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Macrobenthos composition, abundance and biomass in the Arctic Ocean along a transect between Svalbard and the Makarov Basin

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Abstract

Macrofauna has been sampled at 30 stations, at water depths of 1018–4478 m, along a transect extending between Northern Svalbard and the Makarov Basin, as a basis for understanding aspects of the benthic ecology of the Arctic Ocean. Species numbers, abundances and biomasses were extremely low, and generally varied between 0 to 11/0.02 m2, 0 to 850 individuals/m2, and 0 to 82.65 g/m2, respectively. A total of 42 species was found. The Amphipod Jassa marmorata was the most common species. Both numbers and biomasses of suspension-feeding species increased towards the Lomonosov Ridge, probably due to lateral transport of organic material by deep currents along the ridge.

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Kröncke, I. Macrobenthos composition, abundance and biomass in the Arctic Ocean along a transect between Svalbard and the Makarov Basin. Polar Biol 14, 519–529 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238221

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238221

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