Application of underwater imagery for the description of upper sublittoral benthic communities in glaciated and ice-free Arctic fjords

Complex bottom topography and the presence of floating ice significantly complicate use traditional sampling methods in Arctic coastal waters, forcing to look for alternative approaches. One such technique is underwater imagery, which has grown popularity recent decades based on its effectiveness hard-to-reach places. We demonstrate that an video mosaic can be a reliable method comparative analysis habitats under glacier influence influence-free habitats. The filming was carried out upper sublittoral (2–65 m) Hornsund Isfjorden areas, representing two ice-free glaciated bays. Video footage obtained using ROV mounted “drop-down” cameras transformed into 148 mosaics. Based lowest possible taxonomic level, 31 biological features (morphospecies) were identified ascribed benthic functional groups their feeding mobility type. morphospecies used reveal ecologically meaningful differences community structure different discovered greater abundances motile scavengers glacier-influenced bays whereas bay had more sessile suspension filters riverine dominated by discreetly deposit feeders. Underwater imagery mosaics have proven fairly tool fieldwork-efficient quantitative characterization communities Arctic's sublittoral.