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Comparison of Community Structure of Soft‐Bottom Macrobenthos of the Newport Submarine Canyon, California and the Adjoining Shelf
Author(s) -
Maurer Don,
Robertson George,
Gerlinger Thomas
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19940790409
Subject(s) - macrobenthos , submarine canyon , canyon , benthic zone , oceanography , sediment , geology , benthos , population , continental shelf , seabed , geomorphology , demography , sociology
Community structure of soft‐bottom macrobenthos from Newport Submarine Canyon, California, was compared to that on the adjoining shelf. Four hypotheses involving sediment characteristics, community structure, benthic feeding types and seasonal population fluctuations were posed. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the canyon and adjoining shelf. Although there were differences in sediment geochemistry between the canyon and shelf, sediment type played the major role influencing differences in community structure and feeding. Operation of a shelf outfall has not demonstrably changed the canyon soft‐bottom macrobenthos for at least 16 years and probably closer to 27 years.