The ICES North Sea benthos survey: the sedimentary environment

Abstract

A large-scale co-operative project involving a number of countries bordering the North Sea was initiated in order to provide information on the status of the benthic communities and the sedimentary environment and to assess the possible impact of anthropogenic influences on the health of the sea. In this paper the data obtained on the environmental parameters—grain size, organic carbon, chlorophyllous pigment content, and the distribution of the trace metals—are discussed together with the benthic biomass and species richness. From this information it can be seen that while the southern North Sea exhibits signs of pollution having had an impact upon the environment, the northern part has remained in a relatively unimpacted state.