Ecological studies of the benthic fauna in an arctic estuary

Abstract

Distributions and abundances of benthic fauna are described for the nearshore Beaufort Sea adjacent to the mouth of the Colville River. Harrison Bay, Simpson Lagoon, and the shallow waters seaward of the barrier islands were sampled with a small bottom trawl and grab during the late summer of 1971. This survey was part of a larger effort by the University of Alaska to obtain baseline information prior to oil exploration and development. Forty-seven species, dominated numerically by Crustacea, Hollusca, and Polychaeta were studied from a collection of 86 samples. The isopod, Mesidotea entonon, and the mysid, Mysis oculata were common to all areas examined. Standing stocks of both were significantly higher (P<0.05) seaward of the lagoons. The spatial distribution of infauna clearly reflected the influence of the seasonal zone of bottom-fast ice. The biology, life history, and production of selected species are described, and relationships between environmental factors discussed as related to understanding this nearshore community.