Summary
A comparative analysis of the relatively rich shelled gastropod and bivalve fauna of two transects from 200 to 2,000 m in the eastern Weddell Sea was done by trawls and multibox corer. Related to the unusual shelf topography, a characteristic pattern of abundance and species richness with depth and location is evidenced. Highest values of species richness are observed near the ice-shelf edge and from the rise of the shelf to some 800 m on the slope, and lowest values between 300 and 600 m on the inner slope. This anomalous pattern, not followed by the biomass, is interpreted as a consequence of both historical factors (problems of colonization of the shelf) and present food supply. Most of the species are eurybathic and eurytopic. Generally speaking, assemblages are patchy but tend to be arranged by depth zones.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andriashev AP (1977) Some additions to schemes of the vertical zonation of marine bottom fauna. In: Llano GA (ed) Adaptations within Antarctic ecosystems. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, pp 351–360
Arnaud PM (1974) Contribution à la bionomie marine benthique des régions antarctiques et subantarctiques. Téthys 6:465–656
Arnaud PM, Galeron J, Arntz W, Petersen GH (1990) Semiquantitative study of macrobenthic assemblages on the Weddell sea shelf and slope using trawl catch subsamples. In: Arntz W, Ernst W, Hempel I (ed) The expedition Antarktis VII/4 (Epos Leg 3) and VII/5 of RV “Polarstern” in 1989. Rep Polar Res 90:98–104
Barthel D, Tendal O, Panzer K (1990) Ecology and taxonomy of sponges in the eastern Weddell Sea shelf and slope communities. In: Arntz W, Ernst W, Hempel I (ed) The expedition Antarktis VII/4 (EPOS Leg 3) and VII/5 of RV “Polarstern” in 1989. Rep Polar Res 90:120–130
Gerdes D (1990) Antarctic trials of the multibox corer, a new device for benthos sampling. Polar Rec 26:35–38
Hain S (1989) Beiträge zur Biologie der beschalten Mollusken (Kl. Gastropoda & Bivalvia) des Weddellmeeres, Antarktis. PhD thesis, University of Bremen, 298 pp
Hain S (1990) Die beschalten benthischen Mollusken (Gastropoda und Bivalvia) des Weddellmeeres, Antarktis. Rep Polar Res 70:180 pp
Voss J (1988) Zoogeographie und Gemeinschaftsanalyse des Makrobenthos des Weddellmeeres (Antarktis). Rep Polar Res 45: 145 pp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arnaud, P.M., Hain, S. Quantitative distribution of the shelf and slope molluscan fauna (gastropoda, bivalvia) of the Eastern Weddell Sea (Antarctica). Polar Biol 12, 103–109 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239970
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239970