Assessment of tourism pressure on the meiofaunal community on sandy beaches in Mueng District, Krabi, Thailand | |
| Author | Laddawan Thongtip |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AQ-12-05 |
| Subject(s) | Meiofauna--Thailand--Krabi Beaches--Thailand--Krabi |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management, School of Enviroment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. AQ-12-05 |
| Abstract | Meiofaunal community wasinvestigatedon five tourist beach in Krabi province (south of Thailand) during low tourist season. The pressure levelsof tourism on five beaches were determined by the number of tourist, thenumber and categoryof hotels with beach vicinity and environmental quality of the beach. Sixteenmeiofaunal taxa were recordedwith foraminiferans and nematodesas dominantgroupsonKrabibeaches. The density of meiofaunarecorded in the rangeof 55 to 1,135 individuals /10 cm2. Organic matter (%TOM) and redox potentials were the two most important environmental factors determining the meiofaunal distribution on Krabi beaches.The difference inmeiofaunal abundance was driven byforaminiferans assemblagesdue to environmental stress.The abundance of foraminiferans was reduced when the stress was reduced. The composition of meiofaunal communitywas controlled by grain size and organic matter loading.There was the clear indication that the meiofaunal community was disturbed by tourism pressure asinducer. Two main characteristic groups of meiofaunal community can be categorized. On high disturbed beach with high organic content and the substrate ranging from very coarse sand to fine sand (Ao Nang and Railay beach), low diversity and no presence of harpacticoid copepods were detected. While on low disturbance beach (Klong Muang, Noppharat Thara and Tham Phra Nang beaches) were characterized by high diversity and the presence of harpacticoid copepods. |
| Year | 2012 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AQ-12-05 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AQ) |
| Chairperson(s) | Dabbadie, Lionel |
| Examination Committee(s) | Gallardo, Wenresti G.;Yakupitiyage, Amararatne;Nittharatana Paphavasit |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government;AIT Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2012 |