Benthic community productivity in the Magellan region and in the Weddell Sea

Abstract

Our comparison of macrobenthic biomass, production and productivity of the Magellan region (14 - 349 m water depth) and the Weddell Sea (132 - 548 m water depth) is based on multi box corer samples collected in both areas. Biomass is slightly but not significantly lower in the Magellan region (7.3 g C m-2) than in the Weddell Sea (12.0 g C m-2). Annual production and P/B ratio are higher in the Magellan region (5.1 g C m-2 y-1, 0.7 y-1) as compared to the Weddell Sea (3.6 g C m-2 y-1, 0.3 y-1). In the Magellan region, Mollusca, Polychaeta and Arthropoda dominate benthic production, whereas in the Weddell Sea Polychaeta, Porifera and Echinodermata are the most productive taxa.