Effects of organic enrichment on meiofaunal abundance and community structure in sublittoral soft sediments
In: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Elsevier: New York. ISSN 0022-0981; e-ISSN 1879-1697, more
| |
Keywords |
Abundance Aquatic communities > Benthos Controlled conditions Eutrophication Organic matter Population dynamics Sediments Copepoda [WoRMS]
|
Abstract |
In experimental mesocosms established at Solbergstrand, Oslofjord, Norway, organic enrichment was effected by the addition of powdered Ascophyllum nodosum , in quantities equivalent to 50 g C multiplied by m-2 and 200 g C multiplied by m-2, to boxes of sublittoral soft sediment. After 56 days, the structure of the meiofaunal communities in these treatments was compared with that of the control boxes. At this time the meiofaunal communities at each level of organic enrichment were markedly different from each other and from that in the control sediment. The responses of the two major components of the meiofauna, however, were different. Although the abundance of nematodes was slighty reduced in the high dose treatment this was not accompanied by detectable changes in community structure. Harpacticoid copepods, on the other hand, increased significantly in abundance in the treatment boxes and showed a general trend towards increased dominance and decreased diversity with increasing levels of organic enrichment. |
|