The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) off the Peruvian coast, though shallower and more intense than other OMZs, exhibits a spatial distribution that varies with latitude, depth and distance to the coast. The spatial variability in oxygen content imposes latitudinal and bathymetric zonations of the benthic communities. Nevertheless the spatial patterns of the benthic communities are also modulated by the bottom topography and the sedimentary environments, which in turn are controlled to a large extent by the poleward undercurrent. While the bathymetric patterns of the macro- and meiobenthos have been previously described, latitudinal changes have received less attention. We found that, in parallel with opposed latitudinal gradients of oxygen and fresh organic... |