The ecology of shallow water meiofauna in two New England estuaries

Abstract

The distribution and abundance of shallow subtidal meiofauna in four habitats in the Niantic and Pettaquamscutt estuaries in southeastern New England were studied from October 1964 through October 1965. Numbers of individuals ranged from 1,184 to 5,163/10 cm², and wet weights from 8.5 to 62.5 mg/10 cm². Nematodes were the dominant group, averaging 83% of the total numbers and 64% of the total biomass. Among the nematodes, epigrowth-feeding species were dominant at all four stations; in addition, deposit-feeding species were abundant at three stations where the amount of detritus was high relative to the fourth station. At these three stations ostracods and deposit-feeding polychaetes were also abundant. Nematodes showed marked seasonal changes i their species composition, with epigrowth-feeding species reaching maximum densities in spring and summer (coincident with observed increases in benthic microflora production), and deposit and omnivorous-feeding species in fall and winter (coincident with observed increases in organic detritus). Increases in the epigrowth feeders were responsible for significant increases in the total nematode populations in spring and summer. Ostracods were most abundant in late summer, fall and winter in association with the increases in detritus. Polychaetes, amphipods and lamellibranchs were most abundant in summer, the first-named in association with elevated water temperatures. Harpactacoid copepods were inconsistent in their seasonal distributions. Approximately 80% of the meiofauna occurred in the upper 3 cm of sediment. Copepods and ostracods were virtually limited to the upper 3 cm, while amphipods and lamellibranchs were limited to the upper 2 cm of sediment. Nematodes and polychaetes extended down to 5 cm (the lowest depth studied), although usually in significantly reduced numbers.