Benthic communities in the Southern Bight of the North Sea and their use in ecological monitoring

Macrobenthic and meiobenthic communities of an area off the Belgian coast of the North Sea were studied from 1970 until 1975 at 74 stations. On the basis of both macro- and meiobenthos, three zones can be distinguished in the area. The coastal zone is characterized by the macrobenthic Abra alba community, corresponding to the meiobenthic Microarthridion littorale - Halectinosoma herdmani community, and the open sea zone by the macrobenthic Venus gallina community and the meiobenthic Leptastacus laticaudatus-Paramesochra helgolandica community. In between is a transient zone where elements of b... Mehr ...