Taxonomic Distinctness of soft-bottoms mollusks from Batabano gulf, Cuba

Taxonomic distinction is a measure of diversity that has a number  of advantages that give relevant connotation to theoretical and applied  ecology. To check the utility of this measure type to evaluate the biodiversity of soft-bottom benthic marine ecosystems, the indexes of average taxonomic distinctness (Delta+) and  variation in  taxonomic distinctness (Lambda+)  of Batabano gulf mollusk communities were used. Inventories of soft-bottom benthic mollusk species obtained in the periods of 1981-1985 and 2004-2007 were used whose taxonomic structure  were analyzed to spatial and temporal scale. The taxonomic composition between both periods consisted of three classes, 18 orders, 60 families, 137 genera and 182 species, being observed. Aside from the class level, a non-significant decrease of this composition in the period 2004-2007 was observed. Significant differences were not detected in Delta+ and Lambda+ to time scale, but when tested to spatial scale, significant differences were detected that can be attributed to the combined effect of the increment of anthropogenic activities in the region and the effects induced by the hurricanes. These results suggest that the pair of indeces, Delta+ and Lambda+, are good descriptors of the biodiversity of soft-bottom benthic mollusk communities from the Batabano gulf.