Preface The expedition ARK XIX/3 with the German icebreaking RV ...

subsamples (area of 400 - 800 cm 2 ) were taken from the box-corer and sliced vertically
in layers of 0 - 1, 1 - 5, 5 - 10 and 10 - 15 cm. The sediment was washed onboard on a
0.5 mm sieve and stored in 4 % buffered formaldehyde solution.
Triplicate sediment samples for meiofauna were taken from the multicorer with cores 10
cm 2 in area and sliced vertically in the same way as for macrofauna. Samples were
preserved with 4% buffered formaldehyde solution.
Additionally, at the same stations and in the same sediment layers sediment samples
were also taken for:
bacterial counts (2-3 replicates taken with a core 2 cm in diameter, samples were
frozen at –25 C);
granulometric analyses (2 replicates taken with a core 3.6 cm in diameter, samples
were frozen at –25 C);
organic carbon and nitrogen content (2-3 replicate samples taken with a core 2 cm in
diameter, samples were frozen at –25 C);
pigment concentrations (3 replicate samples taken with a core 2 cm in diameter,
samples were frozen at –80 C).
What is planned?
The core of the study will be an estimate of densities and biomass of macrofauna in
particular sediment layers. Macrofauna will be identified to the species/genus level.
Attention will be paid to the contribution of different macrofaunal trophic groups (for
example suspension vs. deposit feeders) to the total macrofaunal density.
On the other hand total densities and biomass of meiofauna in vertical sediment profiles
will be also studied. Major meiofaunal taxa will be recognized and the contribution of
different trophic groups to the total meiofaunal density is planned to be estimated. The
results on meiofauna will be compared with the data provided by the group from Gent
University, Belgium.
All the results on macro- and also meiofaunal communities characteristics will be, if
possible, related to the results on biotic and abiotic factors characterising each site, like
total bacterial numbers and biomass, medium grain size and contribution of different
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