Broad-scale effects of hypoxia on benthic community structure in Chesapeake Bay, USA

摘要: article i nfo Benthic communities provide secondary production for higher trophic levels, and changes in benthic community structure can be a harbinger associated food web alterations. affected by variations water quality, with low dissolved oxygen reducing abundance biomass. We quantified the effects of other environmental factors upon density, biomass, diversity macrobenthic from long-term data (1996-2004) Chesapeake Bay Program's monitoring. were significantly negatively correlated depth positively level. In an assessment multiple models using Akaike's Information Criteria, was single best predictor summer infaunal density depth. Biomass predicted depth, salinity, together. Moreover, among important determining Shannon (H') diversity. over 2001-2004 historically compared to that years 1996-2000 directly severity hypoxia. Hypoxia leads mass mortality benthos, which reduces overall availability levels affect productivity Bay. Regions should managed minimize deleterious anthropogenic on benthos may levels.