BENTHIC FAUNA IN THE PECHORA SEA

Quantitative samples of benthic fauna were collected at 15 stations fo r analysis of species distribution and faunal composition. Multivariat e statistics indicate that the sampling stations cover a heterogeneous area with different types of community composition, as might be expec ted, since the Pechora Sea encompasses a wide range of depths and ocea nographic conditions. However, some distinct station groupings were ev ident, which are considered to represent different faunal community ty pes. Around the Island of Kolguyev, the fauna was dominated by sub-sur face detritivorous Polychaeta. On the coast of Novaya Zemlya, the Cher naya Fjord contained an opportunistic faunal composition. The deep are a immediately south of Novaya Zemlya was characterised by high numbers of large, surface deposit feeding Polychaeta. The Kara Strait area sh owed some spatial variation in faunal characteristics, but generally c ontained high numbers of surface deposit feeding Polychaeta and Crusta cea as well as encrusting suspensivores on stones. The stations sample d between Kolguyev and the Pechora Bay contained large amounts of macr ofaunal Foraminifera and detritivorous Polychaeta, while the fauna sam pled in the Pechora Bay was typical of northern, low salinity environm ents. Canonical correspondence analyses indicate that water depth and sediment type play a major role in structuring the benthic fauna. The distribution of community types described in this investigation largel y follow those outlined in previous Russian investigations, despite th e use of different analytical strategies. This investigation provides the background for an intercomparison of methodologies in faunal analy ses.