Abstract
The invertebrate benthic macrofauna of the northern part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence was sampled with a van Veen grab along a series of transects from 37 to 285 m in May, 1981. The pattern of spatial distribution was determined by classification and ordinastion techniques and by diversity and evenness statistics. Classification and ordination resulted in eleven station groups which could be divided into three broad faunal zones related to temperature, depth and sediment composition. The proportions of suspension feeders increased with sand content and nonselective deposit feeders increased with mud content. Faunal diversity decreased with depth.
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Communicated by R. W. Doyle, Halifax
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Long, B., Lewis, J.B. Distribution and community structure of the benthic fauna of the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence described by numerical methods of classification and ordination. Mar. Biol. 95, 93–101 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00447490
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00447490