Fauna composition of benthos communities in bottom sediments from the edge and the central part of the shelf in the California upwelling zone

Species structures of the communities were analyzed; the communities were shown to consist of coexisting, but not interacting guilds; this indicates that the communities are undersaturated with individuals. At the same time values of ABC-indices indicate that the communities are stable. We suggest that in this case adaptation to unfavorable but stable environment is observed (selection of species-stressolarents).

An explanation seems to lie in the penetrating type of the upwelling in the Californian upwelling zone. Low biomass values seem to result from mass development of necto-benthic carnivorous crustaceans-galateids Pleuroncodes planiceps.