Diversity of larger free-living nematodes from macrobenthos (>250 µm) in the Arctic deep-sea Canada Basin
Sharma, J.; Bluhm, B.A. (2011). Diversity of larger free-living nematodes from macrobenthos (>250 µm) in the Arctic deep-sea Canada Basin. Mar. Biodiv. 41(3): 455-465. dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12526-010-0060-1 In: Marine Biodiversity. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 1867-1616; e-ISSN 1867-1624, more |  |
| Keywords | Abundance
Biodiversity
Deep sea
Macrobenthos
Nematoda [WoRMS]
PN, Arctic [Marine Regions]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top | - Sharma, J., more
- Bluhm, B.A.
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| Abstract | Nematodes were examined from 35 macrofauna samples (>250 µm, 0.03-0.06 m2 per box core sample) from the Arctic deep sea covering a depth range of 640-3,848 m and a geographic area from the Chukchi Cap in the west and to Amundsen Gulf in the east. The samples comprised a total of 25 families and 84 genera. Abundances ranged from 0-6800 ind m-2 with considerably higher abundances at the Chukchi Sea slope and in Amundsen Gulf than in the Canada Basin abyss and at Chukchi Borderland stations. Genus richness per station ranged from 0 to 32, with overall high evenness at all locations (>0.9). The Comesomatidae was the dominant family, followed by the Oncholaimidae and comprised 39% and 16% respectively of the total nematode fauna. The dominant genus was Sabatieria, followed by Viscosia. Overall, taxonomic composition differed from meiofaunal studies (=32 µm to 1 mm) by the common occurrence of the Oncholaimidae and Thoracostomopsidae, which consists of predatory and omnivorous genera and the deposit feeders, Leptosomatidae, Phanodermatidae. We attribute the difference to the large size of these nematodes related to the recovery from macrofauna samples. The dominant feeding group, non-selective deposit feeders was dominated by Sabatieria. The epigrowth feeders that are known to feed on diatoms were least represented. The dominance of large detritivores and deposit-feeding nematodes indicates they play an important role in carbon recycling in the benthic food web. |
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