Seasonal and interannual variability of feeding in Antarctic benthos

The seasonal and interannual variability of feeding in 15 species benthic marine suspension feeder was studied over 8 yr at Ryder Bay, Antarctica. Feeding strongly bryozoans, gorgonians, polychaetes, dendrochirote holothurians. winter non-feeding period longest the holothurians shortest bryozoans. Bryozoans started late very low chlorophyll concentrations, often when surface fast-ice still present. In hydroids actinians, tentacles were deployed continuously throughout year, though hydroid intensity declined slightly winter. Water column phytoplankton biomass with marked timing bloom, driven principally by ice dynamics. Correlation across years between start development bloom poor, seasons a dense spring filamentous microalgae developed, many delayed. This study indicates that feeders Antarctica is influenced factors additional to availability food water column.