| Abstract: | This study addresses ongoing concerns ever the effects of mobile fishing gear on benthic communities. Using side-scan sonar, bottom photographs and fishing records, we identified a set of disturbed and undisturbed sites on the gravel pavement area of northern Georges Bank in the northwest Atlantic. Replicate samples of the megofauna were collected with a 1 m Naturalists‘ dredge on 2 cruises in 1994. Compared with the disturbed sites, the undisturbed sites had higher numbers of organisms, biomass, species richness and species diversity; evenness was higher at the disturbed sites. Undisturbed sites were characterized by an abundance of bushy epifaunal taxa (bryozoans, hydroids, worm tubes) that provide a complex habitat for shrimps, polychaetes, brittle stars, mussels and small fish. Disturbed sites were dominated by larger, hard-shelled molluscs, and scavenging crabs and echinoderms. Many of the megafaunal species in our samples have also been identified in stomach contents of demersal fish on Georges Bank; the abundances of at feast some of these species were reduced at the disturbed sites. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70019700 |
| Citation Author: | Collie, J. S.; Escanero, G. A.; Valentine, P. C. |
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| Citation End Page: | 172 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Marine Ecology Progress Series |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 14 |
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| Citation Publisher: | Inter-Research |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Effects of bottom fishing on the benthic megafauna of Georges Bank; 1997; Article; Journal; Marine Ecology Progress Series; Collie, J. S.; Escanero, G. A.; Valentine, P. C. |
| Citation Start Page: | 159 |
| Citation Volume: | 155 |
| Citation Year: | 1997 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Effects of bottom fishing on the benthic megafauna of Georges Bank; 1997; Article; Journal; Marine Ecology Progress Series; Collie, J. S.; Escanero, G. A.; Valentine, P. C. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps155159 |
| Date Other: | Wed, 1 Jan 1997 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | Inter-Research |
