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。     

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.     

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。     

深圳湾福田红树林湿地小型底栖动物群落结构及海洋线虫新纪录种

于2018年冬季在福田红树林湿地设置4个采样断面进行沉积物样品采集,对小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度及自由生活海洋线虫的优势属等进行分析。结果表明:共鉴定出4个以上的小型底栖动物类群,分别为海洋线虫、桡足类、多毛类、寡毛类和其他未鉴定类群,海洋线虫为最优势类群,占小型底栖动物丰度的97.28%;小型底栖动物平均丰度为(490.73±465.09) ind·10 cm-2;共鉴定出海洋线虫隶属于30属17科,其优势属(优势度≥5%) Paracanthonchus、Megadesmolaimus、Subsphaerolaimus、Terschellingia、Spinonema、Pseudochromadora和Pseudolella;发现新纪录种—大亚囊咽线虫Subsphaerolaimus major NguyenGagarin,2009,并对其进行了测量及描述,并比较了其与模式种的主要差异。     

福建海坛岛长江澳沙滩自由生活海洋线虫群落研究

于2013—2014年间在海坛岛长江澳沙滩采样,对小型底栖动物的类群组成、丰度及分布,自由生活海洋线虫(简称海洋线虫)群落的优势属、摄食类型、年龄结构及性比、物种多样性等方面进行研究。结果表明:小型底栖动物年平均丰度为(810.87±696.75)个/10 cm~2。在鉴定出的16个类群中,海洋线虫的丰度占小型底栖动物总丰度的52.36%,其次为腹毛虫,占21.14%。海洋线虫的年平均丰度为(424.54±400.23)个/10 cm~2,季节变化总趋势为夏季((783.45±336.45)个/10 cm~2)春季((600.67±309.42)个/10 cm~2)秋季((298.26±424.57)个/10 cm~2)冬季((113.05±95.79)个/10 cm~2)。4个季度共鉴定出海洋线虫105种或分类实体,隶属于75个属,26个科。4个季度数量百分比超过5%的优势海洋线虫属有10个,分别是Axonolaimus、Theristus、Metachromadora、Mesacanthion、Rhynchonema、Epacanthion、Microlaimus、Viscosia、Lauratonema和Enoploides,不同季度的优势属存在差异。CLUSTER聚类表明,春、夏、秋季各潮带海洋线虫群落较为相似,与冬季差异较大。海洋线虫4种摄食类型年平均丰度百分比由高到低的顺序是1B (32.19%) 2A (31.32%) 2B (31.12%) 1A (5.37%);春夏季以2A和1B为主导,秋冬季以2B和1B为主导。海洋线虫群落的物种多样性最高值出现在秋季(d=8.45,H′=3.36),最低在冬季(d=7.36,H′=2.92),春季与夏季的多样性相当;周年幼体的数量所占比例为45.47%,成体中雌雄个体比例为1.10∶1。     

象山港小型底栖动物群落结构及其与环境因子的相关性

为阐明象山港小型底栖动物群落的结构和组成,于2011年10月(秋)、2012年2月(冬)、5月(春)和8月(夏),对小型底栖动物进行12个站位的取样分析,结果表明:共鉴定出12个类群,包括线虫、介形类、双壳类、腹足类、寡毛类、多毛类、涡虫类、桡足类、端足类、涟虫类、水螅幼体和其他类。春、夏、秋、冬各季节的小型底栖动物平均丰度分别为(22.3±34.4)个/10 cm~2、(74.8±140.8)个/10 cm2、(31.4±64.5)个/10 cm~2和(97.4±206.5)个/10 cm~2,且以线虫和介形类为主要优势类群;相应季节的平均生物量分别为(73.0±144.4)μg/10 cm~2、(1261.7±2244.1)μg/10 cm~2、(440.7±1003.7)μg/10 cm~2和(1010.5±2365.6)μg/10cm~2,介形类为主要贡献类群。相似性分析(ANOSIM)显示,各季节间小型底栖动物群落结构差异显著(R=0.085,P=0.001)。据小型底栖动物全年平均丰度的MDS分析,在空间上将12个站位分成3组,其中,港底区组分别与其他2组群落结构差异显著,这些组间的主要差异类群是介形类、线虫、腹足类和多毛类。同时,对相应样品的14个沉积环境因子(水深、温度、盐度、水份、有机碳、叶绿素a、pH值、氧化还原电位、电导率、溶解固体,以及沉积物的砂、粉砂、粘土含量和中值粒径)进行了监测,结果发现,象山港沉积物以粘土和粉砂为主,中值粒径在港口区较高。沉积物中,有机碳季节间差异明显,春、夏有机碳含量高于秋、冬季节;而叶绿素a含量在春季和港底区较高。据生物-环境(BIOENV)分析,小型底栖动物与环境因子间相关系数仅为0.270,筛选的变量子集为砂含量、含水率、水深和中值粒径。进一步的spearman相关分析显示,小型底栖动物丰度与叶绿素a和砂含量呈显著正相关,与水深、盐度呈显著负相关;小型底栖动物生物量与砂含量呈显著正相关,分别与盐度、粉砂含量呈显著负相关。主要类群线虫丰度与叶绿素a呈显著正相关,而介形类丰度与砂含量呈显著正相关,分别与氧化还原电位、盐度呈显著负相关。寡毛类、桡足类与环境因子间均未检出显著相关性。     

青岛砂质潮间带小型底栖动物分布及季节动态

以青岛太平湾第二海水浴场(简称“二浴”)和石老人海水浴场(简称“石浴”)沙滩为研究对象,2008年1、4、7、10月采集小型底栖动物样品,开展砂质潮间带的小型底栖动物数量分布和类群组成的季节变化特征研究.结果表明:青岛两个砂质沙滩沉积环境具有显著的季节差异,可分为冬春组(1和4月)和夏秋组(7和10月).二浴小型底栖动物年平均丰度为(1167.3+768.3) ind·10 cm-2,线虫是主要类群,占总丰度的91％.不同潮带的类群组成和丰度分布不均匀,其丰度为高潮带＜中潮带＜低潮带.且类群组成与丰度具有明显的季节差异,其丰度冬春高、夏秋低,总趋势为春季＞冬季＞秋季＞夏季.二浴高、中潮带的小型底栖动物垂直分布也具有明显的季节变化,小型底栖动物随温度升高向深层移动,冬季集中在表层,夏季向深处迁移.石浴小型底栖动物的年平均丰度为(1130.2±1419.1) ind·10 cm-2,线虫占总丰度的85％,与二浴中潮带沉积环境相似,所支持的小型底栖动物类群组成及数量基本一致,属于相近沙滩.但石浴中潮带小型底栖动物垂直分布随温度的降低呈向下迁移的趋势.ANOVA和BIOENV分析表明,中值粒径和有机质含量是产生小型底栖动物潮带分布差异的主要原因,沉积物间隙水温度、中值粒径、有机质含量是产生丰度季节差异的主要原因,垂直迁移则受沉积物Chl a含量的影响.此外,沙滩人类活动是另一个影响小型底栖动物数量及分布的因素.     

东寨港红树林小型底栖动物丰度与Chla、有机质的相关性

于2015年4月(春季)、2015年6月(夏季)、2015年10月(秋季)、2016年1月(冬季),在海南东寨港红树林保护区潮间带进行多次采样,分选小型底栖动物,并测定沉积物中有机质和叶绿素a含量,分析不同季节东寨港红树林小型底栖动物丰度与有机质、Chla的相关性。研究结果,沉积物中小型底栖动物主要包括自由生活线虫、桡足类、涡虫、多毛类、寡毛类,线虫为优势类群;有机质含量为25.22%—93.41%,平均值为46.6%; Chla含量为0.188—6.303μg/g,平均值为1.731μg/g。相关性分析显示,春季小型底栖动物的丰度和Chla含量呈显著正相关(Pearson's r=0.684; P0.05),夏季小型底栖动物的丰度与有机质含量呈显著负相关(Pearson's r=-0.518; P0.05)。     

东寨港红树林小型底栖动物丰度与Chla、有机质的相关性

于2015年4月(春季)、2015年6月(夏季)、2015年10月(秋季)、2016年1月(冬季),在海南东寨港红树林保护区潮间带进行多次采样,分选小型底栖动物,并测定沉积物中有机质和叶绿素a含量,分析不同季节东寨港红树林小型底栖动物丰度与有机质、Chla的相关性。研究结果,沉积物中小型底栖动物主要包括自由生活线虫、桡足类、涡虫、多毛类、寡毛类,线虫为优势类群;有机质含量为25.22%—93.41%,平均值为46.6%;Chla含量为0.188—6.303μg/g,平均值为1.731μg/g。相关性分析显示,春季小型底栖动物的丰度和Chla含量呈显著正相关(Pearson′sr=0.684;P0.05),夏季小型底栖动物的丰度与有机质含量呈显著负相关(Pearson′sr=-0.518;P0.05)。     

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.     

Meiofauna and macrofauna communities in a mangrove from the Island of Santa Catarina, South Brazil

The composition and abundance of the meiofauna and macrofauna were studied in a survey carried out within 6 locations in a mangrove at the Island of Santa Catarina, South Brazil. Nine meiofaunal taxa were registered with densities ranging between 77 and 1589 inds.10 cm^?2. The nematodes, composed by 94 putative species (86 genera), largely dominated the meiofauna. The most abundant genera were Haliplectus (Haliplectidae), Anoplostoma (Anoplostomatidae) and Terschillingia (Linhomoidae). Contrary to the meiofauna, the macrofauna showed a low number of taxa (only 17 recorded) and abundance (up 7250 inds.m^?2). The macrofauna was mainly composed by deposit feeders, and numerically dominated by oligochaetes and capitellid polychaetes. For both components, differences in the composition and abundance along the sampling sites were significant but not primarily related to the typical variations along estuaries, such as salinity. The results of the stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that the detritus biomass (ash-free dry weight) was the most important predictor of faunal densities and diversity. The clear relationship between detritus and fauna, together with the contrasting community structure of the two component of the benthos suggest that the meiofauna showed a high efficiency in exploiting the micro-habitat created by the presence of the detritus. Yet the macrofauna, potentially the main consumer of the debris, is negatively affected by their low palatability and poor nutritive value.     

Composition,distribution and biomass of meiobenthos in the Oosterschelde estuary (SW Netherlands)

Meiofauna composition, abundance, biomass, distribution and diversity were investigated for 31 stations in summer. The sampling covered the whole Oosterschelde and comparisons between the subtidal — intertidal and between the western-central — eastern compartment were made.Meiofauna had a community density ranging between 200 and 17 500 ind 10 cm^–2, corresponding to a dry weight of 0.2 and 8.4 gm^–2. Abundance ranged between 130 and 17 200 ind 10 cm^–2 for nematodes and between 10 and 1600 ind 10 cm^–2 for copepods. Dry weight biomass of these taxa was between 0.5–7.0 gm^–2 and 0.008–0.3 gm^–2 for nematodes and copepods respectively.The meiofauna was strongly dominated by the nematodes (36–99%), who's abundance, biomass and diversity were significantly higher intertidally than subtidally and significantly higher in the eastern part than in the western part. High numbers were positively correlated with the percentage silt and negatively with the median grain size of the sand fraction. The abundance and diversity of the copepods were highest in the subtidal, but their biomass showed an inverse trend being highest on the tidal flats.The taxa diversity of the meiofauna community and species diversity of both the nematodes and the copepods were higher in subtidal stations than on tidal flats. In the subtidal, the meiofauna and copepod diversity decreased from west to east, whereas nematode diversity increased.The vertical profile clearly reflected the sediment characteristics and could be explained by local hydrodynamic conditions.Seasonal variation was pronounced for the different taxa with peak abundance in spring, summer or autumn and minimum abundance in winter.Changes in tidal amplitude and current velocity enhanced by the storm-surge barrier will alter the meiofauna community structure. As a result meiofauna will become more important in terms of density and biomass, mainly due to increasing numbers of nematodes, increasing bioturbation, nutrient mineralisation and sustaining bacterial growth. A general decrease in meiofauna diversity is predicted. The number of copepods is expected to decrease and interstitial species will be replaced by epibenthic species, the latter being more important in terms of biomass and as food for the epibenthic macrofauna and fishes.     

Meiofaunal prominence and benthic seasonality in a coastal marine ecosystem

Summary The muds of a shallow (7 m) site in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island contained higher abundances of meiofauna (averaging 17×10⁶ individuals per m² and ash free dry weight of 2.9 g/m² during a 3 year period) than have been found in any other sediment. The majority of sublittoral muds, worldwide, have been reported to contain about 10⁶ individuals per m². This difference is attributed primarily to differences in sampling techniques and laboratory processing.Extremely high meiofaunal abundances may have also occurred because Narragansett Bay sediments were a foodrich environment. While the quantity of organic deposition in the bay is not unusually high for coastal waters, this input, primarily composed of diatom detritus, may contain an unusually high proportion of labile organics. Furthermore, meiofauna could have thrived because of spatial segregation of meiofauna and macrofauna. While meiofauna were concentrated at the sediment-water interface, most macrofauna were subsurface deposit feeders. Macrofaunal competition with, and ingestion of meiofauna may thus have been minimized.The seasonal cycles of meiofauna and macrofauna were similar. Highest abundances and biomass were observed in May and June and lowest values in the late summer and fall. Springtime increases of meiofaunal abundance were observed in all depth horizons, to 10 cm. We hypothesize that phytoplankton detritus accumulated in the sediment during the winter and early spring, and that the benthos responded to this store of food when temperatures rose rapidly in the late spring. By late summer, the stored detritus was exhausted and the benthos declined.     

Integrated abundance and biomass of sympagic meiofauna in Arctic and Antarctic pack ice

The abundance and biomass of sympagic meiofauna were studied during three cruises to the Antarctic and one summer expedition to the central Arctic Ocean. Ice samples were collected by ice coring and algal pigment concentrations and meiofauna abundances were determined for entire cores. Median meiofauna abundances for the expeditions ranged from 4.4 to 139.5 × 10³ organisms m⁻² in Antarctic sea ice and accounted for 40.6 × 10³ organisms m⁻² in Arctic multi-year sea ice. While most taxa (ciliates, foraminifers, turbellarians, crustaceans) were common in both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice, nematodes and rotifers occurred only in the Arctic. Based on the calculated biomass, the potential meiofauna ingestion rates were determined by applying an allometric model. For both hemispheres, daily and yearly potential ingestion rates were below the production values of the ice algal communities, pointing towards non-limited feeding conditions for ice meiofauna year-round. Accepted: 29 March 1999     

Temporal spatial distribution of benthic meiofauna in four beaches of the northern Havana shore

The temporal-spatial distribution of benthic meiofauna was evaluated in four beaches at the north coast of Havana, Cuba, from March 2003 to February 2004. We studied two urban beaches (Santa Fe and La Concha) and two tourist beaches (Mar Azul and Canasi). Monthly meiofauna samplings were taken by scuba-diving using with a syringe (inner diameter 2.5 cm), and physico-chemical parameters (grain size, interstitial salinity and water column salinity were recorded with standard equipment). Statistical analysis (MDS and ANOSIM) were performed. Depth and biotope kind were the same in the four beaches. Highest densities were obtained in Santa Fe (7,133.48 ind/10 cm2) while the lowest mean densities were found in Canasí (892.12 ind/10 cm2). We recorded 13 taxa; the dominant organisms in Santa Fe and Mar Azul were free-living marine nematodes. Copepods were the dominant organisms in La Concha and Canasí.     

长江口互花米草生长区大型底栖动物的群落特征

2005年对长江口潮滩湿地互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)生长区不同季节大型底栖动物群落特征的研究表明:长江口互花米草生长区的大型底栖动物有21种,其中甲壳纲10种、多毛纲5种、腹足纲5种、辨鳃纲1种.主要种类有拟沼螺(Assiminea sp.)、背蚓虫(Notomastus latericeus)、尖锥拟蟹守螺(Cerithidea largillierli)、中国绿螂(Glauconome chinensis)、钩虾(Gammaridae sp.)等.食性功能群均以碎屑食者和植食者为主.大型底栖动物平均栖息密度为(650.5±719.2)个/m2,标准误主要是由于北湖的拟沼螺密度很大.栖息密度从大到小的顺序为沿河口梯度从内到外分布的北湖边滩、崇明东滩、金山卫边滩.大型底栖动物群落分布不均匀,沿河口梯度变化存在明显的空间差异.栖息密度和物种多样性在夏季最高,冬季最低.大型底栖动物平均生物量为(20.8±6.1)g/m2,季相变化为夏季＞秋季＞春季＞冬季.BIO-ENV分析表明沉积物粒径和盐沼高度是大型底栖动物群落特征的主要影响因素.不同研究结果的差异除了时空因素外可能与互花米草的种群动态有关.加强不同时间尺度的研究有助于正确评价互花米草对大型底栖动物的影响.     

高原鼠兔肠道微生物中丰富及稀有类群的季节性特征

气候及食物是驱动植食性小哺乳动物肠道菌群产生季节性变化的重要因素。然而,此类研究很少涉及肠道丰富及稀有微生物类群。本文以高原鼠兔（Ochotona curzoniae）为对象,通过16S rRNA基因测序和分析,探讨丰富及稀有肠道微生物类群的结构组成、多样性指数及功能在春、夏、秋、冬四季的变化特征。结果显示,丰富类群对菌群主要门和功能的季节性变异贡献大于稀有类群,稀有类群对菌群OTU和alpha多样性的变异贡献大于丰富类群。丰富类群和稀有类群的香农指数均在冬季显著高于其他季节;丰富类群的ACE指数在秋季显著低于其他季节,而稀有类群的ACE指数则在冬季显著高于春季和夏季。丰富类群中拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）的相对丰度在冬季和秋季显著高于春季和夏季,但在稀有类群中,夏季和秋季的相对丰度显著高于冬季和春季。丰富类群中氨基酸代谢通路的相对丰度在冬季显著高于春季和夏季,而在稀有类群中,其相对丰度在春季显著高于夏季和秋季。气温、降水量和植被中的营养物质与肠道菌群中丰富类群和稀有类群的变化均显著相关,环境变量对丰富类群和稀有类群变化的总解释率分别为18%（气温：3%;降水：4%;植被营养成分：10%;联合：1%）和9%（气温：1%;降水：2%;植被营养成分：5%;联合：1%）。以上结果表明肠道微生物中的丰富和稀有类群具有不同的分布模式和季节性特征,二者对整体菌群变异的贡献存在差异,环境因素更多地影响丰富类群,反映了肠道微生物不同类群对季节变化响应的非一致性。本研究增进了我们对哺乳动物肠道菌群季节性变化过程及环境适应性的认识。     

Sea ice meiofauna distribution on local to pan‐Arctic scales

Arctic sea ice provides microhabitats for biota that inhabit the liquid‐filled network of brine channels and the ice–water interface. We used meta‐analysis of 23 published and unpublished datasets comprising 721 ice cores to synthesize the variability in composition and abundance of sea ice meiofauna at spatial scales ranging from within a single ice core to pan‐Arctic and seasonal scales. Two‐thirds of meiofauna individuals occurred in the bottom 10 cm of the ice. Locally, replicate cores taken within meters of each other were broadly similar in meiofauna composition and abundance, while those a few km apart varied more; 75% of variation was explained by station. At the regional scale (Bering Sea first‐year ice), meiofauna abundance varied over two orders of magnitude. At the pan‐Arctic scale, the same phyla were found across the region, with taxa that have resting stages or tolerance to extreme conditions (e.g., nematodes and rotifers) dominating abundances. Meroplankton, however, was restricted to nearshore locations and landfast sea ice. Light availability, ice thickness, and distance from land were significant predictor variables for community composition on different scales. On a seasonal scale, abundances varied broadly for all taxa and in relation to the annual ice algal bloom cycle in both landfast and pack ice. Documentation of ice biota composition, abundance, and natural variability is critical for evaluating responses to decline in Arctic sea ice. Consistent methodology and protocols must be established for comparability of meiofauna monitoring across the Arctic. We recommend to (1) increase taxonomic resolution of sea ice meiofauna, (2) focus sampling on times of peak abundance when seasonal sampling is impossible, (3) include the bottom 30 cm of ice cores rather than only bottom 10 cm, (4) preserve specimens for molecular analysis to improve taxonomic resolution, and (5) formulate a trait‐based framework that relates to ecosystem functioning.     

The ecology of shallow water meiofauna in two New England estuaries

Summary The distribution and abundance of shallow subtidal meiofauna in four habitats in the Niantic and Pettaquamscutt estuaries in southeastern New England were studied from October 1964 through October 1965. Numbers of individuals ranged from 1,184 to 5,163/10 cm², and wet weights from 8.5 to 62.5 mg/10 cm². Nematodes were the dominant group, averaging 83% of the total numbers and 64% of the total biomass. Among the nematodes, epigrowth-feeding species were dominant at all four stations; in addition, deposit-feeding species were abundant at three stations where the amount of detritus was high relative to the fourth station. At these three stations ostracods and deposit-feeding polychaetes were also abundant.Nematodes showed marked seasonal changes i their species composition, with epigrowth-feeding species reaching maximum densities in spring and summer (coincident with observed increases in benthic microflora production), and deposit and omnivorous-feeding species in fall and winter (coincident with observed increases in organic detritus). Increases in the epigrowth feeders were responsible for significant increases in the total nematode populations in spring and summer.Ostracods were most abundant in late summer, fall and winter in association with the increases in detritus. Polychaetes, amphipods and lamellibranchs were most abundant in summer, the first-named in association with elevated water temperatures. Harpactacoid copepods were inconsistent in their seasonal distributions.Approximately 80% of the meiofauna occurred in the upper 3 cm of sediment. Copepods and ostracods were virtually limited to the upper 3 cm, while amphipods and lamellibranchs were limited to the upper 2 cm of sediment. Nematodes and polychaetes extended down to 5 cm (the lowest depth studied), although usually in significantly reduced numbers.Based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree, University of Rhode Island, 1966. This study was supported in part by U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Grant No. 14-17-0007-189 (G). Some of the recent laboratory studies supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. GB 7796.