Quantitative characteristics of the littoral fauna of Grønfjorden Gulf (Spitsbergen) during winter and spring of 2016

Abstract

The first description of the quantitative and qualitative compositions of the littoral fauna of Grønfjorden Gulf during the winter and spring period is given. Granulometric analysis of the surface sediments of the littoral has been performed. Thirty invertebrate taxa that did not leave the littoral zone during wintertime and could survive complete freezing during ebb have been identified. Species diversity and population density of the invertebrates were shown to depend on the granulometric size composition of the surface sediments.