Quantitative and qualitative investigations of benthic communities in the areas of mobile bottoms of the Adriatic Sea

Abstract

      Under the scope of PIPETA trawl survey monitoring program of the Adriatic Sea ground fish stocks monitoring of quantitative and qualitative benthic communities aspects (epi and endofau­na) were carried out. Program included quantitaive and qualitative studies of benthic communi­ties and their relationship with edible: fish, crustacean and cephalopod stocks.

      In these studies a special care was taken of selection of the representative stations and pro­files in the northern and central Adriatic of characteristic and dominant bottom sediments and sea depths.

      Data of PIPETA trawl surveys collected in spring (April-May) and winter (November- December) of 1982 year are presented in this reports as:

-    quantitative and qualitative inventory of species and their percentage values;

-   percentage value relationship between the numbers and weight of each species group for different stations;

-   average value of two cruises, biomass and number of dominant species groups at each station;

-   horizontal and vertical distribution of species in the area.