Kelp forest as a habitat for mobile epifauna: case study of Caprella septentrionalis Kröyer, 1838 (Amphipoda, Caprellidae) in an Arctic glacial fjord

Distribution and abundance of the amphipod Caprella septentrionalis in relation to environmental conditions and habitat preferences were investigated in a kelp forest in Hornsund, Spitsbergen. Three sampling sites differed in hydrodynamics, organic and inorganic suspension concentration, and sedimen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Research
Main Authors: Marta Ronowicz, Joanna Legeżyńska, Piotr Kukliński, Maria Włodarska-Kowalczuk
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2013
Subjects:
Caprellid amphipod
Arctic fjord
kelp forest
population structure
distribution
macroalgae
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Oceanography
GC1-1581
Arctic
Hornsund
Polar Research
Spitsbergen
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v32i0.21037
https://doaj.org/article/17f96dd2e6374e53a2286d7a2a040e81
Description
Summary:Distribution and abundance of the amphipod Caprella septentrionalis in relation to environmental conditions and habitat preferences were investigated in a kelp forest in Hornsund, Spitsbergen. Three sampling sites differed in hydrodynamics, organic and inorganic suspension concentration, and sedimentation rates. None of these abiotic factors or species of a macroalgal host appeared to have a significant influence on C. septentrionalis abundance and size range. An apparent preference towards the blade parts of the algal thalli was observed. These results support the idea of C. septentrionalis as a generalist Arctic–boreal species that takes advantage of the protective nature of kelp forests.

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