Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea
Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2015 Meiofaunal communities in the northeastern Chukchi Sea (Alaska) are poorly known and were investigated to determine coarse taxonomic composition, distributional patterns, and density and biomass. Core samples were taken in August through October 201...
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ftunivalaska:oai:scholarworks.alaska.edu:11122/5593 2023-05-15T14:41:26+02:00 Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea Hajduk, Marissa Blanchard, Arny Hardy, Sarah Bluhm, Bodil 2015-05 http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5593 en_US eng http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5593 Marine Science and Limnology Thesis ms 2015 ftunivalaska 2023-02-23T21:36:28Z Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2015 Meiofaunal communities in the northeastern Chukchi Sea (Alaska) are poorly known and were investigated to determine coarse taxonomic composition, distributional patterns, and density and biomass. Core samples were taken in August through October 2012 from van Veen grabs at depths of 20-45 m, in order to assess meiofauna community structure and associations with environmental and biological variables. Overall, density and biomass were dominated by nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, and foraminifera. Total meiofaunal density (9-13 ind. cm-2) was lower than in some deeper polar regions (e.g., Yermak Plateau and Nansen Basin), but generally fell within the range of published estimates for the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Total region-averaged biomass (27.4 mg C m-2) was similar to estimates for the deep Arctic Makarov and Amundsen Basins, but was much lower than shallow and productive sub-Arctic regions such as the Oosterschelde estuary (North Sea, Netherlands) and intertidal areas in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard), and some Arctic locations in the Barents Sea. The ratio of meiofaunal to macrofaunal biomass (1:438) was comparable to estimates from less productive Arctic basins and from fjords, but was unexpectedly lower than other productive polar shelves (e.g., Barents Sea shelf). Regression analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) ordination suggest water depth, % mud, and TOC are important predictors of nematode and harpacticoid copepod densities, whereas temperature, TOC, and macrofaunal biomass were correlated with meiofaunal community structure. These variables are proxies for the topographic control and water circulation in the region, and suggest circulation with advected nutrient input as the primary driving force behind community density and distribution patterns. Thesis Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Chukchi Sea Foraminifera* Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Nansen Basin Svalbard Yermak plateau Alaska Copepods University of Alaska: ScholarWorks@UA Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Sea Fairbanks Svalbard Van Veen ENVELOPE(161.900,161.900,-71.583,-71.583) Yermak Plateau ENVELOPE(5.000,5.000,81.250,81.250) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Alaska: ScholarWorks@UA |
op_collection_id |
ftunivalaska |
language |
English |
description |
Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2015 Meiofaunal communities in the northeastern Chukchi Sea (Alaska) are poorly known and were investigated to determine coarse taxonomic composition, distributional patterns, and density and biomass. Core samples were taken in August through October 2012 from van Veen grabs at depths of 20-45 m, in order to assess meiofauna community structure and associations with environmental and biological variables. Overall, density and biomass were dominated by nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, and foraminifera. Total meiofaunal density (9-13 ind. cm-2) was lower than in some deeper polar regions (e.g., Yermak Plateau and Nansen Basin), but generally fell within the range of published estimates for the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Total region-averaged biomass (27.4 mg C m-2) was similar to estimates for the deep Arctic Makarov and Amundsen Basins, but was much lower than shallow and productive sub-Arctic regions such as the Oosterschelde estuary (North Sea, Netherlands) and intertidal areas in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard), and some Arctic locations in the Barents Sea. The ratio of meiofaunal to macrofaunal biomass (1:438) was comparable to estimates from less productive Arctic basins and from fjords, but was unexpectedly lower than other productive polar shelves (e.g., Barents Sea shelf). Regression analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) ordination suggest water depth, % mud, and TOC are important predictors of nematode and harpacticoid copepod densities, whereas temperature, TOC, and macrofaunal biomass were correlated with meiofaunal community structure. These variables are proxies for the topographic control and water circulation in the region, and suggest circulation with advected nutrient input as the primary driving force behind community density and distribution patterns. |
author2 |
Blanchard, Arny Hardy, Sarah Bluhm, Bodil |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Hajduk, Marissa |
spellingShingle |
Hajduk, Marissa Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
author_facet |
Hajduk, Marissa |
author_sort |
Hajduk, Marissa |
title |
Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
title_short |
Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
title_full |
Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
title_fullStr |
Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern Chukchi Sea |
title_sort |
density and distribution of meiofauna in the northeastern chukchi sea |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5593 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(161.900,161.900,-71.583,-71.583) ENVELOPE(5.000,5.000,81.250,81.250) |
geographic |
Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Sea Fairbanks Svalbard Van Veen Yermak Plateau |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Sea Fairbanks Svalbard Van Veen Yermak Plateau |
genre |
Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Chukchi Sea Foraminifera* Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Nansen Basin Svalbard Yermak plateau Alaska Copepods |
genre_facet |
Arctic Barents Sea Chukchi Chukchi Sea Foraminifera* Kongsfjord* Kongsfjorden Nansen Basin Svalbard Yermak plateau Alaska Copepods |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/5593 Marine Science and Limnology |
_version_ |
1766313211905179648 |