Horizontal and vertical distribution of meiofauna on sandy beaches of the North Sea (The Netherlands, Belgium, France)

Kotwicki, Lech; Troch, Marleen De; Urban-Malinga, Barbara; Gheskiere, Tom; Węsławski, Jan Marcin

doi:10.1007/s10152-005-0001-8

Cited by 60 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In this study, the highest meiofauna densities were observed in the 10 to 30 cm strata. This contrasts with previous reports, according to which the highest meiofauna densities were generally observed in the top 10 cm of sediment (MCLACHLAN, 1978;OLAFSSON;ELMGREN, 1997;DE JESUS-NAVARRETE;HERRERA-GOMEZ, 2002;KAPUSTA et al, 2002;KOTWICKI et al, 2005). High densities at the sediment surface are generally related to the existence of an anoxic layer (chemical gradient) that forms immediately below the top centimeters of sediment in dissipative beaches (KOTWICKI et al, 2005), ultradissipative beaches (MARIA et al, 2012) and tidal flats (VIEIRA;FONSECA, 2013).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

“…This contrasts with previous reports, according to which the highest meiofauna densities were generally observed in the top 10 cm of sediment (MCLACHLAN, 1978;OLAFSSON;ELMGREN, 1997;DE JESUS-NAVARRETE;HERRERA-GOMEZ, 2002;KAPUSTA et al, 2002;KOTWICKI et al, 2005). High densities at the sediment surface are generally related to the existence of an anoxic layer (chemical gradient) that forms immediately below the top centimeters of sediment in dissipative beaches (KOTWICKI et al, 2005), ultradissipative beaches (MARIA et al, 2012) and tidal flats (VIEIRA;FONSECA, 2013). However, on reflective beaches, such as Estaleiro and Estaleirinho Beaches, the low densities in the 0-10 cm stratum resulted from the re-suspension of the top centimeters of sediment by the wave energy (MCLACHLAN, 1989;BROWN, 2006), which conditioned the meiofauna to live in intermediate strata.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

“…The consequence of this assumption is the non-stratified distribution of meiofauna and Nematoda in reflective beach sediments. However, this assumption is frequently disregarded in studies on the distributions of sandy beach organisms GHESKIERE et al, 2005;GHESKIERE et al, 2006;KOTWICKI et al, 2005). Other abiotic variables, such as grain size, salinity, redox potential, organic matter, temperature, water content, and depth of the water table (REISE; AX, 1979;STEYAERT et al, 1999), as well as biological interactions, may also determine the stratification patterns in reflective beaches.…”

Section: Mariana De Oliveira Martins* Tito Cesar Marques De Almeidamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vertical distribution of meiofauna on reflective sandy beaches

2015

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Extreme physical conditions usually limit the meiofauna occurrence and distribution in highly hydrodynamic environments such as reflective beaches. Despite sediment grains of the upper layers being constantly resuspended and deposited, the high energy of the swash zone besides depositing coarse sediments allows an ample vertical distribution of meiofaunal organisms. The effect of physical, chemical and sediment variables on the vertical distribution of meiofaunal organims and nematodes was analysed on two reflective exposed beaches. Sampling was conducted at three sampling points on each beach in the swash zone. The sediment collected was divided into four 10-cm strata (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, 30-40 cm). The statistical differences between strata due to factors previously established (i.e. meiofaunal composition, density of most abundant taxa) were tested using a hierarchical PERMANOVA applied under similarity and euclidian distances. An inverse relation among average grain size, content of organic matter and sediment sorting was evident. Coarser sediment characterized the upper layers, while at deeper layers the sediment was very poorly sorted and presented a higher content of organic matter. A similar pattern in the vertical distribution of meiofaunal and nematofaunal composition and density was detected. The lowest densities were associated with the first stratum (0-10 cm), highly affected by hydrodynamics. The vertical distribution of organisms was statistically different only when the interaction among factors was considered. This result suggests that zonation and vertical distribution of meiofaunal organisms are determined by the within-beach variability. Descriptors: Reflective beach, Vertical distribution, Spatial distribution, Meiofauna, Nematoda, Sediment. AbstrAct Mariana de Oliveira Martins*, Tito Cesar Marques de Almeida, Maikon Di DomenicoA ocorrência e distribuição da meiofauna em ambientes com alta energia hidrodinâmica, tais como praias refletivas, são normalmente limitadas por extremos físicos. Apesar de as camadas superficiais do sedimento serem afetadas, a alta energia na zona de espraiamento e a presença de areia grossa possibilitam que a meiofauna tenha ampla distribuição vertical. Para testar o padrão de distribuição vertical da meiofauna e de nemátodos em relação às variáveis físicas, químicas e sedimentológicas, duas praias refletivas expostas foram analisadas. As coletas ocorreram na zona de espraiamento em três pontos de cada uma dessas praias. O sedimento coletado foi dividido em quatro estratos de 10 cm (0-10, 10-20, 20-30 e 30-40 cm). A diferença entre os estratos foi analisada com o uso de PERMANOVA com modelo hierarquizado. A análise foi aplicada em matrizes de similaridade e de distância euclidiana, para estudo da composição da meiofauna e densidades específicas de táxons mais abundantes, respectivamente. O padrão granulométrico evidenciado caracterizou-se pela relação inversa entre o tamanho médio do grão e o teor de matéria orgânica aliado ao grau de selecionamento. Sedime...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 82%

Section: Mariana De Oliveira Martins* Tito Cesar Marques De Almeidamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vertical distribution of meiofauna on reflective sandy beaches

2015

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“…The lower compartment was inserted 10 cm deep into the sediment. This depth was chosen since vertical penetration of copepods happens in surficial layer (Danovaro and Fraschetti 2002;Kotwicki et al 2005;Giere 2009), rarely exceeding 5-10 cm depth and therefore contamination from the surrounding sediments is excluded. The bottom of the tube remained open.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Sampling Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

How do harpacticoid copepods colonize detrital seagrass leaves?

et al. 2015

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An experiment was carried out investigating the colonization ability and specific pattern of copepods towards a provisional benthic habitat. Since copepods are known to disperse passively and actively, the experiment aimed to investigate the pool of colonizers of macrophytodetritus and the species-specific active colonization pathways. The experiment was performed in a Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadow on defaunated macrophytodetritus accumulations (mainly dead seagrass leaves) for two time intervals (24 h and 96 h). Active colonization by copepods, independently of their adjacent potential source pool habitat (bare sandy sediments, P. oceanica canopy, water column and macrophytodetritus) occurred within 24 h. Natural densities (as in the control treatments) were only reached by active colonization through the water column. Both neither diversities nor species composition of natural macrophytodetritus were ever reached by one single migratory pathway, therefore only a combination of interstitial migration and water column migration can explain the species occurrence under natural condition. Moreover, every potential adjacent source pool habitat, contributed species to the newly colonized macrophytodetritus. However, the main colonizers were mostly species with good swimming capabilities. The diverse pool of species present in the newly colonized macrophytodetritus underlines the complex communities and dispersion capabilities of copepods. Hence, macrophytodetritus possesses the potential ability to be a colonizer source pool for every adjacent habitat and thus behaves as a copepod hub for the entire seagrass ecosystem

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“…However, studies on the ecological importance of these three components are still scarce (Koop and Griffiths 1982;Novitsky and Macsween 1989;Sundbaeck et al 1996;Albertelli et al 1999;Jedrzejczak 2002;Fabiano et al 2004;Kotwicki et al 2005;Moreno et al 2005a,b). Moreover, datasets deriving from sampling activities simultaneously targeted at the afore-mentioned benthic components are very rare, especially for the Mediterranean Sea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interrelationships of bacteria, meiofauna and macrofauna in a Mediterranean sedimentary beach (Maremma Park, NW Italy)

et al. 2006

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Collelungo beach (Maremma Park, NW Italy), was sampled quantitatively for macrofauna, meiofauna and bacteria in May 2003; several physicochemical variables and variables associated with food availability and sediment structure were also measured. Replicated samples were collected from three sites representing natural conditions, an erosion regime, and the influence of the Ombrone River, respectively, as well as from four stations each located in the surf and sublittoral zones. Both uni-and multivariate techniques were used to assess the benthic community structure and the associated environmental variables. Different diversity indices revealed no pattern; in contrast, multivariate techniques applied on the macrobenthic fauna and the polychaete taxocommunity distinguished between the sites located in natural and eroding conditions from the one located nearby the discharges of the Ombrone river. The community patterns deriving from meio-and macrofauna are clearly divergent. The overall benthic faunal community appears to be influenced by both groups of organisms. The patterns of the meio-and macrofaunal communities seem to be affected synergistically by a number of environmental variables, in accordance with the multicausal environmental severity hypothesis. Meiofaunal patterns are more often correlated with bacteria and the protein concentration than are macrofaunal patterns, indicating a potential utilization of bacteria as a food source by the meiofaunal organisms. Total bacterial numbers are associated with the macrofaunal pattern under the erosion regime, probably as a consequence of competition for food between macrofauna and meiofauna.

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Horizontal and vertical distribution of meiofauna on sandy beaches of the North Sea (The Netherlands, Belgium, France)

Cited by 60 publications

References 43 publications

Vertical distribution of meiofauna on reflective sandy beaches

Vertical distribution of meiofauna on reflective sandy beaches

How do harpacticoid copepods colonize detrital seagrass leaves?

Interrelationships of bacteria, meiofauna and macrofauna in a Mediterranean sedimentary beach (Maremma Park, NW Italy)

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