The sublittoral macroflora of Hornsund

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Agnieszka Tatarek, Józef Wiktor, Michael A. Kendall
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2012
• Subjects: Macroalgae; Hornsund; Arctic fjord; West Spitsbergen; laminariales; envir; anthro-se; Arctic; Svalbard; Polar Research; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v31i0.18900; https://doaj.org/article/af83636dc92c4ffeacc5da8ef0d4326d

Combined hydroacoustic, video and direct examination by scuba-diving of the underwater meadows of Hornsund, a flagship biodiversity site in Svalbard, revealed 17 species of macroalgae with a biomass, dominated by Laminariales, of as much as 3 kg m−2. The biomass dominants were Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima, which were most abundant at depths of between 5 and 10 m. The species data presented are the first records for the fjord and provide a starting point for new research and a baseline for future assessments of climate-induced changes.