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‘Live’ (stained) deep-sea benthic foraminiferans in the western Weddell Sea: trends in abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition along a depth transect. (In special issue on ANDEEP (Antarctic benthic DEEP-sea) biodiversity: colonization history and recent community patterns: a tribute to Howard L. Sanders, edited by A. Brandt and B. Hilbig)

‘Live’ (stained) deep-sea benthic foraminiferans in the western Weddell Sea: trends in abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition along a depth transect. (In special issue on ANDEEP (Antarctic benthic DEEP-sea) biodiversity: colonization history and recent community patterns: a tribute to Howard L. Sanders, edited by A. Brandt and B. Hilbig)
‘Live’ (stained) deep-sea benthic foraminiferans in the western Weddell Sea: trends in abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition along a depth transect. (In special issue on ANDEEP (Antarctic benthic DEEP-sea) biodiversity: colonization history and recent community patterns: a tribute to Howard L. Sanders, edited by A. Brandt and B. Hilbig)
‘Entire’ live foraminiferal assemblages (i.e. including soft-walled species) were analysed using replicate subcores (3.45 cm2 surface area, 0–1 cm layer; >63 ?m fraction) from multiple corer samples collected along a transect (1100–5000 m water depth) of the continental slope and rise and adjacent abyssal plain to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Foraminiferans usually accounted for 61–83% of all meiofaunal organisms. Mean densities were highest (576 individuals (indiv.)10 cm?2) at 2100 m water depth and declined to 240 indiv. 10 cm?2 at 5000 m, although there was considerable variability between replicates at some stations (e.g., 304, 333, 1090 indiv. 10 cm?2 at 2100 m). Foraminiferan and metazoan meiofaunal densities were broadly coherent across the depth range sampled. A total of 158 live foraminiferal species was recognized. Assemblages were most diverse on the lower slope, with species numbers peaking at 3100 m and the Fisher ? diversity index at 3100–4100 m. Monothalamous taxa increased in relative abundance from 8% at 1100 m to 33% at 4975 m, and there was a corresponding decrease in the proportion of calcareous taxa from 65% to 16%. On the continental slope (1100–3100 m), the most abundant hard-walled species were Epistominella exigua, Adercotryma glomeratum, Alabaminella weddellensis and Stetsonia hovarthi. In the deeper samples (4100–5000 m), A. glomeratum became the dominant hard-walled species. Important soft-walled species included Tinogullmia riemanni and Bathyallogromia weddellensis. In some samples from 1100 and 2100 m, more than a third of the live assemblage was hidden within phytodetrital aggregates; species such as E. exigua, A. weddellensis and T. riemanni were concentrated within these microhabitats. Many of the Weddell Sea species are typical bathyal and abyssal forms well known from the North Atlantic and elsewhere. The phytodetrital assemblages are strikingly similar to those reported from abyssal sites in the North Atlantic. Our observations suggest that there are close faunal links between the deep-water faunas of the Weddell Sea and those of other oceanic regions, perhaps mediated by thermohaline circulation.
0967-0645
1571-1602
Cornelius, Nils
71c6c3f0-d51a-4225-b9c2-d70106683765
Gooday, Andrew J.
d9331d67-d518-4cfb-baed-9df3333b05b9
Cornelius, Nils
71c6c3f0-d51a-4225-b9c2-d70106683765
Gooday, Andrew J.
d9331d67-d518-4cfb-baed-9df3333b05b9

Cornelius, Nils and Gooday, Andrew J. (2004) ‘Live’ (stained) deep-sea benthic foraminiferans in the western Weddell Sea: trends in abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition along a depth transect. (In special issue on ANDEEP (Antarctic benthic DEEP-sea) biodiversity: colonization history and recent community patterns: a tribute to Howard L. Sanders, edited by A. Brandt and B. Hilbig). Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 51 (14-16), 1571-1602. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.06.024).

Record type: Article

Abstract

‘Entire’ live foraminiferal assemblages (i.e. including soft-walled species) were analysed using replicate subcores (3.45 cm2 surface area, 0–1 cm layer; >63 ?m fraction) from multiple corer samples collected along a transect (1100–5000 m water depth) of the continental slope and rise and adjacent abyssal plain to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula. Foraminiferans usually accounted for 61–83% of all meiofaunal organisms. Mean densities were highest (576 individuals (indiv.)10 cm?2) at 2100 m water depth and declined to 240 indiv. 10 cm?2 at 5000 m, although there was considerable variability between replicates at some stations (e.g., 304, 333, 1090 indiv. 10 cm?2 at 2100 m). Foraminiferan and metazoan meiofaunal densities were broadly coherent across the depth range sampled. A total of 158 live foraminiferal species was recognized. Assemblages were most diverse on the lower slope, with species numbers peaking at 3100 m and the Fisher ? diversity index at 3100–4100 m. Monothalamous taxa increased in relative abundance from 8% at 1100 m to 33% at 4975 m, and there was a corresponding decrease in the proportion of calcareous taxa from 65% to 16%. On the continental slope (1100–3100 m), the most abundant hard-walled species were Epistominella exigua, Adercotryma glomeratum, Alabaminella weddellensis and Stetsonia hovarthi. In the deeper samples (4100–5000 m), A. glomeratum became the dominant hard-walled species. Important soft-walled species included Tinogullmia riemanni and Bathyallogromia weddellensis. In some samples from 1100 and 2100 m, more than a third of the live assemblage was hidden within phytodetrital aggregates; species such as E. exigua, A. weddellensis and T. riemanni were concentrated within these microhabitats. Many of the Weddell Sea species are typical bathyal and abyssal forms well known from the North Atlantic and elsewhere. The phytodetrital assemblages are strikingly similar to those reported from abyssal sites in the North Atlantic. Our observations suggest that there are close faunal links between the deep-water faunas of the Weddell Sea and those of other oceanic regions, perhaps mediated by thermohaline circulation.

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Published date: July 2004

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 14889
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/14889
ISSN: 0967-0645
PURE UUID: 65529147-314c-4a0e-8df1-dde8166941f4

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Date deposited: 17 Mar 2005
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:32

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Author: Nils Cornelius
Author: Andrew J. Gooday

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