Changes in North Sea macrofauna communities and species distribution between 1986 and 2000

Type Article
Date 2011-07
Language English
Author(s) Kroencke Ingrid1, Reiss Henning1, Eggleton Jacqueline D.2, Aldridge John2, Bergman Magda J. N.3, Cochrane Sabine4, Craeymeersch Johan A.5, Degraer Steven6, Desroy NicolasORCID7, Dewarumez Jean-Marie8, Duineveld Gerard C. A.3, Essink Karel9, Hillewaert Hans10, Lavaleye Marc S. S.3, Moll Andreas11, Nehring Stefan12, Newell Richard13, Oug Eivind14, Pohlmann Thomas11, Rachor Eike15, Robertson Mike16, Rumohr Heye17, Schratzberger Michaela2, Smith Rebecca2, Berghe Edward Vanden18, Van Dalfsen Jan19, Van Hoey Gert6, Vincx Magda6, Willems Wouter6, Rees Hubert L.2
Affiliation(s) 1 : Senckenberg Meer, Marine Res Dept, D-26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
2 : Ctr Environm Fisheries & Aquaculture Sci, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, Suffolk, England
3 : Netherlands Inst Sea Res, NL-1792 AB Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands
4 : Akvaplan Niva AS, N-9296 Tromso, Norway
5 : Wageningen IMARES, Inst Marine Resources & Ecosyst Studies, NL-4400 AB Yerseke, Netherlands
6 : Univ Ghent, Marine Biol Sect, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
7 : IFREMER, Labs Environm Littoral & Ressources Aquacoles Fin, Stn Dinard, F-35801 Dinard, France
8 : CNRS, UMR LOG 8187, Stn Marine Wimereux, F-62930 Wimereux, France
9 : Rijksinst Kust Zee RIKZ, NL-9750 AE Haren, Netherlands
10 : Inst Agr & Fisheries Res ILVO Fisheries, B-8400 Oostende, Belgium
11 : Univ Hamburg, Inst Oceanog, Ctr Marine & Climate Res ZMAW, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany
12 : Bundesanstalt Gewasserkunde, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany
13 : Marine Ecol Surveys Ltd, Bath BA1 2AY, Avon, England
14 : Norwegian Inst Water Res NIVA, Branch Off S, N-4879 Grimstad, Norway
15 : Alfred Wegener Inst Polar & Marine Res, D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany
16 : Marine Scotland Sci, Scottish Govt, Marine Lab, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, Scotland
17 : Leibniz Inst Marine Sci IFM GEOMAR, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
18 : Flanders Marine Inst VLIZ, B-8400 Oostende, Belgium
19 : DELTARES, NL-2600 MH Delft, Netherlands
Source Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science (0272-7714) (Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd), 2011-07 , Vol. 94 , N. 1 , P. 1-15
DOI 10.1016/j.ecss.2011.04.008
WOS© Times Cited 70
Keyword(s) long-term variability, distribution shift, NAOI, regime shift, non-native species, benthic communities
Abstract The North Sea Benthos Project 2000 was initiated as a follow-up to the 1986 ICES North Sea Benthos Survey with the major aim to identify changes in the macrofauna species distribution and community structure in the North Sea and their likely causes. The results showed that the large-scale spatial distribution of macrofauna communities in the North Sea hardly changed between 1986 and 2000, with the main divisions at the 50 m and 100 m depth contours. Water temperature and salinity as well as wave exposure, tidal stress and primary production were influential environmental factors on a large (North Sea-wide) spatial scale. The increase in abundance and regional changes in distribution of various species with a southern distribution in the North Sea in 2000 were largely associated with an increase in sea surface temperature, primary production and, thus, food supply. This can be most likely related to the North Sea hydro-climate change in the late 1980s influenced by the variability in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Only one cold-temperate species decreased in abundance in 2000 at most of the stations. Indications for newly established populations of offshore non-native species were not found. Differences in macrofauna community structure on localised spatial scales were predominantly found north of the 50 m depth contour off the British coast along the Flamborough Head Front towards the Dogger Bank, off the coast of Jutland and at the Frisian Front. These changes were most likely attributed to stronger frontal systems in 2000 caused by the increased inflow of Atlantic water masses in relation to the hydro-climate change in the late 1980s. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Kroencke Ingrid, Reiss Henning, Eggleton Jacqueline D., Aldridge John, Bergman Magda J. N., Cochrane Sabine, Craeymeersch Johan A., Degraer Steven, Desroy Nicolas, Dewarumez Jean-Marie, Duineveld Gerard C. A., Essink Karel, Hillewaert Hans, Lavaleye Marc S. S., Moll Andreas, Nehring Stefan, Newell Richard, Oug Eivind, Pohlmann Thomas, Rachor Eike, Robertson Mike, Rumohr Heye, Schratzberger Michaela, Smith Rebecca, Berghe Edward Vanden, Van Dalfsen Jan, Van Hoey Gert, Vincx Magda, Willems Wouter, Rees Hubert L. (2011). Changes in North Sea macrofauna communities and species distribution between 1986 and 2000. Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science, 94(1), 1-15. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2011.04.008 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00043/15428/