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How lonely they are? A degree of isolation among macrozoobenthos species in the Marine Protected Area, the Bay of Puck, the Southern Baltic

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies volume 42, pages 289–295 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Extensive sampling (450 grabs) was performed all over the inner part of Puck Bay (105 km2 area) in summers of 2007–2009. The GIS-based analysis of samples was performed to assess in detail the distribution of 32 benthic species. The minimum area of occurrence was less than 1 km2 for Lekanosphaera rugicauda and the maximum was 83 km2 for Cerastoderma glaucum. The material reveals that species with the pelagic larval stage were most widespread, with the least distance between individuals and the highest average density (e.g. Cerastoderma glaucum, Hydrobia ventrosa). The most isolated and the least dense species within the studied area were discretely mobile, non-larval crustaceans (e.g. Gammarus oceanicus and Lekanosphaera rugicauda), present at single sites with the largest distance from each other. We conclude that analysis of species distribution helps in understanding the threats to populations of marine invertebrates and marine spatial planning, through locating the isolated species and populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Science, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712, Sopot, Poland

    Jan Marcin Węsławski, Maria Włodarska-Kowalczuk & Lech Kotwicki

  2. GIS Center of the University of Gdańsk, ul. Bażyńskiego 4, 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland

    Lucyna Kryla-Straszewska & Jacek Urbański

  3. Sea Fisheries Institute, ul. Kołłątaja 1, 81-332, Gdynia, Poland

    Jan Warzocha

  4. International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP), 209-215 Blackfriars Road, SE1 8NL, London, UK

    Lucyna Kryla-Straszewska

Authors
  1. Jan Marcin Węsławski
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  2. Lucyna Kryla-Straszewska
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  3. Jan Warzocha
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  4. Jacek Urbański
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  5. Maria Włodarska-Kowalczuk
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  6. Lech Kotwicki
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Correspondence to Jan Marcin Węsławski.

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Węsławski, J.M., Kryla-Straszewska, L., Warzocha, J. et al. How lonely they are? A degree of isolation among macrozoobenthos species in the Marine Protected Area, the Bay of Puck, the Southern Baltic. Ocean and Hydro 42, 289–295 (2013). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-013-0085-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-013-0085-8

Key words

  • Baltic
  • habitat mapping
  • benthos
  • Marine Protected Areas