Document of bibliographic reference 106981

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Spatial variability of meiofaunal communities at areas of contrasting depth and productivity in the Aegean Sea (NE Mediterranean)

Abstract

The abundance and community structure of metazoan meiofauna were studied in deep-sea sediments from the north and south Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean) in summer 1997 and spring 1998. The two areas varied in their surface primary productivity with the northern area being more productive. Meiofaunal densities displayed strong spatial variability while no temporal changes were observed. Total metazoan density ranged from 128 to 1251 ind./10 cm2, with significantly higher values in the north. Meiofaunal biomass ranged from 27 to 391 lgC/10 cm2 with higher values also in the north. At all stations nematodes dominated the community, comprising on average more than 91% of the total abundance. On a broad scale, meiofaunal densities displayed a positive correlation with food availability (sediment-bound chloroplastic pigments, carbohydrates and lipids); carbon mineralization (an indicator of organic matter turnover) was significantly higher in the northern Aegean, providing evidence of high organic-matter input and intense benthic-pelagic coupling. The spatial structure of the nematode community indicated that the two areas were similar in terms of their dominant genera (Halalaimus, Acantholaimus, and Thalassomonhystera).

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000238240400002

Bibliographic citation

Lampadariou, N.; Tselepides, A. (2006). Spatial variability of meiofaunal communities at areas of contrasting depth and productivity in the Aegean Sea (NE Mediterranean). Prog. Oceanogr. 69: 19-36

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true