Macrobenthos in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea

Abstract

Species diversity,quantity,distribution and community of macrobenthos are analyzed in thispaper.The materials were collected from 16 stations in the Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea in Summer 1999.For quantitative analysis.samples were collected by a 30 cnl×30 cm box sampler.There were in all 92families and 164 species,of which Polychaeta comprised 62 species,Mollusca 42,Crustacea 37,Echi.nodermata 14 and other groups 9 species.Polychaeta.Mollusca and Crustacea occupy 88.41%of allspecies.Cossurella sp.,Tharyx sp.,Maldane sarai,Nephtys caeca,Phascolion sp.,Ennucula tenuis,Nuculana pernula pernuloides,Clinocardium(Ciliatocardium)ciliatum,Asthenothaerus sp.,Eudorellapacifica,Lepidepecreum sp.,Harpiniopsis sp.,Bybljaponicus,and Ophiura sarsii were dominant spe.cies and key species.The average biomass was 1 1 1.83 g/m 2.and individual density was 2538 inds./m 2in Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea.Five macrobenthic commumities from Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea are re.corded in this paper.They are Community I.Scalibregma inflatum-Polycheira rufescens-Stegophiura nodosa,H.Cossurella sp.-Ennucula tenuis-Lepidepecreum sp.,11I.Maldane sarai—Hippomedon gorbunovi.Ophiura sarsii,1V.Nephtys sp.-Ennucula tenuis-Byblis japonicus-Golfingica sp.,and the Community ofthe Bering Sea,Lumbrineris fragilis-Asthenothaerus sp.-Eudorella pacifica.Phascolion sp.Commumity ofthe Bering Sea and Communities I and II in Chukchi Sea are relatively stable。but disturbance charac.terizes Communities 111 and IV in the Chukchi Sea.