Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut
Few studies in arctic Canada have combined research on both the physical marine environment and benthic invertebrates. This is the first detailed study of the oceanographic conditions and distribution of sediments and biota in the intertidal and subtidal zones of Igloolik Island, Nunavut. Oceanograp...
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Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal
2006
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Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/016365ar https://doi.org/10.7202/016365ar |
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fterudit:oai:erudit.org:016365ar 2023-05-15T15:15:46+02:00 Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut Dale, Janis E. Leontowich, Kent 2006 http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/016365ar https://doi.org/10.7202/016365ar en eng Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal Érudit Géographie physique et Quaternaire vol. 60 no. 1 (2006) http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/016365ar doi:10.7202/016365ar Tous droits réservés © Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 2007 text 2006 fterudit https://doi.org/10.7202/016365ar 2022-09-24T23:13:06Z Few studies in arctic Canada have combined research on both the physical marine environment and benthic invertebrates. This is the first detailed study of the oceanographic conditions and distribution of sediments and biota in the intertidal and subtidal zones of Igloolik Island, Nunavut. Oceanographic measurements (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity), and sediment and biological sampling were undertaken over two summers (1999, 2002). Intertidal zones are underlain by bedrock with a thin veneer of gravel with a very poorly sorted fine matrix and devoid of benthic invertebrates, due to harsh environmental conditions. Ninety-six benthic invertebrates species were identified in the subtidal zone of Turton Bay, a shallow embayment of Igloolik Island that opens to the south into Hooper Inlet. Oceanographic conditions were similar throughout Turton Bay. The shallow depth of Turton Bay (<25 m) and open fetch to the south means that the bay water is well mixed throughout during the ice-free period. Variations in species, abundances and densities result from local conditions and substrate characteristics. Subtidal areas with unconsolidated substrates have abundant and diversified benthic fauna, whereas those with consolidated substrates have more limited species dominated by epifauna. The greatest abundances and densities occur at the deepest sites with the finest sediments and deposit-feeding species. The shallow subtidal zone (<5 m) is characterized by a thin sandy surface veneer overlying bedrock. It is an extension of the intertidal zone and is much affected by ice action during break-up with reduced numbers of marine fauna. High densities of opportunistic and pollution tolerant species along transects in Turton Bay are explained by the outflow and seepage from the sewage lagoon and dumpsites proximal to these transects. Sédiments et invertébrés de la zone marine côtière de l’île d’Igloolik, Nunavut. Peu d’études menées dans l’arctique canadien combinent les données sur l’environnement ... Text Arctic Igloolik Nunavut Érudit.org (Université Montréal) Arctic Nunavut Canada Igloolik ENVELOPE(-81.800,-81.800,69.378,69.378) Hooper Inlet ENVELOPE(-81.766,-81.766,69.301,69.301) Turton Bay ENVELOPE(-81.749,-81.749,69.368,69.368) Géographie physique et Quaternaire 60 1 63 80 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Érudit.org (Université Montréal) |
op_collection_id |
fterudit |
language |
English |
description |
Few studies in arctic Canada have combined research on both the physical marine environment and benthic invertebrates. This is the first detailed study of the oceanographic conditions and distribution of sediments and biota in the intertidal and subtidal zones of Igloolik Island, Nunavut. Oceanographic measurements (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity), and sediment and biological sampling were undertaken over two summers (1999, 2002). Intertidal zones are underlain by bedrock with a thin veneer of gravel with a very poorly sorted fine matrix and devoid of benthic invertebrates, due to harsh environmental conditions. Ninety-six benthic invertebrates species were identified in the subtidal zone of Turton Bay, a shallow embayment of Igloolik Island that opens to the south into Hooper Inlet. Oceanographic conditions were similar throughout Turton Bay. The shallow depth of Turton Bay (<25 m) and open fetch to the south means that the bay water is well mixed throughout during the ice-free period. Variations in species, abundances and densities result from local conditions and substrate characteristics. Subtidal areas with unconsolidated substrates have abundant and diversified benthic fauna, whereas those with consolidated substrates have more limited species dominated by epifauna. The greatest abundances and densities occur at the deepest sites with the finest sediments and deposit-feeding species. The shallow subtidal zone (<5 m) is characterized by a thin sandy surface veneer overlying bedrock. It is an extension of the intertidal zone and is much affected by ice action during break-up with reduced numbers of marine fauna. High densities of opportunistic and pollution tolerant species along transects in Turton Bay are explained by the outflow and seepage from the sewage lagoon and dumpsites proximal to these transects. Sédiments et invertébrés de la zone marine côtière de l’île d’Igloolik, Nunavut. Peu d’études menées dans l’arctique canadien combinent les données sur l’environnement ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Dale, Janis E. Leontowich, Kent |
spellingShingle |
Dale, Janis E. Leontowich, Kent Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
author_facet |
Dale, Janis E. Leontowich, Kent |
author_sort |
Dale, Janis E. |
title |
Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
title_short |
Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
title_full |
Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
title_fullStr |
Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sediments and Biota of the Marine Coastal Zone of Igloolik Island, Nunavut |
title_sort |
sediments and biota of the marine coastal zone of igloolik island, nunavut |
publisher |
Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/016365ar https://doi.org/10.7202/016365ar |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-81.800,-81.800,69.378,69.378) ENVELOPE(-81.766,-81.766,69.301,69.301) ENVELOPE(-81.749,-81.749,69.368,69.368) |
geographic |
Arctic Nunavut Canada Igloolik Hooper Inlet Turton Bay |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Nunavut Canada Igloolik Hooper Inlet Turton Bay |
genre |
Arctic Igloolik Nunavut |
genre_facet |
Arctic Igloolik Nunavut |
op_relation |
Géographie physique et Quaternaire vol. 60 no. 1 (2006) http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/016365ar doi:10.7202/016365ar |
op_rights |
Tous droits réservés © Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 2007 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7202/016365ar |
container_title |
Géographie physique et Quaternaire |
container_volume |
60 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
63 |
op_container_end_page |
80 |
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1766346107132051456 |