Macrofauna refers to the benthic animals that mostly live within the sediment. These include many bivalves and polychaete worms, among a whole host of other taxa. The mostly relatively immobile macrofauna is very closely linked to the primary production in the overlying water column and can be an excellent integrator of changes in the productivity regime in certain regions. The AMBON station coverage includes a region in the southern Chukchi Sea termed a “benthic hotspot” because of the very large amounts of bivalves found there. Macrofauna in AMBON will be collected from van Veen grabs. [AMBON scientist: Jacqueline Grebmeier]
