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Composition and distribution of meiofauna, including nematode genera, in two contrasting Arctic beaches

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Abstract

The meiofauna of two tidal beaches, one exposed and one more sheltered, on Bjornoya (Bear Island) was investigated in summer 2000. Both meiofaunal densities and composition seem to be controlled by physical properties of the sediment, which in turn are controlled by exposure. The moderately and poorly sorted sediments in the sheltered beach were more abundant in terms of meiofaunal densities than the well sorted sediments in the exposed beach (254–481 individuals in 10 cm2 vs 7–269 individuals in 10 cm2, respectively). In total, seven higher meiofaunal taxa were found. Turbellaria were the numerically dominant taxon in the exposed beach. In the sheltered beach, Turbellaria also dominated, followed by Nematoda and Harpacticoida. The vertical distribution of the meiofauna was in accordance with what has been reported from other intertidal beaches. Nematoda were studied in detail and their densities ranged over 0.7–7.7 individuals in 10 cm2 in the exposed beach and 2.7–186.0 individuals in 10 cm2 in the sheltered beach. Nematodes were identified to genus level and a total of eight nematode genera were found. Sediment community respiration, measured as oxygen consumption, ranged between 2.3 cm3 O2 m−2 h−1 in the exposed beach and 7.3 cm3 O2 m−2 h−1 in the sheltered beach (respectively, the equivalent of 24 mg and 75 mg of organic carbon metabolised per day). Values from the sheltered site are within the range of results registered in much warmer localities.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research (grant number 6 PO4E 047 19). B.U.-M. wishes to express deepest thanks to the crews of two Norwegian Coastguard ships: r/v Andeness and r/v Nordkapp for their hospitality and help with transport to and from Bjornoya. Hallvard Strom from the Norsk Polarinstitutt in Tromso and Wojtek Walkusz from Institute of Oceanology PAS are gratefully acknowledged for their help in transporting frozen biological material. T.L.A.G. was financed by the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT, Flemish Government). Tom Moens is gratefully acknowledged for his comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ecological Research PAS, Dziekanów Leśny, ul. Konopnickiej 1, 05-092, Łomianki, Poland

    Barbara Urban-Malinga, Lech Kotwicki & Krzysztof Opaliñski

  2. Marine Biology Section, University of Gent, Krijgslaan, 281-S8, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Tom L. A. Gheskiere

  3. Gdańsk University of Technology, ul Narutowicza 11/12, 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland

    Katarzyna Jankowska

  4. Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Ecology, University of Gdańsk, Legionów 9, 80-341, Gdańsk, Poland

    Michał Malinga

  5. Institute of Oceanology PAS, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland

    Barbara Urban-Malinga

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  1. Barbara Urban-Malinga
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  2. Lech Kotwicki
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  3. Tom L. A. Gheskiere
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  4. Katarzyna Jankowska
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  5. Krzysztof Opaliñski
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Correspondence to Barbara Urban-Malinga.

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Urban-Malinga, B., Kotwicki, L., Gheskiere, T.L.A. et al. Composition and distribution of meiofauna, including nematode genera, in two contrasting Arctic beaches. Polar Biol 27, 447–457 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-004-0618-0

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