{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T21:58:55Z","timestamp":1774389535628,"version":"3.50.1"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"group-title":"SSRN","reference-count":70,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Mangrove forests in Guinea-Bissau provide essential ecosystem services and support diverse coastal biodiversity while coexisting with traditional rice farming. However, these ecosystems are increasingly exposed to human-induced degradation. This study characterizes benthic macroinvertebrate communities across three mangrove regions (Susana, Ondame, and Mato Farroba) using integrative taxonomy (morphology and COI-5P DNA barcoding). The aims were to assess spatial variation in diversity and ecological status using AMBI and M-AMBI indices. Results revealed distinct habitat profiles: northern Rhizophora-dominated stands had fine, low-organic sediments, whereas central sites were characterized by gravel-enriched coarser substrates. Southern Avicennia stands contained organic-rich, fine sediments. Sediment water content was the primary driver of community dissimilarity (46%). Diversity was highest in the north, identifying the endangered swamp eel Ophisternon afrum, while southern sites showed greater abundance of pollution-tolerant taxa. M-AMBI classified the northern mangroves as \u201cHigh\u201d status and the southern as \u201cModerate\u201d. The detection of the polychaete Namalycastis senegalensis represents a new national record. Overall, the results illustrate how sediment\u2013vegetation interactions structure benthic communities and reinforce the utility of molecular tools for monitoring mangrove conservation in Guinea-Bissau.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6465047","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T19:43:28Z","timestamp":1774381408000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Unveiling the Distribution of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Guinea-Bissau Mangroves, West Africa"],"prefix":"10.2139","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9933-8930","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Arthur","family":"Veronez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5570-8768","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jorge","family":"Lobo Arteaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5260-4776","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"C\u00e1tia","family":"Bartilotti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1122-5486","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"David Leit\u00e3o","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1261-9076","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Catarino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5102-254X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Joana","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1907-9615","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Helena","family":"Freitas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7175-0365","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio  Carmo","family":"Gouveia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1017\/S0376892902000231","article-title":"Present state and future of the world's mangrove forests","volume":"29","author":"D M Bibliographical References Alongi","year":"2002","journal-title":"Environmental Conservation"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecss.2007.08.024","article-title":"Mangrove forests: Resilience, protection from tsunamis, and responses to global climate change","volume":"76","author":"D M Alongi","year":"2008","journal-title":"Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-2836(05)80360-2","article-title":"Basic local alignment search tool","volume":"215","author":"S F Altschul","year":"1990","journal-title":"Journal of Molecular Biology"},{"key":"ref4","author":"P R Alves","year":"1871","journal-title":"Is Namalycastis abiuma"},{"issue":"Suppl 1","key":"ref5","article-title":"restricted to its type-locality? 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