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Community analysis of sublittoral Harpacticoida (Copepoda, Crustacea) in the western Baltic Sea

  • COPEPODA: BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
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Abstract

This study compares two stations each sampled at the Øresund (Denmark) and the German coast (western Baltic Sea), with respect to sublittoral Harpacticoida. The associations were found to differ considerably in diversity, species numbers, evenness and also in the species composition. At the two northern stations, mainly polyhaline species were found and they showed the highest species and individual numbers as well as the most even species distribution. At the two southern stations, mainly pleiomesohaline species were found and they were dominated by one species that was very resistant to eutrophication, so that they showed an uneven species distribution, but also had lower individual numbers and thus lower diversity. Some samples at the German coast were found to have an extremely low harpacticoid number, which was attributed to the severe oxygen deficiency that occurred in autumn 2002 in the western Baltic Sea. This can also be considered to be the main reason for the low species diversity of the southern stations.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the crew of RV LITTORINA and our colleagues at the DZMB who gathered the samples for this study. Further thanks go to Dr. Armin Rose (Wilhelmshaven), whose knowledge of statistics was very helpful.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senckenberg am Meer Wilhelmshaven, Abt. DZMB, Südstrand 44, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

    Christina Folkers & Kai Horst George

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  1. Christina Folkers
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  2. Kai Horst George
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Correspondence to Christina Folkers.

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Guest editors: L. Sanoamuang & J. S. Hwang / Copepoda: Biology and Ecology

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Appendix 1: Minicorer, ©Stukenbroeker GmbH, Bremerhaven

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Folkers, C., George, K.H. Community analysis of sublittoral Harpacticoida (Copepoda, Crustacea) in the western Baltic Sea. Hydrobiologia 666, 11–20 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0210-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0210-2

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