Changes of the bottom macrofauna in the eastern Gulf of Finland in 1985–2002; pp. 378–393

Abstract

Long-term changes of macrozoobenthos in the eastern Gulf of Finland are described on the basis of field observations during 1985-2002. Deep-water bottom communities were radically changed by the oxygen deficit in 1996. Deterioration of oxygen conditions was responsible for the strong impoverishment (biomass less than 1 g/m2) and complete disappearance of macrofauna in large bottom areas. Outside the confines of these areas no distinct difference was observed between the 2000s and the beginning of the study period; however, macrozoobenthos showed considerable interannual variations because of population fluctuations of dominant species.