The MUSORSTOM 10 cruise, using the R.V. "Alis", was carried out in the Fijian Archipelago during 5-19 August 1998. A total of 82 samples were collected by dredging and trawling from the upper bathyal zone and in the circalittoral depths, on the outer reef slopes of Vitu Levu and from Bhgh Water. The bottom of Bligh Water is muddy and covered with pumice stones. Hard bottoms were sampled in the Beqa Channel. The invertebrate biodiversity of the benthic communities sampled is much lower than those sampled from the New Caledonian area, especially sessile epifaunal groups like sponges, stylasterine hydrocorals (Cnidaria, Stylasterina) and crinoids.

MUSORSTOM 10

This study was carried out to test the hypothesis that benthic communities on seamounts are distinct from those of other deep-sea habitats at comparable depths. Analysis of the squat lobster fauna of deep-sea habitats in the Southwestern Pacific revealed that the species composition of assemblages on seamounts was not statistically dissimilar from assemblages on slope and plateau habitat at comparable depths. However, compositional differences were observed between seamount and rise and ridge habitat. Differences in assemblage composition between seamount and ridge habitat were statistically significant for two of the four ridge systems examined. Assemblages on seamounts that were distinct from non-seamount ridge habitat were typically dominated by small-bodied species with an abbreviated larval stage. Various environmental variables were correlated with the observed assemblage patterns observed; depth-related variables may account for differences between seamount and rise assemblages, whilst differences in POC flux likely play a role in determining the assemblage compositional patterns between seamount and non-seamount ridge habitat. Extensive pre-analysis data treatment was required to ensure that multivariate analyses of assemblage data from seamount and non-seamount habitats were robust. Our results confirm the findings of recent studies that found no compositional differences in assemblages from seamount and slope habitats, and support the idea that dissimilarity between seamount assemblages on different ridge systems increases with geographic distance. Further research will be required before the generality of these findings can be confirmed.

BOA0, BOA1, BORDAU 1, BORDAU 2, MUSORSTOM 10, MUSORSTOM 8, SALOMON 1, SALOMON 2, SALOMONBOA 3, SANTO 2006

NORFOLK 1