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An investigation into the causes of small scale variation in sediment community oxygen consumption in the Rockall Trough

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

J. W. Patching
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, School of Marine Sciences, University College, Galway, Ireland
R. C. T. Raine
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology, School of Marine Sciences, University College, Galway, Ireland
P. R. O. Barnett
Affiliation:
Scottish Marine Biological Association, Dunstaffnage Marine Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 3, Oban, Argyll PA34 4AD, Scotland
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Extract

An attempt was made to interpret the core to core variation in oxygen uptake observed during an in situ determination of sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) at a station in the Rockall Trough using the “suspended core” technique. No direct relationships between macrofaunal abundance or biomass and SCOC were observed. The results obtained suggested that the use of experimental chambers of small cross-sectional area (26.2cm2) allow for greater influence on SCOC of the activity of individual organisms which would otherwise be averaged out by larger, grab-type enclosures. The possible significance of other components of the benthos is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1986

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