Distribution of macroalgae and seaweed in the Azov Sea,Kerch Strait,and Taman Bay

The analysis of the macroalgae distribution along the salinity gradient in the Azov Sea, the Kerch strait, and Taman Bay during the summer allowed finding two macroalgae complexes. The first complex (brackish) is formed by algae belonging to the Enteromorpha, Cladophora, Rhizoclonium, and Chaetomorpha genera in the Taganrog Gulf. The second complex (marine) with dominating algae belonging to the Enteromorpha, Chaetomorpha, Ceramium, and Polysiphonia inhabits the littoral part of the Azov Sea itself, the Kerch Strait, and Taman Bay. The saprobe analysis of the flora showed that the majority of macroalgae species inhabiting the Azov Sea are represented by meso- and polysaprobes and a small number of oligosaprobe species inhabit the Kerch Strait. The biggest species diversity of macroalgae was noted in the southwestern part of the sea; the value of Shannon’s index was 0.65 in the Taganrog Gulf, 1.04 in the Azov Sea, 1.38 in Taman Bay. The leading role in the littoral communities of Taganrog Gulf belongs to aquatic flowering plants with Potamogeton perfoliatus being dominant; as the salinity increases, the share of such species as P. pectinatus, Zostera marina, Z. noltii, Ruppia maritime, and Zannichellia major starts to increase.     

The trophic position of the alien crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhithropanopeus harrisii</Emphasis> (crustacea decapoda panopeidae) in the Taman Bay,Sea of Azov community

This work concerns the trophic web positioning of the alien crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii and other common marine invertebrate species and fishes in the benthic ecosystem of the shallows of Taman Bay, Sea of Azov. The base of the trophic web in this system is composed of phytoplankton, macrophytes (algae and marine grasses), and reeds that use atmospheric carbon for photosynthesis. Analysis of the isotopic composition of nitrogen and carbon has shown that although marine grasses are dominating primary producers in the shallows of the bay, primary consumers (such as Cerastoderma glaucum, Porifera gen. sp., Gammarus aequicauda, Deshayesorchestia deshayesii and Idotea balthica) only partially use this organic source; instead, they use a combination of different sources of primary production. It has been shown that the food source of the alien crab is primarily of animal origin. In Taman Bay, R. harrisii is on the same trophic level as other carnivores/scavengers: benthic fishes Syngnathus nigrolineatus, Gobius spp. and native crab Pilumnus hirtellus and shrimp Palaemon adspersus.     

Macrofouling communities in the cooling system of the Vladivostok heat and power plant

The composition, structure, and distribution of flora and fauna on hydraulic facilities in the cooling system of the Vladivostok combined heat and power plant-2 were studied in summer and autumn of 2001. Cluster analysis was applied to differentiate Balanus rostratus, Mytilus trossulus, Jassa marmorata, Crassostrea gigas + Balanus rostratus, Modiolus modiolus + Pachycheles stevensii, Hydroides ezoensis, and Amphibalanus improvisus communities. The groups of fouling organisms found on the studied objects were shown to be assigned both to “physically controlled” and “biologically balanced” benthic communities. This study stresses the high similarity between the fouling communities of anthropogenic substrata and natural intertidal and subtidal benthic communities from adjacent areas of Peter the Great Bay.     

Species composition and seasonal dynamics of the population density and biomass of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyramimonas</Emphasis> (Prasinophyceae) from the Russian waters of East/Japan Sea

The species composition and seasonal dynamics of the population density and biomass of the prasinophycean algae of the genus Pyramimonas were investigated in the Russian waters of the East/Japan Sea. According to literature data and the results of our observations, eight species of the prasinophycean algae were identified, and some of them were new for the Russian waters of the East/Japan Sea as follows: P. aff. amylifera Ñonrad, P. aff. cordata McFadden, Hill et Wetherbee, and P. nansenii Braarud. An analysis of their seasonal dynamics showed that the most conspicuous winter peak of the population density of Pyramimonas species in the Amurskii Bay was clearly distinguishable in February. In winter and early spring, the prasinophycean algae made a considerable contribution of 28 to 60% into the total population density on the background of a relatively low biomass, 1.1–14.4% of the total phytoplankton biomass in the Amurskii Bay. In the Golden Horn Bay, the summer peak of the population density of Pyramimonas species was most intensive in June. In summer, during the period of mass development of the algae of the genus Pyramimonas in the Golden Horn Bay, the prasinophycean algae contributed up to 71% of the total population density and up to 84% of the total microalgal biomass. An increase was noted in the density and biomass of the Pyramimonas species in the polluted waters near the sewage water outlets in the Amurskii and Golden Horn bays.     

Seasonal variations in the community structures of macrobenthic fauna and their health status in an estuarine bay,Gwangyang Bay in Korea

Macrobenthic fauna in an estuarine Gwangyang Bay, southern Korean coast, were investigated to uncover recent variations in their community structures. In the study area, macrobenthic faunal communities were mainly composed of polychaete worms which were the most abundant faunal group with the highest values in species number and density, while mollusks accounted for the highest proportion in total biomass. There was no clear seasonal difference in species richness during the two year period of the investigation, but the mean density and biomass increased every spring and summer due to the mass recruitment of Theora fragilis. The Shannon’s diversity index (H') was more than 2.0 during most sampling seasons and did not show any significant seasonal difference except for the data in August, 2011 when azoic conditions occurred. The community structures of macrobenthos in Gwangyang Bay did not show any remarkable change in the dominance of the two top dominant species, Scoletoma longifolia and Heteromastus filiformis, which abundantly occurred in all seasons, except for the abundance peaks associated with high occurrence of T. fragilis and Paraprionospio cordifolia, especially in spring and summer and in autumn, respectively. These fauna changes reflected the changes in the macrobenthic community health status in Gwangyang Bay, where stable conditions and a healthy status prevailed in winter, but a slightly disturbed status prevailed from spring to autumn.     

An assemblage of mollusks associated with the high latitude scleractinian coral <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alveopora japonica</Emphasis> (Eguchi 1968) in Jeju Island,off the south coast of Korea

Corals reefs and communities support a wide range of flora and fauna. The complete richness and abundance of faunal communities in either coral reefs or communities is not fully understood. This is especially true for high-latitude coral communities. In this work, we carried out an analysis of an Alveopora japonica associated mollusk assemblage, in Jeju Island, Korea. A. japonica is one of the major coral species present in high abundance (88–155 colonies m^-2), with a high recruitment rate (7.8 juvenile corals m^-2 yr^-1) in Jeju Island, and may serve as a habitat for other benthic organisms. In 2012, a total number of 579 A. japonica colonies with sizes ranging between 15.1-346.7 cm² in the surface area were collected from a 1m× 10m quadrat installed at a depth of 10 m at Keumneung, on the northwest coast of Jeju Island. Numerous benthic invertebrates were found to be associated with A. japonica colonies. Twenty-seven bivalves and gastropods were identified, including a boring mytilid, Lithophaga curta, and an arcid, Barbatia stearnsi. A zonalgeographical examination of the distribution ranges of these mollusks revealed a majority of warmer water species. Our observations also showed that A. japonica may be providing a habitat to grazing gastropod, Turbo cornutus, and encrusting Spondylidae and Chamidae bivalves. A. japonica forms a coral carpet with a distinct assemblage of bivalves. It is thought that the presence of these mollusks species in the coral indicates its use as a nursery for juvenile species, a ready food supply of organic detritus, and a refuge from predators.     

Implication of salt marsh foraminiferal assemblages in Suncheon Bay,South Korea

Analyses of the compositions of benthic foraminifera and sediment, observations of tidal level and salinity, and a geographic survey of the tidal salt marsh in Suncheon Bay were conducted to examine the vertical distribution of foraminifera and evaluate their potential use for sea level studies. The salt marsh is composed mainly of fine-grained silty clay sediment and its salinity is below approximately 11 psu. The tidal current flows in the southwest-tonortheast direction with an average velocity of 26.57 cm/s. A total of 33 species of foraminifera (17 agglutinated and 16 calcareoushyaline) belonging to 24 genera was identified. The species diversity (1.1 on average) was relatively low. Dominant species were Ammonia beccarii, Miliammina fusca, Haplophragmoides wilberti, and Jadammina macrescens. Calcareous foraminifera (29.5%) were dominantly represented by the Ammonia beccarii assemblage, which characterized the region between mean tide level and mean low high water (MLHW). Agglutinated species (70.5%) were represented mostly by Miliammina fusca, Miliammina fusca-Haplophragmoides wilberti, and Haplophragmoides wilberti assemblages, which characterized the MLHW–mean high water (MHW), MHW–mean highest high water (MHHW), and MHHW–Approx. highest high water tide levels, respectively. In particular, the Haplophragmoides wilberti assemblage is believed to represent the highest elevation zone of foraminifera in the salt marshes of Suncheon Bay and is considered to be a reliable indicator of sea level as a result of its narrow vertical range.     

Morphological identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alexandrium</Emphasis> species (Dinophyceae) from Jinhae-Masan Bay,Korea

Outbreaks of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and dense blooms caused by Alexandrium species in Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea have been nearly annual events for many years. However, excluding some Alexandrium species responsible for PSP, there are no critical reports on the morphology of Alexandrium species in this bay. To identify the Alexandrium species based on detailed morphological features, vegetative cells collected water samples and established by the incubation of resting cysts isolated from sediment trap samples were analyzed. Four species of Alexandrium were identified: Alexandrium affine, A. fundyense, A. catenella, and A. insuetum. Morphological features of these species were basically consistent with those outlined in previous studies. However, the ventral pore and the connecting pore on the sulcal plate, which have been accepted as diagnostic characteristics for the identification of A. fundyense and A. catenella, need to be reevaluated, indicating that useful morphological features for identifying these two species should be recommended to avoid confusion in the classification of species in genus Alexandrium.     

Fine-scale Microbial Communities Associated with Manganese Nodules in Deep-sea Sediment of the Korea Deep Ocean Study Area in the Northeast Equatorial Pacific

Despite its potential significance for industrial utilization, any activities associated with the mining of manganese (Mn) nodules might have substantial impacts on benthic ecosystems. Because microorganisms respond quickly to changing environmental conditions, a study of microbial communities provides a relevant proxy to assess possible changes in benthic ecosystems associated with mining activities. We investigated fine-scale microbial community composition and diversity inside and on the surface of Mn nodules and in nearby deep-sea sediments in the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) area located in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) of the northeast equatorial Pacific. Although microbial cell density was lower within nodules (3.21 × 10⁶ cells g^-1) than in sediment (2.14 × 10⁸ cells g^-1), nodules provided a unique habitat for microorganisms. Manganese-oxidizing bacteria including Hyphomicrobium and Aurantimonas in Alphaproteobacteria and Marinobacter in Gammaproteobacteria were abundant in nodules, which implied that these bacteria play a significant role in nodule formation. In contrast, Idiomarina in Gammaproteobacteria and Erythrobacter and Sulfitobacter in Alphaproteobacteria were abundant in sediments. Meanwhile, Thaumarchaeota, a phylum that consists of ammonia-oxidizing chemolithoautotrophs, were the predominant archaeal group both in nodules and sediment. Overall, microbial communities in Mn nodules were unique compared to those observed in sediments. Furthermore, the phylogenetic composition of microorganisms in the KODOS area was distinguishable from that in the nodule provinces claimed by China and Germany in the CCFZ and nodule fields in the central South Pacific Gyre, respectively.     

Seasonal succession in the diatom community of Sendai Bay,northern Japan,following the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake

Sendai Bay in northern Japan suffered serious damage from massive tsunamis generated by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku earthquake. The physical disturbance caused by a tsunami may affect the coastal ecosystem, including the planktonic diatom community. We investigated seasonal changes in the diatom community structure at a coastal and an offshore station in Sendai Bay, from June 2011 (3 months after the tsunami) to April 2014. Diatom abundance increased at both stations during the spring. Sporadic increases were also recorded at the coastal station during the summer because of silicate input from river discharge. Seasonal succession of the diatom communities was similar at both the coastal and offshore stations. The onset of the spring bloom consisted mainly of Chaetoceros spp. when water temperatures were low. Subsequently, species such as Skeletonema costatum s.l. became dominant as salinity and nutrient concentrations decreased. Cell density decreased from summer into early winter. Leptocylindrus danicus became dominant in the summer, but was replaced by Thalassiosira cf. mala from autumn into winter. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that most of the variation in the diatom community could be explained by temperature, salinity, NO₃ ^?, NO₂ ^?, PO₄ ^3?, and SiO₂. In addition, the occurrence of diatom species before the tsunami showed a similar pattern to that after the tsunami, suggesting that the tsunami did not have a serious impact on the diatom community in Sendai Bay.     

Metagenomic characterization of viral communities in Goseong Bay,Korea

In this study, seawater samples were collected from Goseong Bay, Korea in March 2014 and viral populations were examined by metagenomics assembly. Enrichment of marine viral particles using FeCl₃ followed by next-generation sequencing produced numerous sequences. De novo assembly and BLAST search showed that most of the obtained contigs were unknown sequences and only 0.74% of sequences were associated with known viruses. As a result, 138 viruses, including bacteriophages (87%), viruses infecting algae and others (13%) were identified. The identified 138 viruses were divided into 11 orders, 14 families, 34 genera, and 133 species. The dominant viruses were Pelagibacter phage HTVC010P and Roseobacter phage SIO1. The viruses infecting algae, including the Ostreococcus species, accounted for 9.4% of total identified viruses. In addition, we identified pathogenic herpes viruses infecting fishes and giant viruses infecting parasitic acanthamoeba species. This is a comprehensive study to reveal the viral populations in the Goseong Bay using metagenomics. The information associated with the marine viral community in Goseong Bay, Korea will be useful for comparative analysis in other marine viral communities.     

Benthic fauna of Blagopoluchiya Bay (Novaya Zemlya Archipelago,Kara Sea)

The benthic fauna was studied in the Blagopoluchiya Bay (Kara Sea, Novaya Zemlya Archipelago) during an expedition of the R/V Professor Shtokman in autumn 2013. The inner basin of the bay, with depths of around 150 m, is separated from the outer slope of Novaya Zemlya by a shoal 30 m in depth. Six macrobenthic communities were described at nine stations (25 bottom grab samples) taken along a transect from the inner part of the bay to the outer part of the slope. The depths, position on the transect axis and sediment types were the major factors influencing the distribution of the communities. The benthic abundance and biomass in the inner and outer parts of the bay did not differ significantly. The diversity of macrobenthic organisms (α-diversity as the number of species in the sample and β-diversity as the rate of increase in species number in the area) was lower in the inner part of the bay. The intertidal zone (littoral) has been described. The littoral fauna was very poor; it comprised only the amphipods Gammarus setosus inhabiting the near-surface area.     

Monthly Geographical Distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> (Scyphozoa: Rhizosotomeae) in the Bohai and North Yellow Seas: a Preliminary Study using Ships of Opportunity

Nemopilema nomurai, an endemic and blooming jellyfish species in the waters of Korea, China and Japan, were monitored from June to October, 2017, in the Bohai and northwestern Yellow Seas, using the ship sighting method, as a preliminary study to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of medusae. Monitoring revealed that the mass appearance of young medusae was observed in Liaodong Bay in summer. In late summer they disappeared and a high density zone shifted to the mid- and northern Bohai Strait. In early fall, healthy adults with relatively high density were observed in the area around the border of the South and North Yellow Seas. These results suggest that medusae of N. nomurai originated from the Bohai Sea and were advected into the Yellow Sea through the Bohai Strait.     

Phylogenetic relationship between symbionts of tubeworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lamellibrachia satsuma</Emphasis> and the sediment microbial community in Kagoshima Bay

Vestimentiferan tubeworms acquire their symbionts through horizontal transmission from the surrounding environment. In the present study, we constructed a 16S rRNA gene clone library to investigate the phylogenetic relationship between diverse microbes in the sediment and symbiotic bacteria in the trophosome of the tubeworm, Lamellibrachia satsuma, from Kagoshima Bay, Japan. Two symbiotic bacterial phylotypes belonging to the classes γ- and ε-Proteobacteria were found from this tubeworm trophosome. They were very closely related to the symbionts of several other marine invertebrates. The most predominant bacteria in the sediment were ε-Proteobacteria. A broad diversity of bacteria belonged to non-proteobacterial phyla such as Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi was observed. The presence of sulfur oxidizers (i.e., ε-Proteobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria) and sulfur reducers (i.e., δ-Proteobacteria) may play a significant role in the sulfur cycle in these habitats and provide multiple sources of nutrition to the cold-seep communities. Closely related clones of ε-Proteobacteria symbiont in the species level and of γ-Proteobacteria symbiont in the genus level were found in the surrounding sediment. The similarity of symbiont clones of L. satsuma with other symbionts and free-living bacteria suggests the possibility of opportunistic symbiosis in ε-Proteobacteria and the co-evolution of γ-Proteobacteria having occurred after symbiosis with the tubeworms.     

东印度洋5种缘毛类纤毛虫(钟虫属和聚缩虫)水平分布初次报道

腹壁纤毛虫是一种附着在浮游动物上的原生生物,尤其是附着在桡足类和甲壳类上的。而缘毛虫是可以以自由或寄生的形式在世界各沿海地区和港湾处被发现。本研究首次对东印度洋表层至200 m深海域的缘毛类纤毛虫以及其水平分布展开了研究。根据纤毛虫的形态、纤毛结构和茎的形态等的特征,在2014年4月10日至5月13日东印度洋航次的浮游生物拖网样品中鉴定出了五种富腹纤毛虫,海洋钟形虫Vorticella oceanica、交替聚缩虫Zoothamnium alternans、阿拉聚缩虫Zoothamnium alrasheidi、远洋聚缩虫Zoothamnium pelagicum和海洋聚缩虫Zoothamnium marinum。并通过光显微镜和扫描显微镜拍摄的照片,说明了其形态、尺寸和特征。研究结果表明,海洋钟形虫和远洋聚缩虫的分布与硅藻（如,密聚角毛藻Chaetoceros coarctatus）和桡足类（如,短角长腹剑水蚤Oithona brevicornis）等寄主有关,也包括甲藻（如,三角角藻Ceraitum tripose）周围的一些个体。这些附着纤毛虫的分布在东印度洋海域东南区以海洋钟形虫、远洋聚缩虫和海洋聚缩虫为主,而在孟加拉湾北部则有大量的阿拉聚缩虫。这种分布的变化可能是与寄主的分布有关,如桡足类（短角长腹剑水蚤）和硅藻（密聚角毛藻）的分布影响。     

Features of the spatial distribution of phytoplankton in Nhatrang Bay of the South China Sea during the rainy season

The species composition, phytoplankton abundance, and relative yield of the variable fluorescence (F _v /F _m ) were determined in the mesotrophic Nhatrang Bay in October–November of 2004. The species diversity (250 taxonomic units) and heterogeneity of the phytoplankton structure were high. With respect to the number of species and their abundance, diatoms prevailed. In selected parts of the bay, dinoflagellates dominated. The mean biomass in the water column under 1 m² (B _t ) varied from 2.3 to 64.4 mg C/m³ being 31.0 mg C/m³ on average. The values of B _t were the lowest at the stations nearest to the river mouth. Seaward, B _t increased. The values of B _t increased with depth at some stations and decreased at others. In the surface sea layers, the biomass was lower than that in the underlying waters. The values of F _v /F _m ranged from 0.10 to 0.64 (at a mean value of 0.49). The lowest values of F _v /F _m were observed in the area close to the seaport. Over the greater part of the bay, the values of F _v /F _m were higher than 0.47. Such values are indicative of the relatively high potential photosynthetic activity of the phytoplankton. The abundance and species diversity were higher than those in the dry season (March–April).     

Agglutinated abyssal foraminifers of the equatorial pacific

The quantitative study of the distribution and taxonomic composition of recent living and dead (without plasma) benthic foraminifers revealed three foraminiferal assemblages in the bottom sediments of the Pacific Ocean at depths of 3350 to 4981 m. The assemblage dominated by the epibenthic Lagenammina difflugiformis, Reophax dentaliniformis, and Saccorhiza ramosa occupies the slopes of underwater hills. The assemblage with a high share of the infaunal Cribrostomoides subglobosum, C. nitidum, and Ammobaculites agglutinans is registered on the abyssal plateau. The assemblage with a significant proportion of the large Astrorhiza and Reophax species, which are characterized by an active way of life, populates gentle slopes and narrow depressions with potentially strong bottom currents.     

A Baseline Assessment of Coral Reef in Malacca Straits,Malaysia

Coral reefs along the Malacca Straits (MS) are poorly developed mainly due to turbidity and sedimentation. This study describes the health status and community structure of the corals in Cape Rachado, West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (WCPM), utilizing the Coral Video Transect (CVT) technique. All the survey transects were categorized as ‘fair’ coral conditions (27.39 ± 5.41%–48.56 ± 18.96%) with the reef floor mainly covered by corals and sediment. Twelve families of coral comprised of 25 distinct genera were identified. Coral communities were differentiated into four clusters with each being predominated by Galaxea, Diploastrea, Fungia and Pectinia respectively. Among all, Pectinia is the most spectacular genera and dominated the survey area. Along the MS, Favia, Favites and Porites are commonly found while Porites and Pectinia dominated the reefs. Low coral cover and diversity was recorded in MS as compared to the reefs in the South China Sea (SCS). The most prominent results include changes in the dominant coral from Porites to Pectinia while some species such as Acropora were absent from the study area. Based on the presented data, the reef in the study area was predominantly occupied by sediment and the coral communities were formed by a species with a high tolerance to turbidity and sedimentation.     

High mortality and poor growth of green mussels, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna viridis</Emphasis>, in high chlorophyll-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> environment

The current study was carried out from May 2014 to April 2015 to estimate the stock status of P. viridis in Marudu Bay. The gonad development was monitored by histological examination, while the population parameters including asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), mortality rate (Z, F and M), exploitation level (E) and recruitment of P. viridis were estimated using the lengthfrequency data. Results of the current study demonstrated that P. viridis in Marudu Bay spawned throughout the year with two major peaks, one in April to May and another one in October to December. The recruitment pattern was continuous with the peak in May to June 2014, which corresponded to the first spawning peak in April. However, no significant recruitment was observed from the second spawning peak due to the difference in spawning timing between male and female populations. The estimated asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M), fishing mortality (F) and growth performance (ф) of P. viridis in Marudu Bay were estimate to be 117 mm, 0.97 yr^-1, 4.39 yr^-1, 1.23 yr^-1, 3.16 yr^-1 and 4.123, respectively. The exponent b of the lengthweight relationship was 2.4 and exploitation level (E) was 0.72. The high mortality, low condition indices and negative allometric of P. viridis in Marudu Bay is caused by a lack of suitable food in the surrounding water.     

Characterization of Deep-sea Macrofauna in the Korean Exploration Claim Area in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone,Northeastern Pacific Ocean

Macrofauna in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone remain poorly understood, due both to gross undersampling and to the fact that most species collected from the area are new to science. Evaluation of the diversity and species distribution of the benthic fauna in this area is critical to predicting and managing the impacts of manganese nodule mining. In this study, we investigated the distribution of macrofauna to understand the natural variability in the macrobenthic community and, by extension, to establish a baseline for environmental risk assessment. Samples were collected from the KR5 block of the Korea Contract Area, within the abyssal area of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, by the RV Onnuri from 2012–2014. A total of 36 core samples were examined in the survey, from which we identified 183 macrobenthic species in 25 faunal groups with a mean density of 257 ind/m2. Not taking into account meio-faunal groups such as nematodes and harpacticoid copepods, the highest percentage of individuals was represented by Arthropoda. The dominant species (> 1% of total density) were the tanaids Typhlotanais sp.1, and Akanthophoreus spp. and Stenotanais sp., the isopod Macrostylis sp.1, and the polychaetes Cirratulidae spp. and Levinsenia uncinata. The abundances of the two dominant species, the tanaid Typhlotanais sp1. and isopod Macrostylis sp.1., were positively correlated with total organic carbon (TOC). There were no differences in macrofaunal density and community structure between preserved areas (PRA), the potential benthic impacted site (BIS), and other areas near the BIS. In general, higher diversity was associated with homogeneous environmental conditions, with high nodule coverage (> 50%) and TOC.