The impact of whale falls on nematode abundance in the deep sea

Abundance of nematode assemblages from the sediment surrounding an experimentally implanted whale carcass in the Santa Cruz Basin were investigated at 1.5 and 18 months after placement. Samples were taken at 0, 1, 3, 9 and 30 m distance away from the carcass. nce is positively correlated with distance from the carcass out to at least 30 m. Analyses of nematode abundance at 18 months after implantation showed a non-linear inverse pattern to that of the macrofauna implying that enhanced macrofaunal activity immediately around the carcass was decreasing nematode abundance through predation or competition. The increased nematode abundance at 30 m after 18 months may be a response to organic enrichment from the whale fall occurring where macrofaunal abundance no longer limits nematode densities.