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Biodiversity and structure of the suprabenthic assemblages from South Shetland Islands and Bransfield Strait, Southern Ocean

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Abstract

During the austral summer 1995, suprabenthic samplings were carried out at 24 stations (depth range 45–649 m) located around Livingston Island, within the caldera of Deception Island and in the Bransfield Strait. At each station, the near-bottom motile fauna was simultaneously collected with a multinet Macer-GIROQ sled in three water layers above the bottom. This study presents original data on the occurrence, diversity, vertical distribution and abundance of suprabenthic taxa in this near-bottom environment. The most speciose taxa were amphipods (at least 140 spp.), followed by isopods (66 spp.), pycnogonids (31 spp.) and mysids (19 spp.). Total abundances ranged between 31 ind./100 m2 (Bransfield Strait, 361 m depth) and 6817 ind./100 m2 (South Livingston Island, 163 m depth). According to stations, the groups numerically dominant and more frequent were amphipods (17 stations) or mysids (seven stations). Four suprabenthic assemblages were discriminated in the study area, apparently more structured by the degree of shelter-exposure and development of sessile epifauna than by water depth or sediment features.

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Acknowledgments

The BENTART cruises were carried out under the auspices of two Spanish Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CICYT) Antarctic Programmes (no. ANT 93-0996 and no. ANT 94-1161-E). The completion of the work in Spain was achieved under contract no. ANT 95-1011 of the Spanish CICYT. The crew and officers of R.V. “Hesperides”, Alfredo Igelmo and José Castro played a vital part in the materialization of this project. To all of them we express our gratitude.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. c/Nou, 8. 43839 Creixell, Tarragona, Spain

    C. San Vicente

  2. Dpto. Didáctica Ciencias Experimentales y Matemática, Universidad de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 171, 08310, Barcelona, Spain

    J. Castelló, A. Jimeno & M. C. Sanz

  3. Carrer Gran, 90, Argentona, 08310, Spain

    J. Corbera

  4. Dpto. de Biología Animal. Fac. Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    T. Munilla

  5. Laboratoire d’Océanographie Biologique, UMR 5805 (CNRS/UB1), 2 rue Jolyet, 33120, Arcachon, France

    J. C. Sorbe

  6. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640, Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain

    A. Ramos

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  1. C. San Vicente
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  2. J. Castelló
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  3. J. Corbera
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  4. A. Jimeno
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  5. T. Munilla
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  6. M. C. Sanz
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  7. J. C. Sorbe
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  8. A. Ramos
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Correspondence to A. Ramos.

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Vicente, C.S., Castelló, J., Corbera, J. et al. Biodiversity and structure of the suprabenthic assemblages from South Shetland Islands and Bransfield Strait, Southern Ocean. Polar Biol 30, 477–486 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0206-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0206-6

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