Ecologia1996-4021xxxx-xxxxAcademic Journals Inc.10.3923/ecologia.2012.12.22NdomeC.B. UdoI.U. AkpanI.I. UdomC. 1201221Macrobenthic communities can be used in the assessment of environmental quality of earthen fish ponds. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of water quality and bottom soil properties on the diversity and abundance of macrobenthic fauna in some tropical grow-out earthen fish ponds. The aim was to enhance the proper management of soil and water qualities in relation to various groups of benthic organisms found in ponds. Physico-chemical parameters, bottom soil properties and benthic community assemblages were studied in three selected commercial fish farms in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Results revealed that macrobenthic assemblages were influenced by both the physico-chemical parameters and bottom soil properties in each of the farms. The macrobenthic faunal patterns in earthen fish ponds under investigation showed to be influenced by changes in abiotic parameters. This was caused by seasonality and fish production. Oligochaetes were generally dominant 31(50.82); 21(27.27); 22(31.88) in Aqua Vista farm, UNICAL farm and Akai Efa farm, respectively. From the biotic indicators that show a differential response to organic input in fish earthen ponds, the abundance of Aulophorus spp. (41.99%; 14.29%) in Aqua Vista and UNICAL farms, respectively as well as the diversity (Shannon-Wiener and Margalef species richness), seem to be the best indicators to be used in monitoring studies in similar systems. In general, Farms with optimum physicochemical parameters, high sand and low clay content had the highest assemblages of macrobenthic organisms. Farm managers should pay particular attention to the physico-chemical parameters and soil properties as they are determinant factors of macrobenthic assemblage within the fish ponds. These will enhance high productivity of the grow-out fish ponds since they form the major bulk of fish food.]]>Abu Hena, M.K., O. Hshamuddin, K. Misri, F. Abdullah and K.K. Loo,2004Penaeus monodon fabricius culture pond in west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.]]>4631636Akpan, A.W.,199335275284Akpan, E.R. and J.O. Offem,19932695103Akpan, E., U. Ekpe and U. Ibok,2002424751Amar, Y., A. Kandouci, S. Lebid, B. Djahed, T. Zahzeh and M. Anani,20071026762681Anderson, R.M., D.M. Gordon, M.J. Crawley and M.P. Hassell,1982296245248Asuquo, F.E.,19985595600Asuquo, F.E., I. Ewa-Oboho, E.F. Asuquo and P.J. Udo,2004242937Azizul Moqsud, M., S. Hayashi, Y.J. Du and D. Suetsugu,2006625572564Boyd, C.E.,19981998Boyd, C.E.,1982Pages: 318Pages: 318Boyd, C.E.,19902nd Edn.,Pages: 482Pages: 482Boyd, C.E.,1995pp: 348pp: 348El-Marakby, H.I., A.M. Eid, A.E. Abdelghany and M. Abdel-Tawwab,2006Mugil cephalus on natural food and phytoplankton selectivity at different feeding regimes in earthen fishponds.]]>18796Ewa-Oboho, I.O.,1993Uca tangeri eydoux (Ocypodidae) and Ocypode cursor linne (ocypodidae).]]>27119127Goldman, C.R. and A.J. Horne,1983Pages: 464Pages: 464Green, B.W., R.P. Phelps and H.R. Alvarenga,1989Oreochromis niloticus in earthen ponds.]]>763742Holzlohner, S., F.N. Nwosu and R.E. Akpan,200217687Ingram, B.A., R.J. Shiel and J.H. Hawking,1997Pages: 105Pages: 105Macan, T.T.,19782nd Edn.,Pages: 346Pages: 346Maryland Department of Natural Resources,19991999Melntire, C.D. and C.E. Boyd,198091303312Othman, M.R., A. Samat and L.S. Hoo,200223234Moses, B.S.,1987185165Nandlal, S. and T. Pickering,2004Vol. 1,Needham, J.G. and P.R. Needham,1974Pages: 212Pages: 212Nyam, L.,19881988Odum, E.P.,19713rd End.,Pages: 574Pages: 574Ogbeibu, A.E.,20051st Edn.,Pages: 276Pages: 276Carvalho, S., M. Barata, F. Pereira, P. Pousao-Ferreira, L.C. da Fonseca and M.B. Gaspar,201090135144Seah, Y.G., A.G. Mazlan, S. Abdullah, C.C. Zaidi, G. Usup and C.A.R. Mohamed,201111221225Shokat, P., S.M.B. Nabavi, A. Savari and P. Kochanian, 20101310851091Tabatabaie, T., F. Amiri, M.B. Nabavi, M.S. Fazeli and M. Afkhami,200912028Tave, D.,19991999Udo, E.J. and J.A. Ogunwale,19862nd Edn.,pp: 164pp: 164Udo, P.J.,1991Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots, 1857) (Crustacea: Decapoda).]]>1991Udo, P.J.,2007pp: 100pp: 100Unanam, A.E. and A.W. Akpan,20062006pp: 310312Varadharajan, D., P. Soundarapandian, B. Gunalan and R. Babu,2010215Voshell, J.R.,2002Pages: 320Pages: 320Zorriasatein, N., B. Dehzad, G. Vossoughi, M. Shapoori and S. Jamili,20093599603