Physical reworking by near-bottom flow alters the metazoan meiofauna of Fieberling Guyot (northeast Pacific)

Although much of the deep sea is physically tranquil, some regions experience near-bottom flows that rework the surficial sediment. During periods of physical reworking, animals in the reworked layer risk being suspended, which can have both positive and negative effects. Reworking can also change the sediment in ecologically important ways, so the fauna of reworked sites should differ from that of quiescent locations. We combined data from two reworked, bathyal sites on the summit of Fieberling Guyot (32°27.631′N, 127°49.489′W; 32°27.581′N, 127°47.839′W) and compared the results with those of more tranquil sites. We tested for differences in the following parameters, which seemed likely to be sensitive to the direct or indirect effects of reworking: (1) the vertical distribution of the meiofauna in the sea bed, (2) the relative abundance of surface-living harpacticoids, (3) the proportion of the fauna consisting of interstitial harpacticoids, (4) the ratio of harpacticoids to nematodes. We found that the vertical distributions of harpacticoid copepods, ostracods, and kinorhynchs were deeper on Fieberling. In addition, the relative abundance of surface-living harpacticoids was less, the proportion of interstitial harpacticoids was greater, and the ratio of harpacticoids to nematodes was greater on Fieberling. These differences between Fieberling and the comparison sites suggest that physical reworking affects deep-sea meiofauna and indicate the nature of some of the effects.     

Meiofauna and chlorophyll associated with Beggiatoa mats of a natural submarine petroleum seep

Previous studies at the Isla Vista oil seep have suggested that meiofauna, particularly nematodes, might be an important factor in explaining macrofaunal enrichment by making bacterial biomass available to the benthic food web. To explore this possibility, we analyzed meiofaunal abundance and microalgal pigments inside and just outside of bacterial mats at this natural oil seep.The bacterial mats occur where crude oil and natural gas are actively seeping out of the sediment; cores from within the mats contained a great deal of crude oil (up to 50 %). Meiofaunal abundances were the same in and out of the bacterial mats (averaging 1·-9 × 10⁶ individuals m^-2). However, dramatic changes in community structure were noticed. Harpacticoids made up 19 % of the fauna outside the mats but only 1 % inside. Pigment concentrations were also the same in both sites with phaeophytin dominating chlorophyll (120 compared to 29.8 mg m^-2). The variance of both microalgal pigments and meiofauna was much greater inside than outside, suggesting that the bacterial mats are a more heterogeneous environment.Although the effect of crude oil toxicity is not clear, the high abundances of microbial and meiofaunal biomass support the hypothesis of benthic enrichment via microbes and meiofauna.     

Response of Meiofauna to Immediate Benthic Disturbance in the Central Indian Ocean Basin

Abstract

Twenty-four stations (12 each, during pre- and postdisturbance studies) 5300 to 5330 m deep between 10°01' and 10°03'S latitude and between 75°59' and 76°02'E longitude were sampled to study the effect of benthic disturbance on the distribution of meiofauna in the Central Indian Ocean. Bottom-sampling was conducted with a box corer. Total meiofauna density ranged from 35 to 45 organisms per 10 cm² of bottom area during the predisturbance period and 21 to 32 organisms per 10 cm² during the postdisturbance period in the test and reference sites. Differences between pre- and postdisturbance study results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Nematoda was the most abundant meta-zoan group, on an average representing >55% of the meiofaunal population. The abundance of nematodes and harpacticoid copepods as well as total meiofauna showed marked decreases during postdisturbance sampling. Vertical distribution of meiofauna in the sediment cores revealed that 75% to 90% of the metazoan population was confined to the top 2-cm layer of the sediment. Recolonization experiments suggest that harpacticoid copepods may take more time for recolonization than the nematodes and are more sensitive to the physical disturbance. These findings suggest that nematodes and harpacticoid copepods can be used as indicator organisms in recolonization experiments.     

Abundance and biomass of meiobenthos in the spawning ground of anchovy (Engraulis japanicus) in the southern Huanghai Sea

1 Introduction Meiofauna is an important group in benthic small food web energetically due to their small size, high abundance and fast turnover rates. The production of meiofauna is equal to or higher than that of macrofau- na in estuaries, shallow waters and deep sea (Gerlach, 1971; Platt and Warwick, 1980; Heip et al., 1985; Zhang et al., 2004). A role of meiofauna may be the recycling of nutrients. Marine nematodes may keep the bacterial colonies on sand grains in active phase of growth …     

辽河口邻近海域小型底栖生物的空间分布及季节变化

本文研究了辽河口邻近海域2013年8月、10月和2014年5月3个航次小型底栖生物的种类及其空间分布,分析了小型底栖生物丰度和生物量的季节变化。结果表明,3个航次（夏季、秋季和春季）小型底栖生物的平均丰度分别为（264±83） ind/（10 cm2）、（216±85） ind/（10 cm2）和（227±67） ind/（10 cm2）,平均生物量分别为（272±125）μg/（10 cm2）、（207±89）μg/（10 cm2）和（244±103）μg/（10 cm2）。与其他研究海域相比,辽河口小型底栖的丰度和生物量处于较低水平。共鉴定出了14个小型生物类群,按照丰度排序,线虫是最优势的类群,夏季、秋季和春季3个航次占总丰度的比例分别为94.0%、92.5%和90.8%;其他优势类群为多毛类、桡足类和双壳类。小型底栖生物量的优势类群则为多毛类（41.1%~44.0%）,高于线虫（33.8%~36.5%）,其次是双壳类（2.6%~6.7%）。水平分布的研究表明,调查海域近岸入海口小型底栖生物的丰度和生物量普遍低于近海海域,但是秋季时近岸分布与近海差距不大。垂直分布的研究表明,95.9%的小型底栖生物分布于0~5 cm的表层沉积物中。小型底栖生物的丰度和生物量在夏季时都达到高峰值。与环境因子的相关分析表明,小型底栖生物的数量分布与盐度和水深呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）,与叶绿素a呈显著正相关（P<0.05）。     

虾池小型底栖动物的数量研究

提出１９８７年５月至１０月在黄岛养虾池对虾生长周期内对小型底栖动物数量逐月调查。指出：小型底栖动物总平均密度为１０９２．４ｉｎｄｓ·１０ｃｍ－２，自由生活海洋线虫和底栖桡足类是主要类群，其总平均密度分别为４６６．９和４５７．９ｉｎｄｓ·１０ｃｍ－２。８９．７％的小型底栖动物分布在沉积物表层２ｃｍ内。结果指明小型底栖动物被对虾捕食，并提出了捕食模式。     

胶州湾大沽河口小型底栖动物分布的季节变动

Sediment samples were collected in the intertidal zone of the Dagu River Estuary, Jiaozhou Bay, China in April,July and October 2010 and February 2011 for examining seasonal dynamics of meiofaunal distribution and their relationship with environmental variables. A total of ten meiofaunal taxa were identified, including free-living marine nematodes, benthic copepods, polychaetes, oligochaetes, bivalves, ostracods, cnidarians, turbellarians,tardigrades and other animals. Free-living marine nematodes were the most dominant group in both abundance and biomass. The abundances of marine nematodes were higher in winter and spring than those in summer and autumn. Most of the meiofauna distributed in the 0–2 cm sediment layer. The abundance of meiofauna in hightidal zone was lower than those in low-tidal and mid-tidal zones. Results of correlation analysis showed that Chlorophyll a was the most important factor to influence the seasonal dynamics of the abundance, biomass of meiofauna and abundances of nematodes and copepods. CLUSTER analysis divided the meiofaunal assemblages into three groups and BIOENV results indicated that salinity, concentration of organic matter, sediment sorting coefficient and sediment median diameter were the main environmental factors influencing the meiofaunal assemblages.     

Meiofauna distributions at the oxygen minimum zone in Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary waters

1 IntroductionOxygen minimum zone (OMZ) is a midwaterregion in the open ocean where dissolved oxygen con-centrations fall below 0.5 ml/L (0.714 mg/dm3,Kamykowski and Zentara, 1990; Levin et al.,1991). It results from the biological oxygen demandand is wel…     

Distribution of Deep-Sea Benthos in the Proposed Mining Area of Central Indian Basin

During the first stage of the project work on the Indian Deep-Sea Environment Experiment (INDEX), the abundance and distribution of deep-sea benthos were surveyed in the Central Indian Basin for the collection of baseline data. The deep-sea community of the sediment was characterized by a moderately high standing crop and diverse fauna. The macrofaunal component was dominated by polychaetes (100% prevalence) and peracarid crustaceans, whereas the meiofauna was dominated by nematodes and harpacticoid copepods. The results of this study conform to the general distribution reported elsewhere. The macrofaunal abundance showed an inverse relation to the abundance of polymetallic nodules. However, the relation between meiofaunal vertical distribution and the vertical profile of the total organic matter and total labile matter was positive.     

Distribution of Deep-Sea Benthos in the Proposed Mining Area of Central Indian Basin

Abstract

During the first stage of the project work on the Indian Deep-Sea Environment Experiment (INDEX), the abundance and distribution of deep-sea benthos were surveyed in the Central Indian Basin for the collection of baseline data. The deep-sea community of the sediment was characterized by a moderately high standing crop and diverse fauna. The macrofaunal component was dominated by polychaetes (100% prevalence) and peracarid crustaceans, whereas the meiofauna was dominated by nematodes and harpacticoid cope-pods. The results of this study conform to the general distribution reported elsewhere. The macrofaunal abundance showed an inverse relation to the abundance of polymetallic nodules. However, the relation between meiofaunal vertical distribution and the vertical profile of the total organic matter and total labile matter was positive.     

On the ecology of meiofauna in an organically polluted estuarine mudflat

The structure, distribution and seasonal changes of the benthic meiofauna in an organically polluted, tidal, brackish-water mudflat in the Ems-Dollart estuary were analysed. Towards the outfall of polluted fresh water, macrofauna disappeared, numbers of meiofauna increased but the diversity of the meiofauna decreased. In the area surrounding the outfall the numbers and biomass of nematodes and oligochaetes increased rapidly in spring and remained high until autumn (c. 13 × 10⁶ individuals m⁻²; c. 2gCm⁻²). The benthic fauna comprised small numbers of species, dominated by a few fast-growing diatom-feeding nematodes (Eudiplogaster pararmatus and Dichromadora geophila) and oligochaetes (Amphichaeta sannio and Paranais litoralis). Eudiplogaster pararmatus exhibits brood care and it tolerates low salinities. Dichromadora geophila which is oviparous, behaved similarly regarding tolerances, life cycle and feeding but this species was less successful than Eudiplogaster in colonizing the mudflats near the outfall. The success of the two naidid oligochaete species results from their method of reproduction by means of binary fission.Most organisms fed on benthic diatoms. In spite of intensive mineralization in the mudflat, only one bacteria-feeding organism was found in abundance (the nematode Leptolaimus papilliger). The absence of macrofaunal organisms, e.g. Nereis diversicolor, is probably also responsible for the development of high densities of meiofauna in the upper sediment layers of the mudflats in the vicinity of the outfall.The heavy load of organic waste entering the Dollart reduced the diversity within the benthic ecosystem, but nevertheless a simple system remained, based on the recurrent reoxidation of the sediment surface.     

Harpacticoid copepod response to epiphyte load variations in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows

We conducted a field experiment to assess the response of phytal harpacticoids to nutrient‐driven increases of epiphyte load in Posidonia oceanica meadows. First, we evaluated differences in species richness, diversity and assemblage structure of phytal harpacticoids in P. oceanica meadows with differing epiphyte loads. Secondly, we conducted a field experiment where epiphyte load was increased through an in situ addition of nutrients to the water column and evaluated the responses of the harpacticoid assemblages. We predicted that there would be changes in the harpacticoid assemblages as a result of nutrient‐driven increases of epiphyte load, and that these changes would be of a larger magnitude in meadows of low epiphyte load. Our results show that the harpacticoid fauna (>500 μm) present in P. oceanica meadows in the Bay of Palma comprised taxa which are considered phytal and other less abundant ones previously described as sediment dwellers or commensal on other invertebrate species. Nutrient addition had an overall significant effect on epiphyte biomass and on harpacticoid abundance, diversity and assemblage structure, possibly as a response to the increased resources and habitat complexity provided by epiphytes. The abundance of dominant species at each location was favoured by nutrient addition and in some cases correlated with epiphytic biomass, although never strongly. This may indicate that structural complexity or diversity of the epiphytic cover might be more important than the actual epiphytic biomass for the harpacticoid species investigated. More species‐specific studies are necessary to ascertain this and clarify the relationships between harpacticoids and epiphytes in seagrass meadows. To our knowledge, this is the first account of harpacticoid species associated with P. oceanica leaves and the epiphytic community they harbour in the Mediterranean Sea.     

The effect of a natural water-movement related disturbance on the structure of meiofauna and macrofauna communities in the intertidal sand flat of Rocas Atoll (NE, Brazil)

Rocas, the only atoll in the South Atlantic, is located 266 km off the northeast Brazilian coast. Spatial patterns in community structure of meiofauna, particularly nematodes, and macrofauna were examined along a transect through the sediment path from windward to leeward of the Rocas Atoll sand flat. Differences in benthic community structure between four zones of the sand flat were found to be significant and related to the major local processes of carbonate-grain transport and sedimentation. Both meiobenthic and macrobenthic assemblages were significantly more diverse and abundant within the sediment inflow zone (the initial part of the detrital path of Rocas sand flat) than in the other zones, where a clear impoverishment of benthic invertebrates occurred. This first study of the benthos of an intertidal sand flat over a reef island in the Atlantic showed that the meiofauna is numerically dominated by the nematodes Metoncholainussp. 1 (Oncholaimidae) and Epsilonema sp. 1 (Epsilonematidade), whilst the macrofauna is largely dominated by oligochaetes and large Oncholaimidae nematodes. Analysis of the species composition, trophic structure and abundance of both the meiobenthos and the macrobenthos revealed an impoverished community subjected to an intense water-movement disturbance.     

大连石槽岩滩附植小型动物的初步研究

定量分析从大连石槽岩礁潮间带共采得１４种海藻和２５个附植小型动物样品。指出海洋线虫和底栖桡足类是永久性小型动物中占优势的类群，平均相对丰度分别占４１％和２８．３％。共鉴定出４６种海洋线虫。沉积食性的锐棘线虫（Ｔｈｅｒｉｓｔｕｓａｃｅｒ）的优势和普遍分布，指出本研究海域的隐蔽性，海藻上沉积了较多的有机碎屑和沉积物。将附植小型动物的数量与其他海域进行比较，并讨论了附植小型与附植大型动物的关系。     

夏、秋季南黄海小型底栖动物空间分布格局及其环境影响因素

为研究南黄海小型底栖动物的空间分布格局及其环境影响因素,于2020年8月（夏季）和11月（秋季）对南黄海进行了两个航次的野外观测和采样,对小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度、生物量、垂直分布、群落结构及其与环境因子的关系进行了研究。结果显示,共鉴定出小型底栖动物类群15个,其中自由生活海洋线虫为最优势类群,在两个航次中分别占小型底栖动物总丰度的75.6%和84.6%。其他较重要的类群还包括底栖桡足类、轮虫类和枝角类等。夏季和秋季小型底栖动物的平均丰度分别为（514.9±32.1）ind./(10 cm2) 和（350.8±30.7）ind./(10 cm2),平均生物量（干质量）分别为（651.7±98.0）μg/(10 cm2)和（589.2±37.1）μg/(10 cm2)。小型底栖动物在时空分布上存在差异。在季节分布上,小型底栖动物丰度和类群组成存在极显著差异。结合环境因子分析结果可知,沉积物中值粒径是引起差异的主要环境因子。在空间分布上,夏季小型底栖动物丰度和类群组成在不同水深间存在极显著差异,秋季小型底栖动物丰度和类群组成在不同水深间差异不显著。推测黄海冷水团是影响夏季小型底栖动物空间分布差异的主要因素。本研究中小型底栖动物的数量和类群多样性相较于国内其他对南黄海小型底栖动物的研究较低,其中沉积物叶绿素a含量及有机质含量是引起南黄海小型底栖动物丰度变化的重要因素。海洋线虫与桡足类的丰度比值（N/C比值）评估显示秋季该区域存在有机污染,这一结果与应用大型底栖动物对同一区域进行环境评价的结果不一致,对于应用N/C比值评价环境质量还需要进一步的研究。     

Spatio-temporal variability of micro- and meiobenthic communities in a White Sea intertidal sandflat

Meiobenthos (harpacticoids), microzoobenthos (ciliates) and microphytobenthos (epipelic diatoms and dinoflagellates) were collected during July 1999 using nested sampling at the scales of decimeters, meters and tens of meters. Similarity between samples decreased rapidly with distance for all groups, but unicellular organisms were distributed more heterogeneously at a large scale than meiobenthos. Microspatial (decimeter scale) variations contributed the main part of total variation of harpacticoid abundance, while the large-scale differences were less important. On the contrary, these differences yielded the main variability for ciliates and especially for microalgae. The relative role of temporal variability decreased steadily for the smaller-sized organisms. Stability of spatial structure at multiple scales was estimated by Mantel correlations, R_m, between the successive similarity matrices. For harpacticoids, the results showed intensive and chaotic turnover of microaggregations. For microbenthos, rather high R_m values were found in smaller scales: tens of meters—for ciliates, from meters on—for dinoflagellates, and already from decimeter scale and on—for diatoms. Thus, the general spatial pattern (that is the arrangement of micropatches) was more stable for microbenthos than for meiobenthos. Temporal variability of species structure, in contrast to the spatial one, was highest for the smallest organisms. Correlations between size groups, using both total abundance and species composition, differed for microspatial, meso-spatial or temporal distribution. At the microscale, there were slight but significant negative correlations between harpacticoids and microalgae. Meso-scale distribution of dinoflagellates and diatoms differed significantly due to their different preferences in sediment properties. Ciliates were strongly positively correlated with dinoflagellates. At the microscale, each group had an individual community pattern. At larger scales, species composition of diatoms, ciliates and harpacticoids varied in space in coordination, while dinoflagellates behaved independently. It is hypothesized that body size determines the spatio-temporal scale of the perception of environmental heterogeneity.     

南大西洋洋中脊调查区小型底栖生物丰度和生物量研究

“大洋一号”调查船于2011年5—6月在南大西洋中脊14°S附近进行了7个站位的小型底栖生物采样。共鉴定出小型底栖生物10个类群。小型底栖生物平均丰度为(60.63±54.77) ind/10 cm²,平均干重生物量为(9.42±8.92) μg/10 cm²。线虫是其中的优势类群,丰度为(47.42±47.99)ind/10 cm²,占总丰度的78.21%,另外,肉鞭动物和桡足类分别占总丰度的16.63%和3.91%。生物量前3位的类群依次为桡足类、线虫和肉鞭动物。小型底栖生物密度随沉积物深度增加而减少,约73.55%的生物丰度分布在0～2 cm层内。个体大小方面,有75.32%的小型底栖生物粒径处于32～125 μm范围内。     

Seasonal dynamics of meiofauna in a South African temporarily open/closed estuary (Mdloti Estuary,Indian Ocean)

One hundred and eighty-four of the 250 estuaries in South Africa are currently classified as temporarily open/closed and close off from the sea during the dry season, under low river inflow. The subtropical Mdloti Estuary, on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast, is one of these systems and hardly any information is available on its meiofauna. The abundance, biomass, composition, and grazing impact of meiofauna, as well as the key environmental factors that affect these variables, were investigated with emphasis on the contrast between open and closed phases of the estuary. Microphytobenthic chlorophyll a concentrations varied between 1.4 to 480 mg m⁻². Meiofauna were composed of nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, crustacean nauplii, mites, turbellarians, polychaetes, oligochaetes, ostracods and chironomids. Total abundance of meiofauna showed large variability both spatially and temporally and ranged from 0.4 to 88×10⁴ ind. m⁻². Nematodes, mites and harpacticoid copepods occurred more often than other groups in the sediment. Total meiofauna carbon biomass exhibited similar temporal as well as spatial patterns as abundance and varied from 0.5 to 440 mg C m⁻². A carbon-based grazing model, applied to the total meiofauna, provided estimates of potential daily ingestion rates ranging from 1.8 to 857 mg C m⁻². Nematodes, mites and harpacticoid copepods contributed the most to the total potential daily ingestion rate of meiofauna in the Mdloti Estuary. Potential ingestion rates, determined using allometric equations, showed that meiofauna consumed from 0.1 to 254% of the microphytobenthic standing stock. Overall, meiofauna were likely not food limited and grazing on microphytobenthos was low, averaging 11% for the whole survey. A principal component analysis, applied to the whole study area and sampling period, indicated that major variations in meiofaunal community are mainly controlled by temperature and the state of the estuary's mouth (i.e. open/closed). Typically, meiofauna abundance in the estuary peaked after periods of prolonged mouth closure and decreased dramatically after the breaching of the estuary at the mouth.     

渤海底栖桡足类群落结构的研究

渤海1998年9月航次的调查结果.小型底栖生物总平均丰度为(8688±5097)个/m2,底栖桡足类居第2位,平均丰度为(663±569)个/m2,占总数量的76%.根据77种底栖桡足类丰度所做的聚类和标序分析将渤海20个站位划分为4个组合.根据11种环境因子数据所做的聚类和主成分分析将研究海域划分为两个生境、4个亚区.对研究海域进行的分区与自然分区是基本一致的.支配研究海域底栖桡足类群落结构的主要环境因子是水深和沉积物粒度.     

Preliminary study on community structures of meiofauna in the middle and eastern Chukchi Sea

Sediment core samples were collected from 17 stations in the middle and eastern Chukchi Sea during the sixth Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-Arctic) in summer 2014.The samples were analyzed for composition,abundance,biomass,vertical distribution,size spectra,and ecological indexes of meiofauna.A total of 14 meiofauna taxa were detected,and the free-living marine nematodes comprised the most dominant taxon,accounting for 97.21% of the average abundance.The abundance and biomass of meiofauna were within ranges of(218.12±85.83)-(7 239.38±1 557.15) ind./(10 cm~2) and(130.28±52.17)-(3 309.56±1 751.80) μg/(10 cm~2),with average values of(2 391.90±1 966.19) ind./(10 cm~2) and(1 549.73±2 042.85) μg/(10 cm~2)(according to dry weight)respectively.Furthermore,91.26% of the individuals were distributed in the top layer of 0-5 cm of surface sediment,and 90.84% had sizes of 32-250 μm.Group diversity index of meiofauna in the survey area was low,and the variation of abundance was the main difference in meiofauna communities among all stations.Abundance and biomass of meiofauna were not significantly correlated with environmental factors except concentration of nutrient Si in bottom seawater.Abundance of meiofauna in shallow water of marginal seas in the Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean is likely at a same level and higher than that in most of China sea areas,suggesting that the shallow water of the summer Chukchi Sea is a continental shelf area with rich resources of meiofauna.The Chukchi Sea is important for studying the ecosystem of the Arctic Ocean and environmental responses.However,studies on meiofauna in the Chukchi Sea are still not enough,and in the future,natural and human disturbances may increase due to global warming,the Arctic channel opening,and other factors.Thus,more studies on meiofauna should be required,in order to know more about how the Arctic benthic community would alter.