Distribution pattern of holothurians on the Northeastern Pacific (Oregon, U. S. A. ) continental shelf, slope, and abyssal plain

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7262014

Carney, R S; Carey, Jr, A G

Between 135 degrees W. Long. and the Oregon coast there are four bathymetric provences: Tuft's Abyssal Plain (3500 to 4000 m), Cascadia Basin (3000 to 2000 m), the continental slope (2000 to 200 m), and the continental shelf above 200 m. During extensive trawling in this area approximately 15,000 specimens from 33 species of holothurians have been collected. On the basis of vertical ranges the shelf and slope each correspond to a faunal zone, and Tuft's Plain combines with Cascadia Basin to form a third faunal zone. Each half of this deepest zone has a distinct pattern of dominant species. Faunal changes seen in three transects taken on Cascadia Basin suggest that proximity to land is less important than depth in determining the composition of the holothurian fauna. The species collected below shelf depths agreed with those collected by the ''Albatross'' between the equatorial Pacific and San Diego, California.

• Research Organization: Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (USA). Dept. of Oceanography
• OSTI ID: 7262014
• Report Number(s): RLO-2227-T12-62; CONF-7509142-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
CONTINENTAL SHELF
ECOSYSTEMS
NORTH AMERICA
OCEANOGRAPHY
OREGON
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
PACIFIC OCEAN
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER QUALITY