In 1988 and 1989~ 4 extra stations situated west of the TiO2-dumping site, were sampled for reason of getting adequate reference stations out of possible influence of the dutch and belgian dumping grouds.According to the sediment analysis, these stations are comparable to the stations within the dumping area and can be regarded as reference stations.The vertical distribution of the meiobenthos was investigated for 10 stations, 5 situated within the dumping area and 5 situated westwards. Nematoda, Capepoda, Gastrotricha and Turbellaria did occur until 20 cm deep; Tardigrada, Hydrozaa, Ostracoda, Halacarida and Rotifera were confined to the upper 15 cm. At least the upper 10 cm of the sediment was oxigenated.Within the dumping area the highest percentage of meiofauna occured in the 5-10 cm layer, whereas in the reference area the highest percentages occured in the layers 0-2 cm and 2-5 cm.There was a significant difference between the dumping area and the reference area for the parameter mean density of the total meiafauna, the nematods, the copepods and the turbellarians af the uppermost 10 cm layers (0-2 cm, 2-5 cm, 5-10 cm; nematods only in 0- 2 cm). |
