| With the aim to characterize tthe soft-bottom macrofauna and its spatial and temporal distribution patterns in the Santa Marta area, a two years sampling program was performed at depths between 7 to 60 m. Density, biomass and diversity of the community were determined. The BIOENV method was applied in order to relate the distribution of the associations and the environmental variables (depth, turbidity, organic matter, organic carbon, organic nitrogen, organic phosphorus and median particle diameter). A density of 1499 indiv *m-2 and 10.9 g*m-2 wet biomass were obtained. The collected organisms belonged to six taxa: polychaetes, crustaceans, sipunculids, molluscs, bryozoans, and echinoderms; the first one was the most important in terms of abundance and... |
