Information on long-term temporal variability of and trends in benthic community-structure variables, such as biomass, is needed to estimate the range of normal variability in comparison with the effects of environmental change or disturbance. Fishery resource distribution and population growth will be influenced by such variability. This study examines benthic macrofaunal biomass and related d...

As part of the Microbent-PNEC Program: ‘‘Biogeochemical processes at the wateresediment interface in eutrophicated environment’’, the aim of this work was to specifically investigate and quantify the relationships between macrobenthos and sediment reworking in the Thau Lagoon in order to provide information on the potential contaminant distribution and movements at the wateresediment interface....

Bottom trawling causes physical disturbance to sediments particularly in shelf areas. The disturbance due to trawling is most significant in deeper areas with softer sediments where levels of natural disturbance due to wave and tidal action are low. In heavily fished areas, trawls may impact the same area of seabed more than four times per year. A single pass of a beam trawl, the heaviest gear ...

Sea-ice macrofauna includes ice amphipods and benthic amphipods, as well mysids. Amphipods are important components of the sympagic food web, which is fuelled by production algae. Data on diversity sea-ice biota have been collected a part scientific expeditions over decades, here we present pan-Arctic analysis data ice-associated mysids assimilated 35 years (1977–2012). The composition species ...

BACKGROUND Long-term benthic monitoring is rewarding in terms of science, but labour-intensive, whether in the field, the laboratory, or behind the computer. Building and managing databases require multiple skills, including consistency over time as well as organisation via a systematic approach. Here, we introduce and share our spatially explicit benthic database, comprising 11 years of benthi...

At temperate latitudes where seasonal changing environmental conditions strongly affect the magnitude, duration and species composition of pelagic primary production, macrobenthic organisms living below photic zone rely on sedimentation organic matter as their energy source. The succession from nutritious spring blooms to summer cyanobacteria is assumed reduce food quality for benthic consumers...

Benthic fauna plays an important role in mediating biogeochemical cycles coastal areas by storing carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) their body tissues at theoretically homeostatic rates. To maintain homeostasis, the benthic consumers need to be balance with resource supply or alter stoichiometric traits response environmental change. However, we lack understanding regarding potential...

Mussel farming influences benthic environments by organic loading and the addition of physical structure within aquaculture leases. This study evaluated near-field (distance to mussel structures, line-scale) bay-scale (inside vs. outside a blue mussel, Mytilius edulis , farm) effects an offshore farm in Îles de la Madeleine (Canada) on epibenthic macrofaunal communities. Benthic communities wer...

Biogenic reefs provide important ecological functions and services to coastal marine environments, supplying high levels of biodiversity, providing refuge foraging habitat, supporting fisheries. Serpulid are a relatively uncommon habitat in ecosystems globally that for diverse community organisms, have become target conservation management efforts due degradation loss. Baffin Bay, Texas, USA, i...

Offshore Wind Farms (OWFs) in the English Channel and along coast of Normandy (France) will be installed on coarse sediments, which cover about 80% seabed Channel. A BACI (Before After Control Impact) approach has been recommended by French State for each these OWFs. This provides opportunity to acquire macrofauna data assess Ecological Quality Status areas that are poorly sampled. In case Diep...