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Piepenburg, Dieter; Chernova, Natalia V; von Dorrien, Christian F; Gutt, Julian; Neyelov, Alexei V; Rachor, Eike; Saldanha, Luiz; Schmid, Michael K (1996): Megabenthic communities in the waters around Svalbard during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-VIII/2 (EPOS II) [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.815752, Supplement to: Piepenburg, D et al. (1996): Megabenthic communities in the waters around Svalbard. Polar Biology, 16(6), 431-446, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02390425

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Abstract:
Composition and distribution of megabenthic communities around Svalbard were investigated in June/July 1991 with 20 Agassiz trawl and 5 bottom trawl hauls in depths between 100 and 2100 m. About 370 species, ranging from sponges to fish, were identified in the catches. Species numbers per station ranged from 21 to 86. Brittle stars, such as Ophiacantha bidentata, Ophiura sarsi and Ophiocten sericeum, were most important in terms of constancy and relative abundance in the catches. Other prominent faunal elements were eunephthyid alcyonarians, bivalves, shrimps, sea stars and fish (Gadidae, Zoarcidae, Cottidae). Multivariate analyses of the species and environmental data sets showed that the spatial distribution of the megabenthos was characterized by a pronounced depth zonation: abyssal, bathyal, off-shore shelf and fjordic communities were discriminated. However, a gradient in sediment properties, especially the organic carbon content, seemed to superimpose on the bathymetric pattern. Both main factors are interpreted as proxies of the average food availability, which is, hence, suggested to have the strongest influence in structuring megabenthic communities off Svalbard.
Project(s):
European Polarstern Study (EPOS)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 78.810920 * Median Longitude: 22.126996 * South-bound Latitude: 75.981700 * West-bound Longitude: 5.861700 * North-bound Latitude: 81.650000 * East-bound Longitude: 34.876700
Date/Time Start: 1991-06-22T18:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1991-09-23T00:00:00
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
6 datasets

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Datasets listed in this publication series

  1. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): (Table 2) Abundance of megabenthic species in trawl catches around Svalbard during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-VIII/2 (EPOS). https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.815722
  2. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): Abundance of megabenthic species in trawl catches per station in addition to table 2 during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-VIII/2 (EPOS). https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.815750
  3. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): (Table 1) Dry weight percentages of silt and clay, and total organic carbon contents of surface sediments, sites PS19/040 - PS19/136. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.735270
  4. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): (Fig 1) Trawl stations during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-VIII/2 (EPOS) in June/July 1991: Station groups. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.815720
  5. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): (Table 1) Estimated swept areas, sites PS19/040 - PS19/136. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.735268
  6. Piepenburg, D; Chernova, NV; von Dorrien, CF et al. (1996): (Table 1) Bottom-water temperatures and satinities, sites PS19/040 - PS19/136. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.735269