QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOFT BOTTOMS INFAUNAL ACROBENTHIC POLYCHAETES FROM SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS (ANTARCTICA)
San Martin, G.1, Parapar, J. 2, Garcia, F. J. 3 & Redondo, M. S.1
1 Departamento de Biologia, Unidad de Zoologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Canto Blanco, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
2 Departamento de Bioloxia Animal e Bioloxia Vexetal, Faculdade de Ciencias Bioloxicas, Universidade de A Corua, E-15071 A Corua, Spain.
3 Laboratorio de Biologia Marina, Departamento de Ecologia y Biologia Animal, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de Sevilla, Avenida Reina Mercedes 6, E-41080, Sevilla, Spain.
In January 1995, the Spanish Cruise "Bentart 95" collected samples of soft bottoms around Deception Island, Livingston Island and Bransfield Strait (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) aiming to the study the benthic communities. Samples were taken at 23 sampling stations using a Van Veen dredge with a surface of 0.1 m2, at a depth of 46 to 649 m. Three samples were taken at each station; each sample was sifted using a 1 mm sieve mesh. In this study, we analyzed the community of polychaetes. A total of 3700 specimens have been identified, belonging to 96 species and 30 families. Although there is high specific diversity, only 9 species were present at more than 10 stations; Lumbrineris kerguelensis cingulata is the species which appears with the highest frequency (19 stations). The maldanids Asichys amphiglypta and Maldane sarsi are the species having the highest density values. The organization of the community of polychaetes were studied using multivariate techniques and a classification based on the abundance of each species. The stations are grouped in three assemblages: G1, G2, and G3. G1 includes stations located near Livingston Island, at a depth of over 220 m; G2 includes stations located near the coastline of Livingston Island, at a depth of less than 220 m; and G3 includes stations located in Foster Bay (Deception Island). Two stations are separated from the remaining stations in the South of Livingston - one is deeper than other stations, and the other is located in the Bransfield Strait.