Abstract

This study investigated benthic diatom communities of mangrove forests at Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Samples were collected on two substrates: mud surface and living root surface. Sampling locations were placed in four types of mangrove vegetation: mud flat (without vegetation), Rhizophora forests, mixed forest of Avicennia-Rhizophora and Avicennia forest along three tidal creeks during wet and dry seasons of 2004-2005. A total of 348 taxa were identified, of which 100 taxa belong to the Order Centrales and 238 belong to the Order Pentales. There were significant differences in benthic diatom species richness and species composition between two types of substrates and among different mangrove forest types. The difference between wet and dry season was not significant.