Considering benthic communities few studies are related to meiobenthic communities of tropical regions with macrotidal regime. This thesis is divided in two chapters. In chaper 1 the space temporal variations of meiofauna structure and Nematoda associations were analysed in beaches with different hydrodynamics at Algodoal Island. (Para). The samplings were made during one year (September/2011, December 2011, March/2012 and June/2012) in three beaches of the island: Caixa d’Agua, Farol and Princesa. The meiofauna was composed by 14 taxons, with Nematoda and Tardigrada as dominant groups. The mean density of meiofauna at Princesa beach was significantly different from Farol beach. The result was attributed to the higher disponibility of food in the intermediate beach (Farol) and the lower disponibility of food and higher waves action in the oceanic dissipative beach (Princesa). All Nematoda descripts (density, richness, eveness and diversity) presented higher values in the protected estuarine beach Caixa d’Agua and lower in the oceanic beach. Considering stations in the beaches, higher densities occured in the middle intertidal zone and lower values in the upper intertidal zone, however richness, eveness and diversity presented maximum values on the lower intertidal zone. 131 Nematoda genera were identified. The nematofauna was significantly different between months and stations in all beaches. Water content, subtrate temperature and proportion of sand were the enviromental variables more related to Nematoda genera. In chapter 2 was verified a taxonomic review and analysys were done to identify the diversity patterns of meiofauna and Nematoda from macrotidal sandy beaches, considering different morphodynamic states and different latitudes: a literature review. Until now 46 Nematoda genera were identified in dissipative beaches, 103 in beach dominated by semi-exposted tide, 82 in protected beach, 80 in beach modified by tide and 82 in ultradissipative beaches. Concerning latitudes, 139 genera were recorded in tropical region and 107 in temperate region.
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