Ostracoda collected off southern Iceland during the Iceage Project

Abstract

The IceAGE Project (Icelandic marine Animals: Genetics and Ecology) aims to study the biodiversity (classical taxonomy, phylogeography and ecological modeling) in the climate sensitive region off Iceland (BRIX et al., 2012). The first IceAGE cruise was conducted in September 2011 and samples were collected from 241 stations in 31 working areas off Iceland (subpolar North Atlantic). Samples covered a depth range from the continental shelf to the bathyal zone. Our objective is to analyse ostracods from Epibenthic Sledge (EBS) and Multicorer (MUC) samples collected from the stations following an increasing depth off Southern Iceland. We aim to compare the diversity of Ostracoda assemblage at different depths, as well as difference between samples obtained by EBS and MUC. All specimens will be identified to species level and when necessary new species will be described. Furthermore, we will also compare environmental parameters with ostracod distribution pattern. Preliminary results show that the faunal composition differs between the deep sea (Area 1) and shelf (Area 9) areas. EBS and MUC collected samples show different species composition. The smaller taxa (e.g. Krithe) were more abundant in the MUC samples, while the larger taxa (Echinocythereis echinata) are more abundant in the EBS samples. This indicates that using both tools together provide a better picture of the ostracod species diversity.