Some Data on the Composition and Distribution of the Meiofauna in Vostok Bay (Sea of Japan)

The effect of some environmental factors on the composition and spatial distribution of the meiobenthos were studied in Vostok Bay. The spatial density of the meiobenthos significantly positively correlated with ground type and was maximum in fine- grained sands. The eumeiobenthos was dominated by harpacticoids in coarse-grained ground and by nematodes in ground with a high silt content. The pseudomeiobenthos was dominated by polychaetes and bivalve mollusks in all ground types. The depth distribution of the meiobenthos was highly heterogenous, harpacticoids being the only group whose distribution correlated significantly with depth.