pg =Paguroidea\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eTg =Tripneustus gratilla; As =Anadara\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;Ts =Thocus\u003c/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;Ds = Diadema; Ma = Monotera annulus; Mm = Monotera moneta; Em = Echenometra mathaei; Pv = Perna viridis; Tb = Turbinidae; Op = Ophiuroidea; Mp = Monoplex pilearis; Cp = Cirripedea; Pt = Patellidae; Bl= Bathybiaster loripes; Pr = Portunidae;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"11.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/37a6313c523abfd0630f6661.png"},{"id":108980084,"identity":"d4836e7d-a150-4135-9bf4-6d1fd63b644b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 12:03:21","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1418324,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9497416/v1/7c2f2633-e13f-441a-b2cb-27bb67cab457.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Ecological Assessment of Macrobenthic Invertebrates in a Tidally Influenced Lagoon: A Case Study in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eCoastal lagoons are ecologically valuable ecosystems that serve as transitional zones between terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments (P\u0026eacute;rez-Ruzafa et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) and may remain permanently connected to the adjacent sea or become temporarily isolated by sedimentary barriers (Kjerfve \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e; G\u0026ouml;nen\u0026ccedil; and Wolflin 2004). These habitats are characterized by dynamic environmental conditions, including fluctuating salinity levels driven by tidal movements and freshwater inflows (Gillanders and Kingsford \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e; P\u0026eacute;rez-Ruzafa et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). The ecological significance of these ecosystems lies in their ability to support diverse biological communities, including macrobenthic invertebrates, which play crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem processes and functioning. Taguines Lagoon, located in Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines, is an exemplary coastal lagoon where such dynamic processes occur. The interplay of tidal fluctuations and freshwater inputs creates distinct salinity gradients, shaping the structure and diversity of its aquatic life.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMacrobenthic invertebrates, which inhabit the bottom substrates of aquatic systems, play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem functions (Chowdhury et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). They are essential for nutrient cycling, the decomposition of organic matter, and sediment stabilization, while also serving as a crucial link in the transfer of energy to higher trophic levels (Asadujjaman et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Mieszkowska et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Moreover, these organisms are highly effective bioindicators for assessing marine ecosystems, as they respond quickly to both anthropogenic and natural pressures (Pocklington and Wells \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1992\u003c/span\u003e; Dauer \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e; Pancucci-Papadopoulou et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e; Beasley and Kneale \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e; Calow \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Tampus et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e; Chowdhury et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTaguines Lagoon is a coastal lagoon situated in Benoni, Camiguin (9.13246\u003csup\u003eo\u003c/sup\u003eN, 124.79425\u003csup\u003eo\u003c/sup\u003eE) and generally consisted of fine and coarse sand (Jimenez et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). It exhibits dynamic spatial and temporal salinity variations driven by the interplay of tidal movements and freshwater inflow, creating a complex mosaic of habitats that support diverse assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates. The distribution of these organisms across salinity gradients offers valuable insights into their ecological preferences and tolerance ranges. Despite its ecological importance, research on the biodiversity of the lagoon and ecological dynamics remains limited. Beyond its ecological value, Taguines Lagoon plays a vital socio-economic role, supporting local fisheries that provide livelihoods and food security to nearby communities and fostering ecotourism through its scenic landscapes and rich biodiversity. However, this critical ecosystem faces mounting threats from human activities, including aquaculture expansion, infrastructure development, and pollution from domestic and agricultural sources. These pressures, combined with the scarcity of scientific data, underscore the urgent need for ecological assessments to inform sustainable management and conservation strategies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, this study was conducted to address the knowledge gap by investigating the species composition and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines. Specifically, it aimed to determine the species composition, relative abundance and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates; identify the distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates; and verify and identify the correlation between the environmental parameters and the biodiversity of macrobenthic invertebrates in the lagoon. By analyzing their spatial distribution in relation to salinity gradients, this research seeks to uncover the relationships between environmental factors and biological communities in a tidally influenced lagoon. The findings can be a source of baseline information for future monitoring efforts and contribute to the broader understanding of biodiversity patterns in coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, the outcomes of the study will have practical implications for the sustainable management of Taguines Lagoon, ensuring that it continues to provide essential ecosystem services while preserving its ecological integrity.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Materials and Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy area\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSampling of macrobenthic invertebrates was conducted in Taguines Lagoon, a coastal water body with a circumference of approximately 1,500 meters, strategically situated in Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). An ocular survey revealed various anthropogenic activities occurring within the lagoon, including aquaculture operations for species such as milkfish, tilapia, oysters, and green mussels; the presence of food establishments; a government office (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Camiguin); recreational parks; and fishing activities. To facilitate the study, four sampling stations were established across the lagoon.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eField sampling of macrobenthic invertebrates\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField sampling was done using transect-quadrat method. Initially, a 20-m transect was placed parallel to the coast with 2-meter distance away from the shoreline and was replicated thrice in a 1-m interval starting from the shoreline. Then, a quadrat (0.5 m x 0.5 m) was laid down alternately in every one meter and macrobenthic invertebrates present in the quadrat were then identified and counted. Unidentified samples were collected, placed in sample jars, preserved in a 95% ethanol and brought to the laboratory for further species identification.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMeasurements of physico-chemical parameters\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn-situ measurements of the physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) were also done using a Waterproof Portable Meter Kit (Oakton Instruments, Singapore).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData analyses\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo determine which species is dominating the lagoon, relative abundance was calculated using Microsoft Excel (2016). Diversity indices such as species richness (S), species evenness (J\u0026rsquo;), and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H\u0026rsquo;) were also analyzed using Paleontological Statistics Software Package (PAST) version 2.17c (Hammer et al. 2001). One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was also performed to compare the diversity indices and environmental variables between stations, followed by Tukey\u0026rsquo;s test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.21. Prior to analysis, normality distribution and homogeneity of the data were tested, and assumptions were met. Venn diagram was also developed using Venny v. 2.1 (Oliveros 2007\u0026ndash;2015) to graphically and clearly show the distribution, similarities and differences of the biodiversity between stations of the lagoon.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates were analyzed using non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) and cluster analysis based on square-root transformed abundance data. Transformed data were subjected to Bray-Curtis similarity measure prior to analysis. One-way Analysis of Similarity Percentages (SIMPER) was also used to determine which species contribute to the clustering and separation of samples while Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was done to identify the distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates in relation to different environmental parameters.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS), cluster analysis, SIMPER were analyzed using Primer v.7.0 (Anderson et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e) and CCA using PAST version 2.17c (Hammer et al. 2001).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results and Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSpecies composition and relative abundance\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 23 species were found and identified in the lagoon. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows the relative abundance of the invertebrate species found in the lagoon. Results revealed that \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp.\u003c/em\u003e, locally known as \u0026ldquo;tapusok\u0026rdquo;, was the most abundant species with a relative abundance of 45.74%. This was followed by \u003cem\u003eDiadema\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e sp. and \u003cem\u003eSynapta\u003c/em\u003e sp. with a relative abundance of 14.24%, 11.07%, 9.31% and 4.56%, respectively. Other species found but were less abundant include \u003cem\u003ePerna viridis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSpongia\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eMonoplex pilearis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eOphiuroidea\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCirripedia\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePatellidae\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eEchinometra mathaei\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHolothuria\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eThocus\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eNerita\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eAnadara\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eChiton sp.\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePortunidae\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMonetaria annulus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eTripneustes gratilla\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMonetaria moneta\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBathybiaster loripes\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eTurbinidae\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e species are abundant gastropods commonly found in marine environments and are widely distributed across various ecosystems (Nott and Nicolaidou \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1990\u003c/span\u003e). Their ecological spread is influenced by a range of environmental factors, including temperature, salinity, pH, and total dissolved solids (Rumahlatu and Leiwakabbessy 2017). The presence of \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e species across all stations in the lagoon may be attributed to their ability to adapt to diverse substrates, such as sandy mud (Nott and Nicolaidou \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1990\u003c/span\u003e). Their abundance could also result from a low number of predators, such as lobsters and fish, within the lagoon.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSeveral ecological and environmental factors further shape the distribution and recruitment of \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e species in lagoons, including sediment composition, wave exposure, salinity levels, and interactions with other organisms. For example, species like \u003cem\u003eCerithium zonatum\u003c/em\u003e display higher recruitment rates in coarse sandy sediments compared to finer sands, suggesting a preference for specific substrate types, though recruitment is not solely dependent on sediment composition (Skilleter and Underwood \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e). Environmental variables such as wave exposure, moisture fluctuations, temperature, and salinity create habitat gradients that define the niches where \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e species thrive (Ayal and Safriel \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1980\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, interactions with other organisms, such as epizoites on their shells and hermit crabs in seagrass beds, contribute to their ecological dynamics (Creed \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e). However, environmental changes, such as increased freshwater influx or pollution, pose significant risks to their populations and habitat suitability. These threats underscore the importance of monitoring and conservation efforts to ensure the sustainability of \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e populations in lagoon ecosystems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, the presence of \u003cem\u003eDiadema sp.\u003c/em\u003e may be due to the availability of abundant foods, such as seagrass and algae, in the lagoon as they graze and largely feed on these species (Ogden et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1973\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, such abundance could be due to extensive gathering of sea urchins for food consumption which was also observed in the area resulting to the release of pheromones into the water. These pheromones send a chemical message that triggers their conspecifics to eject their sex cells simultaneously to reproduce (Lawrence \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e; Walker et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOysters (\u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e sp.) were identified as the third most abundant species in the lagoon, with cultivation activities for this species observed near Station 3. Their proliferation in lagoon ecosystems could be shaped by a complex interplay of ecological, environmental, and human factors. Key environmental parameters such as water temperature, salinity, and substrate characteristics significantly influence their abundance. Optimal spawning occurs at temperatures exceeding 14\u0026deg;C, with peak condition indices observed between 11\u0026ndash;12\u0026deg;C (Cano et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). These oysters thrive in brackish environments where fluctuating salinity levels, driven by freshwater inflows, create ideal conditions (Altinsa\u0026ccedil;li et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). The availability of suitable substrates, such as raised topographical formations and shell coverage, further facilitates their gregarious settlement (Smyth et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBiological factors also play a crucial role in their proliferation. The presence of picoplankton, including dinoflagellates and bacteria, provides essential nutrients for growth and reproduction (Cano et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). High densities of fecund adult oysters enhance natural recruitment and settlement processes (Smyth et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). However, human activities pose significant challenges to the sustainability of \u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e populations. Unregulated harvesting hampers natural recovery, while additional pressures such as pollution, sedimentation, and interspecies competition further threaten their habitats (Naik and Gowda \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). These challenges highlight the need for effective management strategies to conserve and sustain \u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e populations in lagoon ecosystems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the natural occurrence of hermit crabs in specific gastropod shells can be explained by two factors, such as availability of empty shells and their relative abundance in the relevant size (Fransozo et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). A good number of empty \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e shells and low number of crab predators, e.g. lobsters and fish, present in the area could explain the abundance of hermit crab (\u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e) population. Echinoderms are fundamentally good indicators of health and status in marine waters (Llacuna et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) and the abundance of \u003cem\u003eSynapta sp\u003c/em\u003e. could be an indication that the lagoon is still in good condition because of its presence in each station.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDiversity of macrobenthic invertebrates\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComparisons of the diversity (H\u0026rsquo;), species richness (S) and and evenness (J\u0026rsquo;) are presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. The mean richnness (S), evenness (J\u0026rsquo;) and diversity (H\u0026rsquo;) of macrobenthic invertebrates ranged from 7.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.667 to 13.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.856, 0.358\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.028 to 0.596\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.094 and 1.187\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.131 to 1.728\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.058 respectively. Results showed that Station 4 had relatively higher species diversity (H\u0026rsquo; = 1.728\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.058), followed by Station 1 (H\u0026rsquo;= 1.613\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.105), Station 3 (1.380\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.218) and Station 2 (H\u0026rsquo; = 1.187\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.131). A relatively higher diversity level observed in Station 4 could be due to the habitat preferences of those six unique species. The substrate types observed in the area were rocks, several broken pieces of shells and coral rubbles which are more suitable for marine gastropods. However, no significant differences on the species diversity were observed between stations. This might be an indication that the lagoon is still in good condition because biodiversity indicates how stable and productive the ecosystem is (Corcoran and Boeing \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDistribution of macrobenthic invertebrates\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e shows the common and unique species found between stations of the lagoon. Results revealed that there were 10 species common to all stations which include \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eOstrea sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eSynapta sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eOphiuroidea\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCerripedia\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMonoplex pilearis\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eDiadema sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eEchinometra mathaei\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003ePatellidae\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e. Two unique species (\u003cem\u003ePerna viridis\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eBathybiaster loripes\u003c/em\u003e) were found in Station 1 and one species (\u003cem\u003eTripneustes gratilla\u003c/em\u003e) in Station 2. Six species were found in Station 4 which include \u003cem\u003eTurbinidae\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eAnadara sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eNerita sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eMonetaria moneta\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMonetaria annulus\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePortunidae\u003c/em\u003e. However, no unique species was found in Station 3.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAssessment of the physico-chemical parameters of the lagoon\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe measurements of the four physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, total dissolved solids and salinity) in the four sampling stations of the lagoon are presented in Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e. Analysis revealed that Station 3 had a significantly lower pH, total dissolved solids and salinity (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) with the average values of 8.30\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.122, 18.70\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.942 and 24.10\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.727 respectively, compared to other three stations. However, in terms of temperature, only Station 2 and Station 3 showed a significant difference (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) with the average values of 30.57\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.524 and 32.27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.067 respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLlacuna et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) mentioned that human activities and physico-chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS) and pH may affect the abundance and distribution of echinoderm and macrobenthic invertebrate species. They further explained that the physico-chemical factors play a role in the diversity and abundance of macrobenthic invertebrates and it can affect the growth rate, metabolic activity and immune response of any aquatic organisms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere is a large amount of literature on the relationship between environmental parameters and the faunal composition (Wright et al. 1998). However, the relationship between diversity/ richness/ biomass and environmental conditions is less clear. For example, Clarke and Scruton (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e) reported no significant correlation between numbers and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrates and several environmental parameters including pH in 20 areas of Newfoundland, Canada. Effects of temperature on marine waters are still poorly known, particularly in systems where they interact with other environmental variables. Possibly that the major caused to a lower species diversity in Station 2 compared to other stations was not due to a higher temperature but because of the different substrates in the area including garbage as observe in the area during the sampling period. Low diversity can be caused by various anthropogenic activities that affect the intertidal zone like waste disposal from coastal communities (Llacuna et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The significant decrease in salinity and total dissolved solids (TDS) in Station 3 could be due to high freshwater inputs coming from the springs and households.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMacroinvertebrate assemblages\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig10\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e show the nMDS graph and cluster analysis of samples based on abundance data from the four sampling stations in the lagoon. Results of nMDS revealed that no clear segregation (40% similarity) of samples from different stations was observed. Meanwhile, the Cluster analysis also revealed that samples collected from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4 have close relationship with each other than samples taken from Station 3.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSIMPER analysis revealed that Station 1 and 2 had 69.73% and 70.54% similarity respectively which were largely contributed by \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eDiadema sp\u003c/em\u003e. and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e. Station 3 and Station 4 had 64.86% and 76.76% similarity, respectively. High percentage similarity in Station 3 and Station 4 was mainly contributed by \u003cem\u003eOstrea sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eSynapta sp\u003c/em\u003e. and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn comparison between stations, results also showed that Station 1 vs Station 2 had a dissimilarity of 31.94% while Station 1 vs Station 3 had 46.53% of dissimilarity Station 2 vs Station 3 had 54.09% of dissimilarity, Station 1 vs Station 4 with 35.09% of dissimilarity, Station 2 vs Station 4 had 35.99%, Station 3 vs Station 4 had 46.47% dissimilarity, respectively. These dissimilarity percentages between stations were largely contributed by \u003cem\u003eOstrea sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eSynapta sp\u003c/em\u003e., \u003cem\u003eSpongia sp\u003c/em\u003e. and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSabetta et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e) mentioned that the species richness is also strongly affected by external pollution, which can have a major influence on the species\u0026ndash;area relationships where relevant anthropogenic pressures occur. Cluster analysis showed the relationship of each station possibly that\u0026rsquo;s one of the reason why station three has a lower relationship compared to other station because of its environmental conditions given that it is shaded by trees and the anthropogenic activities that is present in the said area as observed in the location. While Station 1, 2 and 4 are closely relative to each other because of their environmental condition that are almost the same like physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, TDS (total dissolved solids) and pH that may affect the abundance and distribution of macrobenthic invertebrate species (Walag and Canencia \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCanonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig11\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e) revealed that the patterns of macroinvertebrate communities are greatly influenced by the different environmental factors such as salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), temperature and pH. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities confirmed that permanent salt contamination of macroinvertebrate communities affects the structure of benthic organisms. However, mollusks and crustaceans are capable of surviving in high saline conditions. These results are in accordance with several studies showing that Crustacea are the most salinity tolerant of the major invertebrate taxa groups (Kefford et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e), That indicates that the lower salinity influences the absence of other species in Station 3 compared to other three stations and the role of salinity was defined in terms of total dissolved substance. While temperature has been long recognized as a major factor in the distribution, abundance and richness of aquatic organisms (Vannote et al. \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1980\u003c/span\u003e). Water temperature is also important for the embryonic development, larval growth, emergence, metabolism and survivorship of aquatic organisms (Haidekker and Hering \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, other parameters affecting macrobenthic invertebrates\u0026rsquo; lives include water chemistry, including pH. Most aquatic organisms survive in waters with a pH range of 5.0\u0026ndash;9.0.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, the observed assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates in the lagoon could be due to tolerable range of environmental factors in all stations of the lagoon.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eMacrobenthic invertebrates were investigated in the four sampling stations of an approximately 1.5-km Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines using transect-quadrat method. Three transects were laid down on each station with 1-m distance interval starting from the coastline. Then, a 0.5-m\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e quadrat was positioned in a left-right side alternately. All macrobenthic invertebrates within the quadrat were immediately identified and counted. Unidentified samples were brought to the laboratory for further identification. Diversity indices [e.g. species richness (S), species evenness (J\u0026rsquo;), and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H\u0026rsquo;)] were then measured and statistically analyzed using One-Way ANOVA. Results revealed that there were no significant differences of the species diversity between the four sampling stations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn terms of relative abundance, \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp.\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDiadema sp.\u003c/em\u003e were found to be the most abundant species in the lagoon. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (nMDS) based on square-root transformed abundance data showed no clear segregation between samples from the four sampling stations. Cluster analysis also revealed that there is a close relationship of the samples from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4. SIMPER analysis also showed that high dissimilarity percentages were observed in most stations and were largely contributed by \u003cem\u003eOstrea sp.\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCerithium sp.\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSynapta sp.\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSpongia sp.\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe presence and assemblages of macrobenthic invertebrates were found to be influenced by physico-chemical variables such as pH, temperature, salinity, total dissolved solids. However, further study should be conducted to verify the results.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgments\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Provincial Government of Camiguin headed by Gov. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo, Cong. Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo, Mayor Rogerio C. Acle and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources \u0026ndash; Camiguin for their permission and moral support; Mr. Archie A. Along for the data analysis; Mr. Ralph Namayan for making the location map of the study and; College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Mindanao State University \u0026ndash; Marawi for technical and administrative support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompliance with Ethical Standards\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ea) Authors\u0026rsquo; Contributions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eW.C. and M.V. conceptualized the project and developed the materials and methods, conducted the experiment, and processed the samples. W.C., D.F.V. and R.G. managed project administration and supervised the project. W.C. and M.V. analyzed the data and generated the visuals. All authors wrote the manuscript and read, reviewed, and approved the final manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eb) Conflict of Interest\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ec) Statement on the Welfare of Animals\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ed) Statement of Human Rights\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this type of study, formal consent is not required.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo funding was received for the conduct of this study.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAltinsa\u0026ccedil;li S, Pa\u0026ccedil;al FP, Altinsa\u0026ccedil;li S (2018) Assessments of environmental variables affecting the spatiotemporal distribution and habitat preferences of living Ostracoda (Crustacea) species in the Enez Lagoon Complex (Enez-Evros Delta, Turkey). 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Elsevier 37:11-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-9309(07)80066-4\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWright JF, Furse MT, Moss D (1998) River classification using invertebrates: RIVPACS applications. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystem 8(4):617-631. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-0755(199807/08)8:4\u0026lt;617::AID-AQC255\u0026gt;3.0.CO;2-%23\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"thalassas-an-international-journal-of-marine-sciences","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"thal","sideBox":"Learn more about [Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences](http://link.springer.com/journal/41208)","snPcode":"41208","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/41208/3","title":"Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Macrobenthic invertebrates, Biodiversity, Taguines Lagoon, Camiguin Island","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eMacrobenthic invertebrates in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines were assesed using transect-quadrat method and physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, salinity and total dissolved solids) were measured. Results showed that there were a total of 23 species found in the lagoon dominated by \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eDiadema\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e sp. and \u003cem\u003eSynapta\u003c/em\u003e sp. The diversity level in all stations was similar and showed no significant differences.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNon-metric multidimensional scaling ordination highlighted that there is no clear segregation of species between stations. Cluster analysis also revealed that there is a close relationship of the samples from Station 1, Station 2 and Station 4. SIMPER analysis also showed that high dissimilarity percentages were observed in most stations and were largely contributed by \u003cem\u003eOstrea\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eCerithium\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eSynapta\u003c/em\u003e sp., \u003cem\u003eSpongia\u003c/em\u003e sp. and \u003cem\u003ePaguroidea\u003c/em\u003e sp. CCA also revealed that the relationship of every species that are affected by the physico-chemical parameters and what are the parameters that are affecting them.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Ecological Assessment of Macrobenthic Invertebrates in a Tidally Influenced Lagoon: A Case Study in Taguines Lagoon, Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-11 08:19:10","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9497416/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-16T22:09:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"231709797636431784284280671430447645462","date":"2026-05-05T02:39:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-04T03:49:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"270963561845752549743576679356744358188","date":"2026-04-29T22:52:32+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T15:30:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T15:28:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T16:23:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences","date":"2026-04-22T14:01:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"thalassas-an-international-journal-of-marine-sciences","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"thal","sideBox":"Learn more about [Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences](http://link.springer.com/journal/41208)","snPcode":"41208","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/41208/3","title":"Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"3f09a6c4-051b-4413-a73c-0a15aead183c","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 11th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-16T22:09:53+00:00","index":13,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"231709797636431784284280671430447645462","date":"2026-05-05T02:39:35+00:00","index":12,"fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-05-04T03:49:14+00:00","index":11,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"270963561845752549743576679356744358188","date":"2026-04-29T22:52:32+00:00","index":10,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"8","date":"2026-04-29T15:30:39+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T15:28:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-11T08:19:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-11 08:19:10","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9497416","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9497416","identity":"rs-9497416","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}