Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica
The composition, spatial structure, diversity and abundance of Antarctic nematode and copepod meiobenthic communities was examined in shallow (5–25 m) marine coastal sediments at Casey Station, East Antarctica. The sampling design incorporated spatial scales ranging from 10 meters to kilometers and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00480/full |
| _version_ | 1818256032851296256 |
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| author | Jonathan S. Stark Mahadi Mohammad Andrew McMinn Jeroen Ingels |
| author_facet | Jonathan S. Stark Mahadi Mohammad Andrew McMinn Jeroen Ingels |
| author_sort | Jonathan S. Stark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The composition, spatial structure, diversity and abundance of Antarctic nematode and copepod meiobenthic communities was examined in shallow (5–25 m) marine coastal sediments at Casey Station, East Antarctica. The sampling design incorporated spatial scales ranging from 10 meters to kilometers and included testing for human impacts by comparing polluted (metal and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments adjacent to old waste disposal sites) and control areas. A total of 38 nematode genera and 20 copepod families were recorded with nematodes being dominant, comprising up to 95% of the total abundance. Variation was greatest at the largest scale (km’s) but each location had distinct assemblages. At smaller scales there were different patterns of variation for nematodes and copepods. There were significant differences between communities at control and impacted locations. Community patterns had strong correlations with concentrations of metals introduced by human activity in sediments as well as sediment grain size and total organic content. Given the strong association with environmental patterns, particularly those associated with human impacts, we provide further evidence that meiofauna are very useful indicators of anthropogenic environmental changes in Antarctica. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:21:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b5f8b4a03434fea97ec700e290c395c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:21:19Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b5f8b4a03434fea97ec700e290c395c2022-12-22T00:17:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452020-06-01710.3389/fmars.2020.00480515852Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East AntarcticaJonathan S. Stark0Mahadi Mohammad1Andrew McMinn2Jeroen Ingels3Antarctic Conservation and Management Program, Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, TAS, AustraliaInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaCoastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, Saint Teresa, FL, United StatesThe composition, spatial structure, diversity and abundance of Antarctic nematode and copepod meiobenthic communities was examined in shallow (5–25 m) marine coastal sediments at Casey Station, East Antarctica. The sampling design incorporated spatial scales ranging from 10 meters to kilometers and included testing for human impacts by comparing polluted (metal and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments adjacent to old waste disposal sites) and control areas. A total of 38 nematode genera and 20 copepod families were recorded with nematodes being dominant, comprising up to 95% of the total abundance. Variation was greatest at the largest scale (km’s) but each location had distinct assemblages. At smaller scales there were different patterns of variation for nematodes and copepods. There were significant differences between communities at control and impacted locations. Community patterns had strong correlations with concentrations of metals introduced by human activity in sediments as well as sediment grain size and total organic content. Given the strong association with environmental patterns, particularly those associated with human impacts, we provide further evidence that meiofauna are very useful indicators of anthropogenic environmental changes in Antarctica.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00480/fullmeiofaunabenthic communitymarine sedimentsmetalsAntarctichuman impacts |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan S. Stark Mahadi Mohammad Andrew McMinn Jeroen Ingels Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica Frontiers in Marine Science meiofauna benthic community marine sediments metals Antarctic human impacts |
| title | Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica |
| title_full | Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica |
| title_fullStr | Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica |
| title_short | Diversity, Abundance, Spatial Variation, and Human Impacts in Marine Meiobenthic Nematode and Copepod Communities at Casey Station, East Antarctica |
| title_sort | diversity abundance spatial variation and human impacts in marine meiobenthic nematode and copepod communities at casey station east antarctica |
| topic | meiofauna benthic community marine sediments metals Antarctic human impacts |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00480/full |
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