Strong macrobenthic community differentiation among sub-Arctic deep fjords on small spatial scales

Fjords play an important role in carbon cycling and sequestration, but the burial of organic matter sediments strongly depends on composition macrobenthic communities. We studied three deep, sub-Arctic fjords located northern Norway to assess community differentiation neighbouring underlying environmental drivers. The have relatively deep depositional basins (370–570 m), they differ sill depth water exchange. In all studied, silty were characterised by mostly marine origin. found that each basin was inhabited a distinct benthic community, with pronounced differences total abundance, biomass species diversity. Only one fjord (Skjerstadfjord), shallow sill, slight mouth-to-head pattern found. strong macrobenthos among different seems not be directly associated drivers such as input, masses or depth.