Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient
The Latitudinal Gradient Program (2002–2011) aimed at understanding the marine and terrestrial ecosystems existing along the Victoria Land coast (Ross Sea), an area characterized by strong latitudinal clines in environmental factors. During the program’s voyage of the Italian RV ‘‘Italica’’ in 2004,...
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ftunivgenova:oai:iris.unige.it:11567/771389 2024-04-21T07:51:35+00:00 Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient SCHIAPARELLI, STEFANO Claudio Ghiglione Maria Chiara Alvaro Huw J. Griffiths Katrin Linse Schiaparelli, Stefano Claudio, Ghiglione Maria Chiara, Alvaro Huw J., Griffith Katrin, Linse 2014 STAMPA http://hdl.handle.net/11567/771389 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 eng eng country:DEU info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000338278200010 volume:37 firstpage:859 lastpage:877 numberofpages:19 journal:POLAR BIOLOGY http://hdl.handle.net/11567/771389 doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84900856654 Antarctica Bentho Mollusca info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2014 ftunivgenova https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 2024-03-28T01:16:47Z The Latitudinal Gradient Program (2002–2011) aimed at understanding the marine and terrestrial ecosystems existing along the Victoria Land coast (Ross Sea), an area characterized by strong latitudinal clines in environmental factors. During the program’s voyage of the Italian RV ‘‘Italica’’ in 2004, a fine-mesh towed gear, the ‘‘Rauschert dredge’’, was deployed for the first time at 18 stations in four latitudinal distinct shelf areas between *71S and *74S. The collected samples contained undescribed species and new records for the Ross Sea from a variety of different marine taxa. Here, we describe the molluscan fauna and investigate evidences for latitudinal effects on molluscan diversity, abundance and assemblage composition. No significant latitudinal trends were detected: while diversity did not vary significantly with latitude, species richness showed an apparent but non-significant decrease with increasing latitude. Beta-diversity was found to be high both within and between latitudinally distinct shelf areas. A large fraction (*20 %) of the collected molluscs corresponded to new species records for the Ross Sea or undescribed species. Rarity in Antarctic molluscan occurrences was confirmed, with singletons (i.e. species represented by only a single individual) accounting for a 22 % and uniques (i.e. species occurring in one sample only) for a 43.5 % of the total presence. Our study of the smaller macrofaunal benthic fraction showed that Antarctic marine research still has far to go to have robust reference baselines to measure possible changes in benthic communities, even in the case of the assumed well-known, wellsampled and well-studied group of Ross Sea shelf molluscs. We advocate the use of fine-mesh trawling gears for routine sampling activities in future Antarctic expeditions to assess the full marine biodiversity. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Victoria Land Università degli Studi di Genova: CINECA IRIS Polar Biology 37 6 859 877 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Università degli Studi di Genova: CINECA IRIS |
op_collection_id |
ftunivgenova |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctica Bentho Mollusca |
spellingShingle |
Antarctica Bentho Mollusca SCHIAPARELLI, STEFANO Claudio Ghiglione Maria Chiara Alvaro Huw J. Griffiths Katrin Linse Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
topic_facet |
Antarctica Bentho Mollusca |
description |
The Latitudinal Gradient Program (2002–2011) aimed at understanding the marine and terrestrial ecosystems existing along the Victoria Land coast (Ross Sea), an area characterized by strong latitudinal clines in environmental factors. During the program’s voyage of the Italian RV ‘‘Italica’’ in 2004, a fine-mesh towed gear, the ‘‘Rauschert dredge’’, was deployed for the first time at 18 stations in four latitudinal distinct shelf areas between *71S and *74S. The collected samples contained undescribed species and new records for the Ross Sea from a variety of different marine taxa. Here, we describe the molluscan fauna and investigate evidences for latitudinal effects on molluscan diversity, abundance and assemblage composition. No significant latitudinal trends were detected: while diversity did not vary significantly with latitude, species richness showed an apparent but non-significant decrease with increasing latitude. Beta-diversity was found to be high both within and between latitudinally distinct shelf areas. A large fraction (*20 %) of the collected molluscs corresponded to new species records for the Ross Sea or undescribed species. Rarity in Antarctic molluscan occurrences was confirmed, with singletons (i.e. species represented by only a single individual) accounting for a 22 % and uniques (i.e. species occurring in one sample only) for a 43.5 % of the total presence. Our study of the smaller macrofaunal benthic fraction showed that Antarctic marine research still has far to go to have robust reference baselines to measure possible changes in benthic communities, even in the case of the assumed well-known, wellsampled and well-studied group of Ross Sea shelf molluscs. We advocate the use of fine-mesh trawling gears for routine sampling activities in future Antarctic expeditions to assess the full marine biodiversity. |
author2 |
Schiaparelli, Stefano Claudio, Ghiglione Maria Chiara, Alvaro Huw J., Griffith Katrin, Linse |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
SCHIAPARELLI, STEFANO Claudio Ghiglione Maria Chiara Alvaro Huw J. Griffiths Katrin Linse |
author_facet |
SCHIAPARELLI, STEFANO Claudio Ghiglione Maria Chiara Alvaro Huw J. Griffiths Katrin Linse |
author_sort |
SCHIAPARELLI, STEFANO |
title |
Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
title_short |
Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
title_full |
Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
title_fullStr |
Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the Ross Sea (Antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
title_sort |
diversity, abundance and composition in macrofaunal molluscs from the ross sea (antarctica): results of fine-mesh sampling along a latitudinal gradient |
publisher |
country:DEU |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11567/771389 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Victoria Land |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Victoria Land |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000338278200010 volume:37 firstpage:859 lastpage:877 numberofpages:19 journal:POLAR BIOLOGY http://hdl.handle.net/11567/771389 doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84900856654 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1487-9 |
container_title |
Polar Biology |
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37 |
container_issue |
6 |
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859 |
op_container_end_page |
877 |
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