Faunal distribution close to the sediment of a shallow marine environment

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Abstract
Distributions of vagile benthic species and zooplankton near the bottom were studied at a depth of 22–24 m in Lindåspollene, western Norway, from January–March 1974. Samples were taken with a Beyer epibenthic sledge, fitted with three nets mounted such that the samples represented overlapping levels from 0–80 cm above the sediment. Zooplankton dominated the fauna. Comparison of catches showed that Sagitta elegans was strongly concentrated near the sediment surface, whereas Aglantha digitale, Calanus sp., and fish eggs did not increase in number towards the bottom. Patchiness was indicated for S. elegans and A. digitale. The benthic species examined had varying dependence on the bottom. Schistomeringos sp.n. was exclusively caught in the sediment, whereas some individuals of Diastylis lucifera were taken above the bottom. Bradyidius similis was less associated with the sediment. Comments are made about the performance of the gear, which, however, apparently performed well during the sampling.