A comparison of benthic infaunal abundance on two abyssal plains in the northeast Pacific Ocean

Benthic macro-infauna were sampled in the northeast Pacific Ocean at 12 stations on an east-west transect across Cascadia and Eastern Tufts abyssal plains to determine ecological effects of continental influences and depth on those communities. The two plains, separated by the East Pacific Rise, differ in depth and distance from the continental margin. Tufts Plain lies to the west; primary production in the overlying water and the amount of organic carbon in the surface sediments are lower than for the Cascadia Plain region. Five benthic ecological zones were distinguished: (1) Cascadia Plain Slope-Base; (2) Eastern Cascadia Plain; (3) Cascadia Deep-Sea Channel; (4) Western Cascadia Plain; and (5) Eastern Tufts Plain. These differ in faunal biomass, numerical density, gross composition of the fauna by phyla, and composition of sediment. Comparatively, the slope-base environment supports the most abundant fauna. The numerical density of infauna on Eastern Tufts Plain is similar to that on Eastern and Western Cascadia Plain; however, the biomass tends to be lower in the deeper, more distant environment. It is concluded that these differences in the benthic fauna are probably caused by varying levels of input from primary production in overlying waters and differences in the transport of organic-rich particles off the continental shelf. Distance-related environmental characteristics are shown to be critical in the deep sea for controlling benthic community structure. On Cascadia Abyssal Plain, a plateau-like feature, the gross structure of communities changes with increasing distance from the continent but at constant depth. Faunal densities, biomass, and composition by phyla lie within the range of values normally associated with upper abyssal environments.