Megabenthic communities in the waters around Svalbard during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-VIII/2 (EPOS II) ...

• Main Authors: Piepenburg, Dieter, Chernova, Natalia V, von Dorrien, Christian F, Gutt, Julian, Neyelov, Alexei V, Rachor, Eike, Saldanha, Luiz, Schmid, Michael K
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 1996
• Subjects: European Polarstern Study EPOS; Svalbard
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.815752; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.815752

Composition and distribution of megabenthic communities around Svalbard were investigated in June/July 1991 with 20 Agassiz trawl and 5 bottom trawl hauls in depths between 100 and 2100 m. About 370 species, ranging from sponges to fish, were identified in the catches. Species numbers per station ranged from 21 to 86. Brittle stars, such as Ophiacantha bidentata, Ophiura sarsi and Ophiocten sericeum, were most important in terms of constancy and relative abundance in the catches. Other prominent faunal elements were eunephthyid alcyonarians, bivalves, shrimps, sea stars and fish (Gadidae, Zoarcidae, Cottidae). Multivariate analyses of the species and environmental data sets showed that the spatial distribution of the megabenthos was characterized by a pronounced depth zonation: abyssal, bathyal, off-shore shelf and fjordic communities were discriminated. However, a gradient in sediment properties, especially the organic carbon content, seemed to superimpose on the bathymetric pattern. Both main factors are ... : Supplement to: Piepenburg, Dieter; Chernova, Natalia V; von Dorrien, Christian F; Gutt, Julian; Neyelov, Alexei V; Rachor, Eike; Saldanha, Luiz; Schmid, Michael K (1996): Megabenthic communities in the waters around Svalbard. Polar Biology, 16(6), 431-446 ...