Meiofaunal community structure in Thermaikos Gulf: Response to intense trawling pressure

Among the most important impacts of trawling is the disturbance of the benthic environment as well as the mortality of the larger benthic organisms, which is caused by the passage of the fishing gear. Meiofauna, which are among the smallest benthic organisms, may be more resistant to disturbance by trawling since they are likely to be re-suspended rather than killed by trawls. Their short generation times allow populations to withstand elevated mortality. In this study, we determined the effect of trawling disturbance, season and sediment type on the structure of meiofaunal communities in a commercial fishing ground in Thermaikos Gulf, north Aegean Sea, Greece. The trawling season is limited to 8 months between October and May. A grid of five nearshore stations was chosen along a north–south productivity gradient and an additional offshore station was included as a reference point. Sediment chemistry and meiofaunal community structure were studied before the trawling season started, as well as 1 and 4 months after the initiation of the fishing period. Results showed that there were no short term (30 days) trawling impacts on meiofauna in terms of abundance and community structure but that there were recognizable effects on the community structure of nematodes and the abundance of polychaetes. In contrast, most meiofaunal taxa displayed significant seasonal variability, 4 months after the initiation of the fishing period; however, other closely related factors such as temperature, sediment particle size and primary productivity are more likely to be responsible for the observed patterns.     

Structure and taxonomic composition of free-living nematode and macrofaunal assemblages in a eutrophic subtropical harbour,Hong Kong

The spatial and seasonal taxonomic composition patterns of macrofauna and nematodes in a eutrophic subtropical harbour, previously suffered from sewage pollution, were studied in relation to a number of sediment parameters. In the polluted, inner-harbour area, levels of organic contents and heavy metals were high, whereas species number, abundance and diversity of nematodes and macrofauna were the lowest in comparison to the cleaner, outer-harbour area. Different taxonomic composition patterns of nematodes and macrofaunal assemblages were found between inner-harbour and outer-harbour area, which was highly correlated with sediment nutrient levels. Different responses of macrofaunal and nematode communities to sewage pollution suggested that macrofauna might be more tolerant than nematodes to eutrophic conditions due to their ability to modify the sediment. The present findings indicated the usefulness of studying both nematode and macrofaunal communities, in order to reveal different aspects of the benthic ecosystems in response to organic enrichment.     

南海小型底栖动物生态学的初步研究

2007年10—11月对南海海域(17—21°N,109—112°E)的小型底栖动物的生态特点进行了研究。结果表明,小型底栖动物的丰度平均为(901±913)ind/10cm2,自近岸向外海域呈递减趋势;平均生物量和生产量分别为(798±713)μgdwt/10cm2和(7185±6421)μgdwt/10cm2。研究海域小型动物的平均丰度与莱州湾和南黄海冬季的研究结果较接近,高于东、黄海,低于胶州湾和长江口。在分选的17个主要类群中,海洋线虫在丰度上占绝对优势(92.9%),多毛类(2.5%)和桡足类(1.5%)所占比例均较小。在生物量上,海洋线虫(41.9%)和多毛类(40.1%)为绝对优势类群,其次是介形类(3.6%)和桡足类(3.2%)。在垂直分布上,占总量约53%的小型底栖动物和52%的海洋线虫分布于0—2cm表层,该结果与长江口较为接近,而较渤海和黄海低。统计分析表明,本海域的小型底栖动物和线虫的数量与沉积物中有机质含量呈显著正相关,与水深呈显著负相关。由海洋线虫与桡足类的数量比(N/C)与本海域环境状况的分析表明,该数值在一定尺度上可为海洋环境监测提供参考。     

Changes in structural and functional diversity of nematode communities during a spring phytoplankton bloom in the southern North Sea

The response of nematode communities to the sedimentation of a spring phytoplankton bloom in a sandy, well-oxygenated sediment at a single station (station 330) in the Southern North Sea was investigated monthly from early March to July 1999. Both structural (nematode density, diversity, vertical distribution and community composition) and functional (feeding type distributions, number of species within feeding groups) characteristics showed considerable changes shortly after the arrival of fresh organic material at the sediment surface. The general increase in numerical densities and diversity was related to changes within the groups of selective deposit-feeding and epistrate-feeding nematodes. It is hypothesised that sedimentation and subsequent remineralisation of fresh organic matter during the spring phytoplankton bloom result in an increase of suitable food items (both living and dead). This, combined with the availability of oxygen, creates conditions in which many nematode species can co-exist.     

Microhabitat type determines the composition of nematode communities associated with sediment-clogged cold-water coral framework in the Porcupine Seabight (NE Atlantic)

The nematofauna associated with a cold-water coral degradation zone in the Porcupine Seabight (NE Atlantic) was investigated. This is the first comprehensive study of nematodes associated with cold-water corals. This research mainly aimed to investigate the influence of microhabitat type on nematode community structure. Three distinct microhabitats for nematodes were distinguished: dead coral fragments, glass sponge skeletons and the underlying sediment. The nematode assemblages associated with these three microhabitats were significantly different from each other. Coral and sponge substrata lie relatively unprotected on the seafloor and are consequently more subjected to strong currents than the underlying sediment. As a result, both large biogenic substrata were characterized by higher abundances of taxa that are less vulnerable and more adapted to physical disturbance, whereas the underlying sediment yielded more slender, sediment-dwelling taxa. Typically epifaunal taxa, such as Epsilonematidae and Draconematidae, were especially abundant on dead coral fragments, where they are thought to feed on the microbial biofilm which covers the coral surface. Several epifaunal genera showed significant preferences for this microhabitat, and Epsilonema (Epsilonematidae) was dominant here. Sponge skeletons are thought to act as efficient sediment traps, resulting in a lower abundance of epifaunal taxa compared to coral fragments. The underlying sediment was dominated by taxa typical for slope sediments. The considerable degree of overlap between the communities of each microhabitat is attributed to sediment infill between the coral branches and sponge spicules. It is assumed that the nematofauna associated with large biogenic substrata is composed of a typical sediment-dwelling background community, supplemented with taxa adapted to an epifaunal life strategy. The extent to which these taxa contribute to the community depends on the type of the substratum. Selective deposit feeders were dominant on sponge skeletons and in the underlying sediment, whereas coral fragments were dominated by epistratum feeders. The presence of a microbial biofilm on the coral fragments is proposed as an explanation for the significant preference of epistratum feeders for this microhabitat. Densities in the underlying sediment were low in comparison with other studies, but biodiversity was higher here than on the coral and sponge fragments, a difference which is attributed to lower disturbance. Nevertheless, the large biogenic substrata provide a microhabitat for rare, epifaunal taxa, and fragments of both substrata within the sediment increase habitat complexity and hence biodiversity.     

Life Strategies in Two Bacterivorous Marine Nematodes: Preliminary Results

Abstract. Temperature dependence of sex ratio and maximal densities of the estuarine, deposit-feeding nematodes Pellioditis marina (Rhabditidae ) and Diplolaimelloides meyli (Monhysreridae ) were investigated in vitro . Both species are characteristic for organically enriched habitats. Data from competition culture experiments with both species are integrated with information from respiration measurements at different temperatures, and from observations on the influence of temperature and bacterial density on uptake rates.
Sex ratio was significantly influenced by temperature in both species, with the highest relative numbers of males at the highest temperatures. Total numbers attained fluctuated only moderately in the 10 to 20 °C interval, but increased and decreased highly significantly at 25 °C for D. meyli and P. marina , respectively.
Respiration at temperatures from 5 °C to 30 °C was measured with nematodes from monospecific cultures using a modified Clark electrode procedure. Respiration was dependent upon temperature in the entire range for P. marina , but not for D. meyli , where only at 25 °C a clear respiratory acceleration was observed.
Feeding experiments with P. marina showed a dominant influence of bacterial density on uptake rates, with a lower but still significant temperature effect.
These data are discussed in relation to the overall life strategies of both species.     

Changes in nematode communities at the long-term sand extraction site of the Kwintebank (southern bight of the north sea)

We investigated the long-term effects of sand extraction activities on the nematode communities from the Kwintebank. Although changes in nematode community composition cannot be completely uncoupled from natural processes, we suggest that the morphological changes in the sandbank and physical disturbance associated with the dredging activities indeed affected nematode community composition. Nematode diversity did not change since the start of the extraction activities but nematode community composition changed significantly. The SIMPER routine identified predatory nematodes to be important for the within group similarity at the start of the exploitation, while similarity in 1997 and 2001 was determined by the contribution of deposit feeding nematodes. In addition, long nematodes, vulnerable to physical disturbance became less important. These changes are attributed to long term changes in sediment characteristics in combination with additional short-term disturbances by the creation and filling of dredge furrows which are related to the extraction activities.     

Impact of discards of beam trawl fishing on the nematode community from the Tagus estuary (Portugal)

The impact of dead discards, originating from beam trawl fishing on the nematode community from the Tagus estuary was investigated in terms of vertical distribution of the dominant nematode groups. Sediment cores were collected from a mud-flat from the Tagus estuary. Crangoncrangon (Linnaeus, 1758) carcasses were added to the surface of the cores, simulating the settling of dead discards on the sediment. The vertical distribution of the dominant nematode groups was determined up to 4 cm deep at four different moments in time post deposition (0, 2, 4 and 6 h) and compared to control cores. The C.crangon addition to the sediment led to the formation of black spots and therefore oxygen depleted areas at the sediment surface. The Chromadora/Ptycholaimellus group, normally dominant at the surface layer, migrated downwards due to their high sensibility to toxic conditions. Sabatieria presented the opposite trend and became the dominant group at the surface layer. Since Sabatieria is tolerant to oxygen stressed conditions and high sulphide concentrations, we suggest that it migrated opportunistically towards an unoccupied niche. Daptonema, Metachromadora and Terschellingia did not show any vertical migration, reflecting their tolerance to anoxic and high sulphidic conditions. Our study showed that an accumulation of dead discards at the sediment surface might therefore alter the nematode community vertical distribution. This effect is apparently closely related to toxic conditions in the sediment, induced by the deposition of C.crangon at the sediment surface. These alterations might be temporal and reflect an adaptation of the nematode community to dynamic intertidal environments.     

Nematode community dynamics over an annual production cycle in the central North Sea

Nematode species composition, trophic structure and body size distributions were followed over an annual production cycle in the central North Sea; to test responses to temporally changing food quality and quantity in the sediment. Changes in the phytoplankton concentration in the water column were quantitatively reflected in the concentration of chlorophyll a and breakdown products in the sediment, with higher concentrations in spring and autumn following blooms, and lower concentrations in summer and winter. The taxonomic and trophic structure of nematode communities differed significantly among stations over relatively short distances, potentially masking some of the temporal dynamics. Spatio-temporal differences in nematode species composition were linked to changes in the quality and quantity of organic material reaching the seabed, reflecting a species-specific response to the nutritional quality of sedimenting organic material and the biochemical changes in the sediment associated with its decomposition. The size distributions of selected nematode species indicated that most species bred continuously throughout the sampling period, although one species, the epigrowth feeder Spilophorella paradoxa, had periods of increased growth following the deposition of the spring phytoplankton bloom. There was no consistent temporal relationship between the trophic composition of nematode communities and spring chlorophyll a or carbon sedimentation, most likely a result of the trophic plasticity of most feeding types and the capacity of the community to use both freshly sedimented material as well as the subsequent breakdown products and refractory organic matter. Community metrics implied that there were small responses to the seasonal production cycle, but these belied strong responses of a few species with life histories that allowed them to track the availability of suitable food resources.     

Taxon‐related diversity patterns from the continental shelf to the slope: a case study on nematodes from the Western Indian Ocean

A study was carried out across the continental shelf and slope in the Western Indian Ocean along the Kenyan margin to unravel depth‐related species diversity patterns portrayed by different nematode families. Sediment samples were collected along four bathymetric transects at 20, 50, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 m. Three nematode families were selected for species analysis, based on their general occurrence with relatively high numbers and diversity from shelf to slope. All three families exhibited a distinctly different shelf and slope nematode species community. However, all three families also had a significant proportion of species that displayed a eurybathic distribution. Coincidentally, Microlaimidae, the least species‐rich family had the most eurybathic species (75%) compared to Comesomatidae (39%) and Chromadoridae (32%). Total number of species per depth zone along the sampled area (gamma diversity) was three to four times the average number of species (alpha) per station. The difference was more pronounced at the slope than at the shelf. The species turnover was also higher at the slope than at the shelf stations. Each of the three families had a different diversity pattern: Comesomatidae showed a peak at mid‐depth, Chromadoridae increased with depth, and Microlaimidae showed no prominent change with depth. When the three families were combined, the shelf maintained a lower diversity compared to the slope (both local and regional). There was no consistency between genus and species diversity patterns with depth, indicating that genus diversity data may not be a proxy for species diversity. At the lowest taxonomic level (species), the slope showed a higher diversity than the shelf, whereas at higher (genus) taxonomic level the diversity was comparable between the slope and the shelf. The number of species encountered increased with the number of samples analysed and did not reach asymptote, meaning that the area was still under‐sampled. This situation points to the possibility of an even higher regional diversity.