Quantitative investigations on macrobenthos communities of the southeastern Weddell Sea shelf based on multibox corer samples

The megazoobenthos of the Scotia Arc islands

“…The massive presence of ascidians, especially of large molgulids, which seem to constitute an important part of the benthos on both sides of the Drake Passage and have also been reported from the Weddell Sea Gerdes et al, 1992), appears to be linked to unstable conditions as well. As they seem to grow faster than other invertebrates, particularly during some years (Kühne, 1997, cited by Arntz, 1997), they are probably more opportunistic, and could take over the ecological niche of other, much more demanding suspension feeders.…”

The Macrobenthic Ecology of the Straits of Magellan and the Beagle Channel

“…For example, although large decapod species such as Peltarion spinosulum or motile species such as Munida subrugrosa are known to occur in large numbers in the Magellan region (Gorny 1999, Gutt et al 1999) they were not found in the present study. A variety of grab cores using the same mechanical principles constitute the dominant benthic sampling method reported for this and comparable regions (Gerdes et al 1992, Brey & Gerdes 1999, Gerdes & Montiel 1999, Thatje & Mutschke 1999b, Piepenburg et al 2002 and are therefore the most appropriate method to facilitate contribution to, and comparison with, the existing literature.…”

Benthic community productivity in the Magellan Region and in the Weddell Sea

“…In the Magellan region 31 stations (14 -349 m water depth) were sampled in 1994 with the multi box corer (Gerdes, 1990, Gerdes et al, 1992. In the Weddell Sea 39 stations were sampled along the eastern shelf (132 -548 m water depth) between 1987 and 1991 using the same corer.…”