Benthic community development and seasonal variations in an Alaskan fjord
Winiecki, C.I.; Burrell, D.C. (1985). Benthic community development and seasonal variations in an Alaskan fjord, in: Gibbs, P.E. (Ed.) Proceedings of the 19th European Marine Biology Symposium, Plymouth, Devon, UK, 16-21 September 1984. pp. 299-310 In: Gibbs, P.E. (Ed.) (1985). Proceedings of the Nineteenth European Marine Biology Symposium, Plymouth, Devon, UK, 16-21 September 1984. European Marine Biology Symposia, 19. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-30294-3. 541 pp., more In: European Marine Biology Symposia., more |
| Authors | | Top | - Winiecki, C.I.
- Burrell, D.C.
| | |
| Abstract | Ways of evaluating the community development in Boca de Quadra, a south-east Alaskan fjord, after a severe physical disturbance have been investigated using containers of defaunated natural sediment to simulate the benthic habitat at 15 m depth, near the fjord head. Development was found to be characterized by a progressive change in faunal composition from crustaceans to polychaetes, and increased numbers of taxa, density, and biomass. The diversity increased with increasing colonization periods for samples collected during the same season. The distribution of individuals among species did not show a trend with season or development. Patterns of abundance for Maldanidae, Nematoda, Lumbrineris luti, Leitoscoloplos pugettensis, Pholoe minuta, and Spionidae make these taxa promising indicators of the community maturity level. In order to assess the developmental characteristics of the community, it is concluded that it is very important to identify seasonal variations as these tend to mask the developmental trends. |
|
