Vertical distribution of zooplankton biomass in the Sea of Japan at Station VITYAZ7519

Vertical distribution of common zooplankton species is examined on the base of two series of layer-by-layer net catches down to depth of 3400 m. Differences between the series are significant for most species only near the surface, whereas in deeper layers character of distribution remains the same. Great depths in the Sea of Japan are populated most actively by species performing intensive daily migrations, and less actively by species continuously confined to a definite depth range. Different character of nutrition of the animals apparently determines extent of utilization of deep layers, which are usual for the species.

Diversity and zoogeography of Antarctic deep-sea Munnopsidae (Crustacea, Isopoda, Asellota) from three ANDEEP expeditions

The family Munnopsidae was the most abundant and diverse among 22 isopod families collected by the ANDEEP deep-sea expeditions in 2002 and 2005 in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. A total of 219 species from 31 genera and eight subfamilies were analysed. Only 20% species were known to science, and 11% of these were reported outside the ANDEEP area mainly from other parts of the SO or the South Atlantic deep sea. One hundred and five species (50%) were rare, occurring at only 1 or 2 stations. Seventy-two percent of all munnopsid specimens belong to the most numerous 25 species with a total abundance of more than 75 specimens; 5 of these species (40% of all specimens) belong to the main genera of the world munnopsid fauna, Eurycope, Disconectes, Betamorpha, and Ilyarachna. About half of all munnopsid specimens and 34% of all species belong to the subfamily Eurycopinae, which is followed in occurrence by the Lipomerinae (19%). Munnopsinae is the poorest represented subfamily (1.5%). The composition of the subfamilies for the munnopsid fauna of the ANDEEP area differs from that of northern faunas. Lipomerinae show a lower percentage (7%) in the North Atlantic and are absent in the Arctic and in the North Pacific. This subfamily is considered as young and having a centre of origin and diversification in the Southern Ocean. The analyses of the taxonomic diversity and the distribution of Antarctic munnopsids and the distribution of the world fauna of all genera of the family revealed that species richness and diversity of the genera are highest in the ANDEEP area. The investigated fauna is characterised also by high percentage of endemic species, the highest richness and diversity of the main munnopsid genera and subfamily Lipomerinae. This supports the hypothesis that the Atlantic sector of SO deep sea may be considered as the main contemporary centre of diversification of the Munnopsidae. It might serve as a diversity pump of species of the Munnopsidae to more northern Atlantic areas via the deep water originating in the Weddell Sea.

Macrofauna biodiversity from ECO2 water-formation experiment

The injection of gas into sub-seabed aquifers may lead to the displacement of hypoxic and hypersaline fluids (reservoir formation water) major environmental risk. To investigate this risk, the impact of formation water release on the macrofaunal community in a mesocosm experiment at Solbergstrand was conducted. 20 boxcores were exposed to 4 treatments (high salinity, hypoxic, mixed and tidal) during two weeks. The abundance of macrofauna was quantified for each treatment and richness, eveness and biodiversity indices calculated. The data are reported in this dataset.