Trophic relationships at intrannual spatial and temporal scales of macro and megafauna around a submarine canyon off the Catalonian coast (western Mediterranean)

The spatial and temporal changes of near-bottom macrofauna (suprabenthos and macroplankton) and the trophic relationships of megabenthic decapod crustaceans were analyzed off the Catalonian coasts (western Mediterranean) around Berenguera submarine canyon in four periods (April and December 1991, March and July 1992) and four zones (within Berenguera Canyon at ca. 450 m, and on adjacent slope at ca. 400, 600 m and 1200 m). In March 1992, we found the highest macrofauna abundance and the smallest sizes in the canyon, suggesting a positive effect of river discharges on suprabenthos recruitment. By contrast, macroplankton (decapods, fishes and euphausiids) did not show higher recruitment into canyons. After analyzing the diet of 23 decapod crustaceans, we found a significant segregation between guilds feeding on zooplankton and on benthos. Zooplankton (euphausiids and Pasiphaeidae) and infauna (polychaetes, Calocaris macandreae and ophiuoroids) were consistently the main prey exploited by decapod crustaceans around Berenguera Canyon. We also found some macrophyte (Posidonia oceanica) consumption, which was higher in periods of water column homogeneity (winter–spring and late autumn). Positive correlations between decapods' gut fullness (F) and decapod abundance indicate feeding aggregations, while positive correlations were also found between F and Llobregat River (situated ca. 18 km from Berenguera head) flow 1 to 2 months before sampling. Increases in F were delayed only 1 month when zooplankton feeders were analyzed alone, while benthos feeders did not show significant relationships with any environmental variables. That indicates that the response of megabenthic decapods feeding on benthos to environmental shifts is slower than that of zooplankton feeders. The importance of river flows in enhancing food supply of macro- and megabenthos dwelling close to submarine canyons was apparent, with a delay in the fauna response of 0–2 months after river flow peaks.     

Biodiversity and ecological composition of macrobenthos on cold-water coral mounds and adjacent off-mound habitat in the bathyal Porcupine Seabight,NE Atlantic

The cold-water scleractinian corals Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata form mound structures on the continental shelf and slope in the NE Atlantic. This study is the first to compare the taxonomic biodiversity and ecological composition of the macrobenthos between on- and off-mound habitats. Seven box cores from the summits of three mounds and four cores from an adjacent off-mound area in the Belgica Mound Province in the Porcupine Seabight yielded 349 species, including 10 undescribed species. On-mound habitat was three times more speciose, and was richer with higher evenness and significantly greater Shannon's diversity than off-mound. Species composition differed significantly between habitats and the four best discriminating species were Pliobothrus symmetricus (more frequent off-mound), Crisia nov. sp, Aphrocallistes bocagei and Lophelia pertusa (all more frequent on-mound). Filter/suspension feeders were significantly more abundant on-mound, while deposit feeders were significantly more abundant off-mound. Species composition did not significantly differ between mounds, but similarity within replicates decreased from Galway Mound<Thérèse Mound<off-mound. We propose that, despite having greater vertical habitat heterogeneity that supports higher biodiversity, coral mounds have a characteristic “reef fauna” linked to species’ biology that contrasts with the higher horizontal habitat heterogeneity conferred by the action of deposit feeders and a varied seabed sedimentary facies off-mound. Standardisation of equipment and restriction of analyses to higher taxonomic levels would facilitate prospective comparative analyses of cold-water coral biodiversity across larger spatio–temporal scales.     

Community structure and spatial distribution of macrobenthos in the shelf area of the Bering Sea

Field investigations of marine macrobenthos were conducted at ten sites in the Bering Sea in July 2010. Altogether 90 species of macrobenthos belonging to 59 families and 78 genera were identified. Among them, 41 polychaetes, 16 mollusks, 23 crustaceans, three echinoderms, two cnidarians, one nemertean, one priapulid, two sipunculids, and one echiuran were identified. The average density and biomass of total macrobenthos were 984 ind./m2 and 1 207.1 g/m2 of wet weight, respectively. The predominant species in the study area were Scoloplos armiger, Eudorella pacifica, Ophiura sarsii, Heteromastus filiformis, Ennucula tenuis, and Harpiniopsis vadiculus by abundance, while the predominant species in this area was Echinarachnius parma by biomass. Hierarchical cluster analysis(Bray–Curtis similarity measure) revealed that two important benthic assemblages in the study area were Community A and Community B. Community A was stable and Community B was unstable, as shown by the Abundance/Biomass Comparisons(ABC) approach. The macrobenthic community structure in the shelf of the Bering Sea was characterized by its high abundance and biomass, high productivity but great heterogeneity.     

Small-scale distribution of Solea solea and Solea senegalensis juveniles in the Tagus estuary (Portugal)

The distribution of Solea solea and Solea senegalensis in the Tagus estuary was studied following a small-scale approach. Preliminary sampling revealed that sole concentrated in two areas within their nursery grounds, the main subtidal channel and a large intertidal mudflat. Beam trawls were conducted intensively in the two areas in July 2006. Depth, salinity and water temperature were measured. Substrate samples were collected for sediment type determination and macrobenthos identification and quantification. Generalized linear models were applied in order to explain the occurrence and variability of soles' densities, using depth, salinity, water temperature and abundance of polychaetes, oligochaetes, amphipods, isopods and bivalves as explanatory variables. While S. solea was more abundant in the main subtidal channel, a deeper, warmer and lower salinity area, S. senegalensis abundance was highest at the intertidal mudflat area. Presence of both species in the two areas was associated with abundance of polychaetes (generally with another variable associated), and for S. senegalensis in the subtidal channel it was associated with amphipods and depth. Abundance of S. solea in the main subtidal channel was associated mainly with polychaetes abundance, while that of S. senegalensis was associated with amphipods density. In the intertidal mudflat, bivalves and polychaetes presented significant relationships with both species densities. Some of the factors that had been reported to be important for the distribution of these species in previous studies also do so at a finer scale; however, this small-scale approach provided an in-depth knowledge on habitat selection and spatial segregation of these species within this nursery area.     

Sediment bioavailable organic matter,deposition rates and mixing intensity in the Setúbal–Lisbon canyon and adjacent slope (Western Iberian Margin)

The role of the Setúbal–Lisbon canyon in accumulation and transport of labile organic matter from the coastal sea and ocean surface water towards the deep sea was assessed by investigating the distribution of organic matter of different quality in sedimentary aggregates and surface sediments of the canyon and adjacent slopes. Total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA) and organic carbon (Corg) were measured from aggregates, and contents of Corg, chlorophyll a (chl a), phaeopigments (phaeo), chloroplastic pigment equivalents (CPE) from sediments. As indices of organic matter (OM) quality THAA:Corg, degradation index (DI), chl a:phaeo, chl a:Corg and C:N ratio were determined. Sediment profiles of chl a and the isotope 210 of lead (²¹⁰Pb) were used as tracers in a transport model to estimate deposition rates and background levels of the tracers, and sediment mixing rates (Db). Whereas bulk Corg contents of canyon and slope sediments were practically similar at all depths, higher contents of THAA, chl a and CPE, as well as higher THAA:Corg, DI and chl a:Corg, in aggregates and sediments from the upper reaches of the canyon indicate that labile organic matter accumulates in the upper canyon. This is confirmed by higher chl a and ²¹⁰Pb deposition and Db calculated from the model. Hence, the Setúbal–Lisbon canyon, specially the upper region, acts as a natural trap of organic matter that is transported to the region via lateral transport and vertical settling from primary productivity. Organic matter might be further transported in downward canyon direction via rebound processes. The chl a and ²¹⁰Pb profiles reveal active sediment mixing by physical processes and/or animal reworking.     

辽河口潮间带大型底栖动物摄食功能群特征研究

2020年对辽河口潮间带7条断面46个站位开展了春、秋两季大型底栖动物调查,并进行摄食功能群划分,研究了其潮间带大型底栖动物摄食功能群的组成及特征。共发现46种大型底栖动物,以软体动物、环节动物和节肢动物为主。肉食者功能群种类数最多,且主要为环节动物类群;浮游生物食者功能群则在丰度及生物量方面占优势地位,且主要为软体动物类群。大型底栖动物各摄食功能群丰度及生物量(除肉食者外)均表现出春季高于秋季,且在断面间无显著性差异,但浮游生物食者在靠近辽河入海口的断面(B和C断面)占据绝对优势。双因素方差分析显示,各摄食功能群的种类数、丰度和生物量在季节变化上均无显著差异。本研究结果有助于揭示辽河口潮间带大型底栖动物摄食功能群的变化规律,并为生物资源保护和修复提供基础数据。     

兴化湾海上风电场建设前后大型底栖动物群落变化

本研究基于2012年、2018年和2019年春秋季对兴化湾调查数据并结合历史资料,分析兴化湾海域海上风电建设前后,大型底栖动物多样性及优势种变化,探讨可能造成变化的原因。结果表明,从1985年至2019年,在海上风电工程建设后短时间内,大型底栖动物的生存环境受到一定程度的扰动,优势种主要以环节动物多毛类为主,其他类别例如软体动物小海螂(Leptomya sp.)、棱角贝(Gadila dominguensis)、节肢动物模糊新短眼蟹(Neoxenophthalmus obscurus)、棘皮动物棘刺锚参(Protankyra bidentata)、洼颚倍棘蛇尾［Amphioplus (Lymanella) depressus］等交替出现。随着时间的变化,兴化湾大型底栖动物优势种整体趋于小型化,以抗干扰能力强的多毛类为主,其优势地位恢复较快,大型底栖动物在应对环境变化后具有自我恢复的能力。     

Trophic relationships along a bathymetric gradient at the deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN

Deep-seafloor communities, especially those from the ice-covered Arctic, are subject to severe food limitation as the amount of particulate organic matter (POM) from the surface is attenuated with increasing depth. Here, we use naturally occurring stable isotope tracers (δ¹⁵N) to broaden our rudimentary knowledge of food web structure and the response of benthic organisms to decreasing food supplies along the bathymetric transect (～1300–5600 m water depth) of the deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN. Encompassing five trophic levels, the HAUSGARTEN food web is among the longest indicating continuous recycling of organic material typical of food-limited deep-sea ecosystems. The δ¹⁵N signatures ranged from 3.0‰ for Foraminifera to 21.4‰ (±0.4) for starfish (Poraniomorpha tumida). The majority of organisms occupied the second and third trophic level. Demersal fish fed at the third trophic level, consistent with results from stomach contents analysis. There were significant differences in the δ¹⁵N signatures of different functional groups with highest δ¹⁵N values in predators/scavengers (13.2±0.2‰) followed by suspension feeders (11.2±0.2‰) and deposit feeders (10.2±0.3‰). Depth (=increasing food limitation) affected functional groups in different ways. While the isotopic signatures of predators/scavengers did not change, those of suspension feeders increased with depth, and the reverse was found for deposit feeders. In contrast to the results of other studies, the δ¹⁵N signatures in POM samples obtained below 800 m did not vary significantly with depth indicating that changes in δ¹⁵N values are unlikely to be responsible for the depth-related δ¹⁵N signature changes observed for benthic consumers. However, the δ¹⁵N signatures of sediments decreased with increasing depth, which also explains the decrease found for deposit feeders. Suspension feeders may rely increasingly on particles trickling down the HAUSGARTEN slope and carrying higher δ¹⁵N signatures than the decreasing POM supplies, which elevates the δ¹⁵N value of their tissues. Our results imply that a depth-stratified approach should be taken to avoid a misinterpretation of data obtained at different depths.     

基于AMBI和M-AMBI法的底栖生态环境质量评价——以厦门五缘湾海域为例

于2011-2013年5月和10月在厦门五缘湾海域设置7个站位进行大型底栖动物调查,并结合2005年的历史数据,运用AMBI和M-AMBI指数法评价该海域海底生态环境质量的时空变化状况。2011-2013年共鉴定大型底栖动物9门106科193种,多毛类(83种)、甲壳类(53种)和软体动物(25种)是该海域的主要优势类群,平均总密度和湿质量生物量分别为(518±292)ind/m2和(54.8±88.9)g/m2。多毛类的短鳃树蛰虫(Pista brevibranchia)为该海域的绝对优势种,其平均密度可达(170±179)ind/m2,其他优势种还有似蛰虫(Amaeana trilobata)、西方似蛰虫(Amaeana occidentalis)、丝鳃稚齿虫(Prionospio malmgreni)、梳鳃虫(Terebellides stroemii)、独毛虫属一种(Tharyxsp.)、菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)、长指马尔他钩虾(Melita longidactyla)和伍氏蝼蛄虾(Austinogebia wuhsienweni)等。评价结果显示,该海域底栖生态系统受轻度干扰,生态环境质量介于一般—优良之间,与2005年的调查相比,2011-2013年该海域的生态环境质量有所好转,这可能与五缘湾及周边海域近年来进行的海堤开口改造、海洋环境整治,以及海湾纳潮量及水交换能力的改善有关。     

Nematode diversity and its relation to the quantity and quality of sedimentary organic matter in the deep Nazaré Canyon,Western Iberian Margin

Samples collected in the deep Nazaré Canyon and at the adjacent slope, during the HERMES RRS Discovery D297 cruise (2005), were analysed for metazoan meiofauna, nematode structure and diversity and its relation to quality and quantity of sedimentary organic material. The amount and quality of organic matter available for direct consumption was much higher in the canyon compared to the slope and positively correlated with high nematode abundances (795–1171 ind. 10 cm^?2) and biomass (93.2–343.5 μg dry weight 10 cm^?2), thus leading to higher standing stocks. Canyon nematode assemblages also showed particular adaptations (e.g. higher trophic complexity, variability of nematode morphology, and presence of opportunistic genera) to canyon conditions, particularly in the deeper sediment layers. The Nazaré Canyon's nematode diversity was slightly lower than that of the adjacent slope and its assemblages were characterised by a higher dominance of certain genera. Still, the canyon contributes considerably to total Western Iberian Margin diversity due to different assemblages present compared to the slope. Furthermore, the harsh conditions in terms of hydrodynamic disturbance and the high organic matter flux are likely to have a negative impact on the establishment of species rich meiobenthic communities, especially in the canyon axis.     

Macrofaunal nematodes of the deep Whittard Canyon (NE Atlantic): assemblage characteristics and comparison with polychaetes

Large nematodes form an important component of deep‐sea macrofaunal assemblages, but are often considered to be part of the meiobenthos and are rarely studied. We analysed the standing stocks, diversity, and functional group and genus‐level composition of macrofaunal nematodes at lower bathyal depths (3,500 m water depth) in the Whittard Canyon system (NE Atlantic) and on the adjacent continental slope. Five replicate sample sets were obtained using a Megacorer, at four locations (three canyon branches, one slope). Sediment samples were processed on a 500‐μm mesh to provide both nematode and polychaete data from the same samples. The dominant nematode genera included Paramesacanthion, Metacylicolaimus, Cylicolaimus and Phanodermopsis. Nematode standing stocks (density and biomass) increased significantly from slope to canyon locations. Similarly, nematode dominance increased substantially (and diversity decreased) from slope to canyon locations. Nematode feeding groups and tail shape groups also appeared to exhibit common trends across study locations. Nematode genus‐level faunal composition varied significantly between slope and canyon locations. We describe and discuss the broadly similar trends detected in the matching polychaete data, noting some differences in the polychaete density and diversity responses. We suggest that the similar trends in macrofaunal nematode and polychaete ecology across our four study locations reflect responses to both changing sedimentology and food availability.     

H'、AMBI和M-AMBI指数在黄河口及邻近海域底栖生境健康评价中的适宜性研究

From a dataset of macrobenthos obtained from 18 cruises from 2004 to 2013 in the Huanghe(Yellow River)Estuary and its adjacent areas,the composition and characteristics of macrobenthos were analyzed,and the applicability of the Shannon-Wiener Index(H′),AZTI's Marine Biotic Index(AMBI) and multivariate AMBI(MAMBI) for assessing benthic habitat quality was compared.The results showed a total of 203 macrobenthos in the study area.The macrobenthos were dominated by polychaetes,followed by mollusks and crustaceans.The macrobenthic ecological groups were dominated by EGI,EGII and EGIII,which respectively accounted for 31.5%,36.0% and 21.2% of the total.There were significant differences between the evaluation results of the three indices.The ecological quality status(EQS) levels given by the AMBI were greater than those given by the H′ and M-AMBI.The AMBI could not reflect the differences between 11 sites but the H′ and M-AMBI could do.Moreover,the three indices responded well to the variations in salinity(S) and dissolved oxygen(DO) in the waters.The H′ and MAMBI also responded sensitively to the differences in physical parameters,such as water depth and sediment texture.The correlation between M-AMBI and environmental pressure gradient data was the strongest.The MAMBI could effectively distinguish degraded conditions from undegraded but the H′ and AMBI could not.Therefore,the M-AMBI reflected benthic habitat health well in the study areas.However,the objectivity of evaluation results of M-AMBI needs further verification by physical,chemical and biological methods.The thresholds also need further discussion.     

Trophic structure and production in the macrobenthos of a temperate Australian estuary

The soft-bottom fauna of Gunnamatta Bay, Port Hacking, N.S.W., was sampled to estimate the abundance, trophic structure and net production of the macrobenthos. The samples were classified into groups from spatially distinct strata, the groups differing in species abundance and diversity and in the identity of the dominant species. The composition and community structure of the fauna was generally similar to that in other sheltered embayments on the southeastern coast of Australia. Estimated production values were low for an estuary, ranging from 10 kJ m^?2 year^?1 in an intertidal stratum of well sorted sand to 210–450 kJ m^?2 year^?1 in shallow subtidal strata with an admixture of silt. Estimated net production over all strata was 160 kJ m^?2 year^?1. Polychaetes dominated production, providing 45% of the total; crustaceans provided 20%, and molluscs and echinoderms 12% each. Detritus-feeders were dominant in most strata: the bivalve Theora fragilis, the polychaetes Australonereis ehlersi and Notomastus torquatus, and the urchin Echinocardium cordatum were major contributors to overall biomass and to net production. Substantial biomass and net production was also contributed by the suspension-feeding bivalve Corbula vicaria and a carnivorous crab Ceratoplax cf. glaberrimus. Overall, detritus-feeders contributed 61% of estimated net production, carnivores 32% and suspension-feeders 7%. Production estimated for carnivores was higher than could be supported by the non-carnivore populations, suggesting that some of the species considered to be carnivores have additional feeding modes. Excessive harvesting of bivalves by humans is suggested as the main reason for the low biomass of, and therefore low production by, suspension feeders.     

210Pb sedimentation rates from the Northwestern Mediterranean margin

A total of 83 cores were collected in the Gulf of Lions continental margins and analysed for ²¹⁰Pb_xs (excess ²¹⁰Pb) in order to understand sedimentation patterns. Apparent sedimentation rates (ASR) range from 0.65 cm year⁻¹ in the vicinity of the Rhône River mouth to 0.01 cm year⁻¹ in the deep basin. Except for the prodelta area, rates decrease with depth linearly with the water depth. On the slope, ASR do not differ between canyons and open slope, except for the western area where the rates are slightly higher in the Lacaze–Duthiers canyon compared to its adjacent, open slope. In the canyon and open slope areas, mass accumulation rates determined from ²¹⁰Pb_xs profiles (0.10 and 0.08 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, respectively) are in good agreement with particulate fluxes calculated from 5 years of near-bottom sediment trap data, even when the trap particle fluxes and the apparent accumulation rates are overestimated in response to resuspension and bioturbation effects.However, differences in sediment trap data, between west and east portion of the slope, are not observed in the sedimentation rates calculated with ²¹⁰Pb_xs. The outer shelf area may have an important role in trapping sediment but it is not sufficiently documented. Sediment surface mixed layer depths decrease with water depth, with a mean value for the whole margin of 8±6 cm.²¹⁰Pb_xs inventories in the sediment are systematically higher than the net ²¹⁰Pb export flux estimated from the above water column. Over the margin, the ratio between accumulated ²¹⁰Pb and available ²¹⁰Pb is about 3, suggesting boundary scavenging effects and advective transport.     

Sediment transport in Washington and Norfolk submarine canyons

A sediment study suggests that Washington and Norfolk canyons off the Mid-Atlantic States are not inactive, but have served periodically since the Late Pleistocene as conduits of sediment originating on the adjacent shelf and upper slope. Large quantities of sand occur in the canyon heads as thin beds and laminae, and on the continental slope as mixtures of sand (to $\text{>40\%}$), silt and clay that are extensively reworked by burrowing organisms. Sandy turbidites occur in the canyons on the rise. Basinward dispersal, from the outer shelf and uppermost slope, is recorded by heavy mineral suites and bioclastic components, primarily foraminifera of shallow marine origin, in the lower slope and upper continental rise canyon cores. The down-axis movement of material, presumably episodic, in the Holocene to recent results from offshelf spillover into canyon heads, failure on the steep walls bordering canyons on the slope, and resuspension by bottom currents.     

The deep-sea macrobenthos on the continental slope of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea: a quantitative approach

As part of the ECOMARGE operation (J.G.O.F.S. France), macrobenthic assemblages in the Toulon Canyon were described and quantified on the basis of sampling carried out between 250 and 2000 m depth on the Mediterranean continental slope. Results show that Mediterranean bathyal assemblages are made up mainly of continental shelf eurybathic species. The qualitative and quantitative composition of populations varies with depth on the slope and also varies with station position at equivalent depth, whether on the flanks or in the canyon channel. Various analyses have provided evidence on the factors responsible for this population distribution pattern. No single factor emerges as predominant, but rather a group of factors, which are related to the nature and origin of sediments and more particularly their grain size distribution, geochemical composition and mode of transportation and sedimentation (benthic nepheloid or originating from the water column), act in conjunction to determine the pattern. Comparison with ocean continental slopes shows that in the Mediterranean Sea the absence of tidal current modifies the trophic structure of the macrobenthic assemblages, which are characterized by a dominance of surface and subsurface deposit feeders as compared to a dominance of suspension feeders and carnivores in the upper and median part of the slope in the ocean. Surface dumping of dredge spoil at the canyon head and channelling of waste induces an increase of organic matter and pollutant concentrations in sediment from the upper part of the canyon channel but does not give rise to any marked population degradation.     

Geology and biology of Oceanographer submarine Canyon

We investigated Oceanographer Canyon, which is on the southeastern margin of Georges Bank, during a series of fourteen dives in the “Alvin” and “Nekton Gamma” submersibles. We have integrated our observations with the results of previous geological and biological studies of Georges Bank and its submarine canyons. Fossiliferous sedimentary rocks collected from outcrops in Oceanographer Canyon indicate that the Cretaceous—Tertiary boundary is at 950 m below sea level at about 40°16′N where at least 300 m of Upper Cretaceous strata are exposed; Santonian beds are more than 100 m thick and are the oldest rocks collected from the canyon. Quaternary silty clay, deposited most probably during the late Wisconsin Glaciation, veneers the canyon walls in many places, and lithologically similar strata are present beneath the adjacent outer shelf and slope. Where exposed, the Quaternary clay is commonly burrowed by benthic organisms that cause extensive erosion of the canyon walls, especially in the depth zone (100–1300 m) inhabited by red crabs (Geryon) and/or jonah crabs (Cancer). Bioerosion is minimal on high, near-vertical cliffs of sedimentary rock, in areas of continual sediment movement, and where the sea floor is paved by gravel. A thin layer of rippled, unconsolidated silt and sand is commonly present on the canyon walls and in the axis; ripple orientation is most commonly transverse to the canyon axis and slip-faces point downcanyon. Shelf sediments are transported from Georges Bank over the eastern rim and into Oceanographer Canyon by the southwest drift and storm currents; tidal currents and internal waves move the sediment downcanyon along the walls and axis. Large erratic boulders and gravel pavements on the eastern rim are ice-rafted glacial debris of probable late Wisconsinan age; modern submarine currents prevent burial of the gravel deposits. The dominant canyon megafauna segregates naturally into three faunal depth zones (133–299 m; 300–1099 m; 1100–1860 m) that correlate with similar zones previously established for the continental slope epibenthos. Faunal diversity is highest on gravelly sea floors at shallow and middle depths. The benthic fauna and the fishes derive both food and shelter by burrowing into the sea floor. In contrast to the nearby outer shelf and upper slope, Oceanographer Canyon has not been extensively exploited by the fishing industry, and the canyon ecosystem probably is relatively unaltered.     

Deep slope currents and suspended particle fluxes in and around the Foix submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean)

Deep slope currents and particulate matter concentrations were studied on the Barcelona continental margin in and around the Foix submarine canyon from May 1993 to April 1994. This year-long moored experiment revealed that near-bottom slope currents are strongly influenced by the bottom topography, being oriented along isobaths and along the canyon axis. The deep slope current fluctuations are controlled by the local inertial motion (18.3 h) and also by low-frequency oscillations at periods of 6–10 days, related to the passage of atmospheric pressure cells. Particulate matter concentrations recorded during the experiment do not show a clear seasonal variability, except outside the canyon, where significant peaks of particulate matter concentrations were recorded only during the winter-fall deployment. In addition, the temporal evolution of suspended particulate matter concentration is not linked to changes in the cross-slope or along-slope current components and did not show a clear relationship with river avenues or wave storm events. This suggests that suspended particulate matter exported from the shelf is dispersed on the slope by advective processes, which attenuate the signal of the shelf-slope sediment transfer. Mean particulate matter concentrations differed among sampling sites, but the magnitude of the mean horizontal suspended particle flux reflects a quite similar value in the whole study area, ranging from 2.53 to 4.05 mg m⁻² s⁻¹. These horizontal suspended particle fluxes are 27 (canyon head) to 360 (open slope) times higher than the settling particle fluxes measured at the same sampling sites, indicating that the suspended particulate transport on the Barcelona continental slope dominates over the settling particle fluxes, even inside the Foix submarine canyon.     

Expansion of the macroalga Caulerpa racemosa and changes in softbottom macrofaunal assemblages in Moni Bay,Cyprus

The recent expansion of the Red Sea macroalga Caulerpa racemosa and its impact on the diversity and abundance of macrobenthos were examined and compared in the summers of 1992 and 1997, in Moni Bay, Cyprus. The phytobenthic community of the bay in 1992 was dominated by the seagrass Posidonia oceanica while, in 1997, the Lessepsian migrant C. racemosa became the most dominant, forming extensive mats. Changes in the vegetation system in Moni Bay have caused significant compositional changes in macrofaunal assemblages. A total of 178 individuals of 62 species are recorded. The composition of the macrofauna in 1992 was dominated by gastropods (44 %), crustaceans (22%), bivalves (17 %), polychaetes (11 %) and echinoderms (6 %). In 1997, the gastropods and crustaceans had decreased to 13 % and 16 % respectively, while, polychaetes had increased to 38 % becoming the most dominant taxon. Bivalves and echinoderms also increased to 22 % and 11 %, respectively, in 1997. The proliferative growth of C. racemosa imposed successional changes on the macrofaunal assemblages in Moni Bay, Cyprus, between 1992 and 1997. It remains to be tested whether the expansion of C. racemosa is related to the increase of water temperature associated with global warming or nutrient inputs or with the differences in the life history characteristics of this migrant vs. native algal species.     

东南极普里兹湾陆架区大型底栖动物群落结构

To explore the spatial pattern of macrobenthic communities and their response to environmental factors in the Prydz Bay,samples were collected using a 0.25-m2 box corer at 10 stations from November 2012 to April 2013.A total of 50 species of macrobenthos belonging to 8 phyla and 33 families were identified,of which polychaetes(e.g.,Maldane sarsi)and sponges(e.g.,Halichondria sp.and Leucosolenia sp.)were the most prominent groups.The macrobenthos in study area were categorized into five functional groups based on the feeding type,and the detritivorous group represented by polychaetes showed the highest average abundance,while the planktophagous group represented by sponges showed the highest average biomass.Macrobenthos abundance(0–592 ind./m2)and biomass(0–1155.5 g/m2)in the Prydz Bay were relatively lower than those of other Antarctic shelf soft-bottom waters,although the compositions of the dominant species and functional feeding groups were similar.The results of the Spearman rank correlation analysis indicated that the average biomass of the macrobenthos and the biomass of the planktophagous group in the study area were negatively correlated with the water depth,sediment grain size and silt percentage.However,these variables were clearly not strong determinants of macrobenthos assemblage structure.Many factors not measured in the study,e.g.,sediment organic matter and iceberg interference,have probably influenced the spatial distribution of macrobenthic community structure in the Prydz Bay.