珠江口伶仃洋海域小型底栖生物丰度和生物量

分别于2006年7-8月(夏)、2007年4月(春)和10月(秋)对珠江口伶仃洋附近海域小型底栖生物丰度和生物量进行调查.3个航次共鉴定小型底栖生物类群15类,包括线虫、桡足类、多毛类、介形类、动吻动物、端足类、颚咽动物、涟虫、纽虫、腹足类、双壳类、星虫、螠虫、原足类和其他未鉴定种类;春、夏、秋3个航次小型底栖生物丰度分别为(272.1+281.9)、(165.1±147.1)和(246.4±369.3) ind·10 cm-2,线虫为主要优势类群,分别占小型底栖生物总丰度的86.8％、83.5％和93.4％.小型底栖生物丰度垂直分布不均匀,分布于沉积物0～2 cm、2～5 cm、5～10 cm的数量比例分别为54.1％、35.2％和10.8％,线虫分布于沉积物0～5 cm数量比例为87.4％;春、夏、秋3个航次小型底栖生物生物量分别为(374.6±346.9)、(274.1±352.2)和(270.8±396.0) μg·10 cm-2,多毛类平均生物量最高,分别占小型底栖生物总生物量的30.1％、46.7％和46.0％,其次为线虫(25.2％、20.1％和34.0％)和介形类(20.6％、15.3％和14.8％).伶仃洋小型底栖生物丰度平面分布呈现从北向南升高、东部高于西部的趋势.伶仃洋小型底栖生物丰度、生物量分布与水深呈显著正相关.     

东、黄海春秋季小型底栖生物丰度和生物量研究

《北斗号》调查船分别于 2 0 0 0年 10月和 2 0 0 1年 4月在 2 6°N至 36°N,12 0°E至 12 6°30′E东、黄海陆架浅水区调查中进行了小型底栖生物的取样。研究表明 ,两个航次 (秋季、春季 )小型底栖生物的平均丰度分别为 6 5 4 .2 5± 4 4 1.72 ind/10 cm2 和342 .0 0± 2 5 2 .0 0 ind/10 cm- 2 ,平均生物量分别为 80 7.0 6± 5 17.89μg dwt/10 cm2 和 2 85 .2 5± 173.72μg dwt/10 cm2 ;平均生产量分别为 72 6 3.5 8± 4 6 6 4 .18μg dwt/(10 cm2· a)和 2 5 6 7.2 8± 15 6 3.5 0 μg dwt/(10 m2· a)。两个航次小型生物的平面分布类似 ,即高密度和高生物量区分布在水深等深浅 5 0 m左右的站位上 ,特别是在长江口以南的浙江沿海。共鉴定出 14个小型生物类群 ,按丰度自由生活海洋线虫是最优势的类群 ,秋、春季两个航次的优势度分别为 87.2 %和 91.2 %。其他优势类群依次为底栖桡足类、多毛类和动吻类 ;按生物量优势依次为多毛类 38.1%～ 5 4 .0 % ,线虫 2 8.3%～ 38.1%和桡足类 9.0 %～ 9.4 %。垂直分布的研究表明 ,91%的小型生物分布在 0～ 5 cm的表层内 ,线虫和桡足类分布在 0～ 2 cm的比例分别为 6 3%和 86 %。相关分析表明 ,小型底栖生物的数量分布与粘土含量 (% )、粉砂粘土含量 (% )和中值粒     

长江口及其陆架春季小型底栖生物丰度和生物量

2007年4—5月对长江口及其陆架海域小型底栖生物进行了调查。结果表明:调查海域有18个类群小型底栖生物,平均丰度为(1117.19±820.36)个/10 cm2,平均生物量为(754.87±546.37)(μg.干重)/10 cm2,其中线虫是绝对优势类群,占小型底栖生物总丰度的95.42%,占总生物量的55.35%。其他优势类群分别是桡足类、多毛类和动吻类。垂直分布研究表明:小型底栖生物丰度随着深度的增加而减少,其数量的65%分布于0—2 cm层,其中线虫分布于0—2 cm层的数量约占64%;桡足类集中分布于0—2 cm层,占该类总量的88%以上;多毛类分布于0—2 cm层的数量约占61%。各区块小型底栖生物总丰度从高到低依次为东海陆架深水区长江口近岸杭州湾。与环境因子相关分析表明:盐度与小型底栖生物丰度,线虫丰度成显著的正相关,与多毛类,桡足类丰度以及小型底栖生物生物量呈极显著的正相关。近底溶解氧与小型底栖生物丰度,多毛类,线虫丰度以及小型底栖生物生物量呈显著的负相关,与桡足类丰度呈极显著的负相关。调查海域沉积物的中值粒径,粘土粉砂含量与小型底栖生物丰度,多毛类,线虫丰度以及小型底栖生物生物量的相关性不显著。位沉积物叶绿素a和脱镁叶绿素含量与小型底栖生物丰度,线虫丰度、多毛类丰度,桡足类丰度相关不显著;沉积物中异养细菌含量与多毛类丰度呈显著负相关。     

广西防城港东湾红树林湿地春季小型底栖动物丰度与生物量

于2019年春季在广西防城港东湾红树林湿地,设置4个断面共13个站位采集沉积物样品,对小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度和生物量进行研究。共鉴定出11个以上的小型底栖动物类群,分别为自由生活海洋线虫、桡足类、多毛类、寡毛类、介形类、等足类、双壳类、涟虫、海螨类、腹足类、枝角类和其他未鉴定类群;小型底栖动物总平均丰度为(10364±8012) ind·10 cm-2;线虫是绝对优势类群,占小型底栖动物总丰度的95.38%,平均丰度为(9886±7746) ind·10 cm~(-2),其次为桡足类,占比为2.14%,平均丰度为(221±358) ind·10cm~(-2);小型底栖动物的总平均生物量为(10502±7894)μg·10 cm~(-2),各断面的生物量趋势依次为:断面3断面2断面1断面4。     

夏秋季南黄海冷水团小型底栖动物类群组成与分布

为研究黄海冷水团对小型底栖动物的影响,分别于2013年6和11月,搭载"东方红2号"科学考察船对南黄海冷水团海域8个站位的小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度、生物量及其与环境因子的关系进行研究.结果表明:2个航次的小型底栖动物平均丰度分别为900.8和758.4 ind·10 cm-2,平均生物量分别为886.9和615.7μg·10 cm-2.方差分析表明,两个季节8个站位间小型底栖动物的丰度和生物量均无显著差异.两个航次共鉴定出17个小型底栖动物类群,其中自由生活海洋线虫为最优势的类群,在两个航次中分别占总丰度的88.5%和94.0%.其他数量上较重要的类群还有底栖桡足类、多毛类、动吻类和介形类等.两个航次中分别有92.5%和95.4%的小型底栖动物分布在0~5 cm的表层沉积物内,线虫和桡足类分布在0~2 cm的比例分别为59.1%和78.2%.对小型底栖动物丰度和生物量、线虫和桡足类丰度与其沉积环境因子的相关分析表明,小型底栖动物的丰度和生物量与底层水温度和粉砂-粘土含量呈负相关,主要类群线虫的丰度也显示出同样的结果,另一主要类群桡足类的丰度与底层水温度、粉砂-粘土含量呈负相关,与中值粒径呈正相关.小型底栖动物群落类群组成与环境因子的BIOENV相关分析表明,小型底栖动物群落受底层水温度、底层水盐度、沉积物含水量、沉积物叶绿素a和脱镁叶绿酸含量的综合影响.     

2005年夏季东太平洋中国多金属结核区小型底栖生物研究

“大洋一号”调查船于2005年7月在太平洋结核区中国合同区东、西小区调查中共进行了12个站位的小型底栖生物的取样.研究表明:调查区域小型底栖生物共有13个类群.东、西两小区小型底栖生物平均密度分别为(104.4±20.48)个/10 cm2,(40.26±25.84)个/10 cm2,线虫平均生物量分别为(5.25±0.99)(μg·干重)/10 cm2,(1.68±0.77)(μg·干重)/10 cm2,东小区小型底栖生物平均密度、线虫生物量明显高于西小区.线虫是绝对优势类群,分别占东、西小区小型底栖生物总密度的93.13％和91.36％,其它优势类群有桡足类,多毛类,介形类等.小型底栖生物密度随着沉积物深度的增加而减少,其数量的75％以上分布在0-2 cm层,东小区深层的小型底栖生物所占比例比西小区要大.与环境因子相关分析表明:调查区域的小型底栖生物密度,线虫密度,线虫生物量,桡足类密度,多毛类密度与经、纬度呈显著负相关,与脱镁叶绿素呈显著正相关,与沉积物微型生物生物量相关性不显著.小型底栖生物密度,线虫密度,线虫生物量,多毛类密度与叶绿素a呈显著正相关,桡足类与叶绿素a相关性不显著.脱镁叶绿素与沉积物微型生物生物量呈显著正相关.     

珠江口水域夏季小型底栖生物群落结构

于2010年8月在珠江口水域进行小型底栖生物取样分析,结果表明,该调查水域夏季小型底栖生物的平均丰度为(183±174)个/10 cm2,平均生物量为(345±334)μg干重/10 cm2,平均生产量为(3104±3008)μg干重/10 cm2。共鉴定出小型底栖生物16个类群,按丰度,自由生活海洋线虫和双壳类幼体为优势类群,其丰度分别占调查水域小型底栖生物总丰度的62.61%和22.62%。按生物量,优势类群由双壳类幼体(50.57%)、线虫(13.33%)和多毛类(12.47%)等组成。81.15%的小型底栖生物分布在0—5 cm的沉积物中。与环境因子相关分析表明:小型底栖生物丰度、线虫丰度与温度呈显著负相关,与盐度呈显著正相关。调查水域线虫与桡足类数量的比值(N/C)呈现出由河口上游向下游递增,且西岸明显高于东岸的趋势。     

污水排海对小型底栖生物丰度和生物量的影响

为了解污水排海对小型底栖生物丰度和生物量的影响,于2011年4、8、10、12月对青岛汇泉湾第一海水浴场中潮带一个排污口附近不同距离站位的小型底栖生物进行了春、夏、秋、冬4个季度的采样调查.结果表明： 研究区域小型底栖生物年平均丰度为(1859.9±705.1) ind·10 cm^-2,最高值出现在距离排污口20和40 m的站位S₂和S₃,分别为(2444.9±1220.5)和(2492.2±1839.9) ind·10 cm^-2,最低值出现在距离排污口0 m的站位S₁,为(327.9±183.2) ind·10 cm^-2.小型底栖生物的年平均生物量为(1513.4±372.7) μg·10 cm^-2.小型底栖生物在丰度和生物量上呈现明显的季节变化,最高值出现在春季,最低值出现在夏季.共鉴定出11个小型底栖生物类群,包括线虫、桡足类、多毛类、寡毛类、缓步动物、海螨、涡虫、介形类、等足类、甲壳类幼体及其他类.自由生活海洋线虫是最优势的类群,占总丰度的83.1%,其次为底栖桡足类,占12.8%.在垂直分布上,小型底栖生物在0~2 cm表层分布最多,向深层呈现递减趋势,冬季部分向下迁移.Pearson相关分析表明,小型底栖生物丰度和生物量与沉积物中值粒径和有机质含量呈极显著负相关.此外,旅游等人为扰动也是影响小型底栖生物数量及分布的因素.与历史资料中的同类研究结果进行了比较,并探讨了线虫与桡足类丰度的比值
在有机质污染监测中的适用性.     

长江口及邻近海域小型底栖生物丰度和生物量

“东方红2号”调查船于2003年6月在长江口外(28°N°至32°N,121°E至123°E)陆架浅海水域进行了小型底栖生物的取样。研究表明,小型底栖生物的平均丰度为(1971±583.9)ind10cm-2,平均生物量为(1393±516.1)μgdwt10cm-2,平均生产量为(12543±4644.7)μgdwt10cm-2a-1。共鉴定出21个小型生物类群,其中自由生活海洋线虫为最优势的类群,占小型生物总丰度的91%和总生物量的51%。其他数量上较重要的类群还有底栖桡足类、多毛类、动吻类和双壳类等。相关分析表明,小型底栖生物的数量分布与沉积物叶绿素和脱镁叶绿酸的含量呈高度显著相关。台风前后8号站线虫群落的比较研究表明,台风后线虫群落在丰度,生物量及种类组成上均发生了一定的变化,对台风的响应较为显著。典型站位自由生活海洋线虫种类组成的分析表明,长江入海口向外线虫优势度降低,多样性增加。     

北部湾海域小型底栖动物丰度和生物量

根据2008年10月4日至8日北部湾海域生态环境综合调查资料,对北部湾海域小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度和生物量分布进行了分析研究,结果表明,研究海域的小型底栖动物平均丰度约为399.09±452.20 had·10cm^-2,平均生物量约为359.56±324.45μg·10cm^-2;按丰度来讲,分选出的14个类群中,自由生活海洋线虫的丰度为最优势,约占总丰度的92.69%,其次为底栖桡足类和多毛类,分别约占总丰度的3.28%和2.47%;线虫、多毛类和桡足类分别约占总生物量的41.16%、38.34%和6.76%。研究海域的钦州、防城港市沿岸海区小型底栖动物平均丰度相对较高,其平均丰度约为614.98±799.63 ind·10cm^-2;涠洲岛周边海区和北海南部近岸海区平均丰度分别约为481.68±240.03 ind·10cm^-2和278.14±126.38 ind·10cm^-2;对照海区的小型底栖动物平均丰度约仅有197.37±116.72 ind·10cm^-2。根据各站位小型底栖生物的种类组成及其丰度进行了多样性分析,各站位丰富度指数介于0.466～1.516之间,均匀度指数介于0.203～1.13之间,Shannon-Weiner指数(H')介于0.141～0.783之间。根据类群组成及其丰度进行组平均法聚类分析,把研究海区各站位分成了3个不同的底栖生物群落。研究海区线虫和桡足类丰度的比率变化范围在5.02～223.83之间。     

长江口及东海春季底栖硅藻、原生动物和小型底栖生物的生态特点

利用Ludox-QPS方法并结合沉积环境因子的综合分析,研究了2011年4月采自长江口及东海10个站位以底栖硅藻、纤毛虫和异养小鞭毛虫为代表的微型底栖生物及小型底栖生物的组成、丰度和生物量、分布及生态特点。结果表明,底栖硅藻的丰度 (5.92 ? 104 ind/10 cm2) 和生物量 (83.29 ?g C/10 cm2) 远高于纤毛虫 (丰度为1036 ind/10 cm2,生物量为3.33 ?g C/10 cm2)、异养小鞭毛虫 (丰度为4451 ind/10 cm2,生物量为2.51 ?g C/10 cm2) 和小型底栖生物 (丰度为1947 ? 849 ind/10 cm2,生物量为49.01? 22.05 ?g C/10 cm2)。在鉴定出的11个小型底栖生物类群中,线虫占小型底栖生物总丰度的90%和总生物量的37%。底栖硅藻生物量在长江口及东海海域呈由近岸向外海逐渐降低的分布特点,而底栖纤毛虫、异养小鞭毛虫及小型底栖生物的分布则正相反。在垂直分布上,76%的硅藻和80%的线虫分布在0–2 cm沉积物表层,仅1%的硅藻和6%的线虫分布在5–8 cm分层。统计分析表明,底栖硅藻的现存量与沉积物中叶绿素a含量呈极显著的正相关,与底层水温度呈弱的正相关;该海域底栖原生动物和小型底栖生物的分布受多个因子而非单一环境因子的共同作用。对比分析表明,长江口及东海单位体积沉积物中的硅藻丰度较水体中的硅藻丰度高2个数量级,沉积物中相当部分的叶绿素a含量可能系底栖硅藻所贡献;表层8 cm沉积物中纤毛虫的丰度约是上层30 m水柱中纤毛虫丰度的30倍,生物量约是后者的40倍。尽管纤毛虫在生物量上远小于小型底栖生物,但其估算的生产力约是后者的3倍;而异养小鞭毛虫由于个体更小,其周转率可能较纤毛虫更高。长江口及东海陆架区原生动物和小型底栖生物的高现存量及生产力预示着其在该海域生态系统中的重要作用。     

Intertidal zone of Svalbard

The meiobenthos was sampled at 119 localities along 1,500 km of Svalbard shores in the summers 1988–1993. The principal taxa were determined from 5-cm-long sediment cores collected during low tide on soft sediment shores. The density ranged from 0 to > 10,000 ind/10 cm². Nematoda was the most common and abundant taxon. Nematoda and Turbellaria, along with Oligochaeta and Harpacticoida, were typical and the most frequent set of taxa. The occurrence of meiofaunal taxa was weakly correlated with geographical area; the local habitat characteristics were decisive. The most abundant meiobenthos, with mean abundance >900 ind/10 cm² and the biomass about 0.34 g dry wt per 1 m2, was found on the western coast of South Spitsbergen.     

Polychaeta (Annelida) associated with Thalassia testudinum in the northeastern coastal waters of Venezuela

Seasonal variations of polychaetes in a Thalassia testudinum bed were studied from June 2000 to April 2001 in Chacopata, northeastern Venezuela. Eight replicate samples were taken monthly with a 15 cm diameter core and the sediment was passed through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve. A total of 1,013 specimens, belonging to 35 species, was collected. The monthly density ranged from 387 ind/m2 (September) to 1,735 ind/m2 in May (x = 989+/-449 ind/m2). Species richness was lowest in August and September (8) and highest (25) in April (x = 18.00+/-5.29). The shoot density of Thalassia showed an average of 284+/-77.60 shoots/m2, with extreme values in February (164) and May (422). Species diversity ranged from 1.25 in August and 3.33 bits/ind in December (x = 2.47+/-0.64). Significant positive correlations were detected among the number of Thalassia shoots, polychaete abundance and species richness, as well as among species richness, polychaete abundance and species diversity. Species number and average density were found within the intervals of mean values reported in similar studies. The higher number of species and organisms obtained in March-April and June-July can be attributed to the recruitment correlated with the regional up-welling.     

2008年浒苔大暴发末期黄海小型底栖动物现存量及空间分布

在2008年夏季浒苔暴发末期,对黄海33个站位(其中冷水团中22个,浒苔暴发区域9个)进行了小型底栖动物现存量、分布及沉积环境研究.结果表明:在浒苔灾害严重的南黄海区域,沉积物中的粉砂-粘土含量较往年(2007年)有明显增加;沉积物中叶绿素a和脱镁叶绿素a含量在大多区域较2007年变化不大,但在苏南至长江口近岸海域的含量有明显降低.所获的16个小型底栖动物类群的垂直分布及各类群对现存量的贡献较往年未见明显差异.小型底栖动物平均丰度为(1375±793)ind·10 cm-2,生物量为(1203±707)μg·10cm-2.黄海小型底栖动物总体现存量较2007年低约1/3,并在浒苔暴发区域下降尤为明显,而南黄海冷水团海域则略有上升,由此导致南黄海的小型底栖动物现存量分布呈现从中央冷水区向外围减小的反常现象;相较于此,在浒苔灾害影响较小的北黄海则呈从冷水区向外围增加的趋势.统计分析显示,浒苔暴发区域的小型底栖动物丰度与盐度呈正相关,与叶绿素a含量不相关.浒苔的暴发对近岸的小型底栖生物现存量产生了明显的抑制,但导致小型底栖动物现存量降低的主要因素并非缘于饵料匮乏,而更可能是浒苔暴发后的沉积与降解过程产生的影响所致.     

Monthly change of community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay after impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Xiangxi Bay,a typical bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR)in China,was formed in June 2003 after the impoundment of the TGR.We investigated the community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay from August 2003 to August 2004.Benthic abundance and biomass were calculated per unit area of sediment.A total of 26 taxa were identified.They included two families of Lamellibranchia (7.7% of the total taxa number),two families of Oligochaeta (50%),Chironomidae (38.5%),and one other animal (3.8%).The average density and biomass were 276 ind./m2 and 0.301 g/m2,respectively.Oligochaetes and chironomids constituted the major groups,and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri,Proclaclius sp.,Branchiura sowerbyi,Tubificidae spl.and Polypedilum scalaenum group sp.were the common taxa in this reservoir system.Among them,L.hoffmeisteri and Procladius sp.were the dominant species,and contributed 37.0% and 28.3% of the total density,respectively.The standing crop of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay was relative low,compared with other similar reservoirs.Our studies demonstrate that the standing crop increased gradually with time.The total density and biomass in August 2004 were 8.8 and 14.3 times those of the initial impoundment,separately.Oligochaetes did not become the sole dominant group,indicating that the sediment loading in Xiangxi Bay may be not serious.     

Distribution,abundance and ecology of the meiofauna in a tropical estuary along the west coast of India

The distribution and abundance of subtidal meiofauna in Mandovi estuary of Goa were studied from June 1983 to June 1984. Monthly faunal abundance ranged from 491 to 2791/10 cm² and dry weight biomass from 0.16 to 2.80 mg 10 cm². Free living nematodes were the dominant group contributing over 75% of the total density and 30 to 42% of the total biomass. Among nematodes the deposit feeders were more abundant in fine muddy substratum while epigrowth feeders dominated in sandy substratum.Harpacticoids were next, comprising 6.9 to 8.7% of the total meiofauna number, followed by turbellaria (3.8–4.5%), polychaeta (2.8–3.2%) and ostracods (1.6–4.5%) The contribution of other groups to faunal density was 4.5–6.2%. In the biomass the ostracods contributed most (29.8–54.7%), followed by nematodes (23.8–34.6%). Over 60% of the fauna occurred in the top 2 cm of the sediment and the faunal density reduced significantly with increasing depth in the sediment. The vertical distribution of meiofauna was positively correlated to the vertical distribution of Eh, chlorophyll a and interstitial water. Seasonality was greatly influenced by the south-west monsoon and the fauna quickly repopulated after the monsoon. Salinity, temperature and food influenced the faunal abundance.     

Meiofaunal emergence from intertidal sediment measured in the field: significant contribution to nocturnal planktonic biomass in shallow waters

Field studies on the occurrence of meiobenthos in the water column above intertidal sandflats have been performed near the Island of Sylt in the northern Wadden Sea. Swimming meiobenthos was strongly dominated by harpacticoid copepods. Many of them have a semiplanktonic life-style. They rest in superficial sediment layers at low tide and swin in the water column at high tide. Swimming activity correlated negatively with light. The abundance in the water column was one order of magnitude higher during the night. Strong currents caused by storm tides significantly decreased meiobenthic abundance in the water column. Light and flow being constant, no significant changes of meiobenthic abundance per unit area occurred over a tidal cycle. Since holoplankton and meroplankton abundances correlated positively with the height of the water column, semiplanktonic meiobenthos may dominate the mesozooplankton in shallow waters. On an average, emergence of meiobenthos increased the mesozooplanktonic biomass by about 2% during diurnal high tides over the entire tidal cycle, and by about 50% during nocturnal high tides. Because of seasonal cycles of the dominant harpacticoids, this high contribution to planktonic biomass may be a summer phenomenon.     

Benthic meiofaunal density and community composition in the deep White Sea and their temporal variations

In spite of the fact that shallow-water meiobenthos of the White Sea is a relatively well studied, the information on meiobenthic fauna from the deepest part of this sea is still very scanty. This study represents the first major study of the meiobenthos from the deep White Sea. The composition of the meiobenthic community, density and vertical distribution was studied during four sampling occasions in the deepest part of the Kandalaksha Depression (White Sea) in July 1998, October 1998, May 1999 and November 1999. Samples were collected from a depth of 270?m with the aid of a multicorer. The total density of meiobenthos in 1998 was twice than in 1999 (on average, 2,356 and 1,464 ind./10?cm², respectively). The most abundant meiobenthic group was Foraminifera (59?%), followed by Nematoda (26?%) and Harpacticoida (7?%). These relative and absolute abundance values are comparable with the same depth interval in Arctic and temperate regions. The density of foraminiferans and nematodes was higher in the autumn and lower in the summer. This may be explained by the mass propagation of these animals in the autumn season: the density of juvenile nematodes and small-sized foraminiferans increased significantly in the 1- to 4-cm-deep sediment layers in autumn. The size range of the meiobenthos in the deepest part of the White Sea was also comparable to deep-sea meiobenthos (the 63–125 and 125–250?μm size classes were most dominant).     

Distribution, population parameters, and diet of Astropecten marginatus (Asteroidea: Astropectinidae) in the Venezuelan Atlantic coast

Astropecten marginatus is a sea star widely distributed in Northern and Eastern South America, found on sandy and muddy bottoms, in shallow and deep waters. To describe some of its ecological characteristics, we calculated it spatial-temporal distribution, population parameters (based on size and weight) and diet in the Orinoco Delta ecoregion (Venezuela). The ecoregion was divided in three sections: Golfo de Paria, Boca de Serpiente and Plataforma Deltana. Samples for the rainy and dry seasons came from megabenthos surveys of the "Línea Base Ambiental Plataforma Deltana (LBAPD)" and "Corocoro Fase I (CFI)" projects. The collected sea stars were measured, weighted and dissected by the oral side to extract their stomach and identify the preys consumed. A total of 570 sea stars were collected in LBAPD project and 306 in CFI one. The highest densities were found during the dry season in almost all sections. In LBAPD project the highest density was in "Plataforma Deltana" section (0.007 +/- 0.022 ind/m2 in dry season and 0.014 +/- 0.06 ind/m2 in rainy season) and in the CFI project the densities in "Golfo de Paria" section were 0.705 +/- 0.829 ind/m2 in rainy season and 1.027 +/- 1.107 ind/m2 in dry season. The most frequent size range was 3.1-4.6cm. The highest biomass was found in "Golfo de Paria" section (7.581 +/- 0.018 mg/m2 in dry season and 0.005 +/- 6.542 x 10(-06) mg/m2 in rainy season for 2004-2005 and 3.979 +/- 4.024 mg/m2 in dry season; and 3.117 +/- 3.137 mg/m2 in rainy season for 2006). A linear relationship was found between the sea star size and its weight but no relationship was observed between its size and the depth where it was collected. Mollusks are dominant in the sea star diet (47.4% in abundance). The diet in any of the sections, seasons or between projects or size class was heterogeneous, using multivariate ordinations (MDS) and SIMPER analysis and there was no difference in the prey number or food elements that a sea star can eat. Although A. marginatus has been described as a predator, in this study were also inferred scavenger and detritivorous habits.