Influence of the salinity gradient on the distribution of meiobenthos in the Chernaya River Estuary (White Sea)
Udalov, A.A.; Mokievskii, V.O.; Chertoprud, E.S. (2005). Influence of the salinity gradient on the distribution of meiobenthos in the Chernaya River Estuary (White Sea). Oceanology 45(5): 680-688 In: Oceanology. Maik Nauka/Springer: Moscow. ISSN 0001-4370; e-ISSN 1531-8508, more |  |
| Authors | | Top | Dataset | - Udalov, A.A.
- Mokievskii, V.O., more
- Chertoprud, E.S.
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| Abstract | The quantitative distribution of meiobenthos is studied at 16 stations in the estuary of the Chernaya River (Kandalaksha Bay, White Sea) in the salinity range from 0 to 20%o. The overall meiobenthos density varies from 167 to 2356 ind./10 cm(2). The taxonomic structure of the meiobenthos changes with the water desalination. In the seaward part, nematodes dominate (on the average, 85% of the total meiobenthos abundance). At salinity values lower than 10%o, the proportion of nematodes falls down to 50%, while the share of ostracodes increases up to 45% of the total abundance and 76% of the total biomass of meiobenthos. It is shown that the leading factor controlling the distribution of the nematode densities is the substrate type. On silty grounds, their density is greater than on sandy substrates; the negative influence of desalination is manifested only at salinity values lower than 3%o. There is a confident negative correlation between the density of ostracodes and the salinity; the former is independent of the other factors measured. The density of harpacticoids features a confident positive relation with the salinity and the content of the silty fraction. A comparison with the data from selected Euro can estuaries shows the general distribution pattern of the densities of the major meiobenthos groups. In p the salinity range from 30 to 3-7%o, there is no relation of the nematode and harpacticoid densities to the salinity; their distributions are governed by a series of other factors depending on the individual estuary. With a further fall in the salinity, the nematode and harpacticoid densities significantly decrease. The reasons for this kind of phenomenon are discussed. |
| Dataset | - Udalov, A.A.; Mokievskii, V.O.; Chertoprud, E.S. Moscow State University. 2000. Distribution of Harpacticoida in the Chernaya River estuary (White Sea)., more
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