Soft-bottom macrobenthic faunal associations in the southern Chilean glacial fjord complex ...

• Main Authors: Ríos, Carlos, Mutschke, Erika, Montiel, Américo, Gerdes, Dieter, Arntz, Wolf E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2005
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.832479; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.832479

Macrobenthic associations were investigated at 29 sampling stations with a semi-quantitative Agassiz trawl, ranging from the South Patagonian Icefield to the Straits of Magellan in the South Chilean fjord system. A total of 1,895 individuals belonging to 131 species were collected. 19 species belong to colonial organisms, mainly Bryozoa (17 species) and Octocorallia (2 species). The phylum Echinodermata was the most diverse in species number (47 species), with asteroids (25 species) and ophiuroids (13 species) being the best represented within this taxon. Polychaeta was the second dominant group in terms of species richness (46 species). Multidimensional scaling ordination (MDS) separated two station groups, one related to fjords and channels off the South Patagonian Icefield and the second one to stations surrounding the Straits of Magellan. 45 species account for 90% of the dissimilarity between these two groups. These differences can mainly be explained by the influence of local environmental conditions ... : Supplement to: Ríos, Carlos; Mutschke, Erika; Montiel, Américo; Gerdes, Dieter; Arntz, Wolf E (2005): Soft-bottom macrobenthic faunal associations in the southern Chilean glacial fjord complex. Arntz, Wolf E, Lovrich, Gustavo A & Thatje, Sven (eds.) The Magellan-Antarctic connection: links and frontiers at southern high latitudes, Scientia Marina, 69 (Suppl. 2), 225-236 ...