Rocky bottom fauna in arctic Kongsfjord (Svalbard) studied by means of suction sampling and photography

The bottom fauna (16-30 m depth) of Kongsfjord (Svalbard) was investigated by direct observation, a SCUBA-diver operated suction sampler (quantitative ) and underwater photography (semi-quantitative). The fauna on horizontal s urfaces showed low similarity to that on vertical faces and overhangs, and had larger species heterogeneity between sampling sites. This was due to se dimentation and ice-rafted pebbles and stones creating "soft-bottom habitat s" on the rocky bottom. Suction sampling resulted in collection of 73 taxa, including some species usually regarded as "soft-bottom' inhabitants. Fewe r species were observed on the photographs, demonstrating the selectivity o f this technique, but underwater photography may be a useful "nondestructiv e" method for obtaining information about conspicuous epifaunal taxa.