TABLE 1 



Dominant benthic forms of the Gulf of Anadyr ( I ), northern part of the Bering Sea (2) and southeastern 

 part of the Chukchi Sea (3). Questionable determination indicated by (?). 



This is a pronounced biocenosis that was found at three stations 

 (18, 19, and 22). Nucukma dominated the biocenosis, and its 

 biomass constituted 80-90% of the total benthic biomass, 

 which reached 2,81 1 g m-, average benthic biomass of the 

 biocenosis oi Nucukma equaled 1,413 g m -. 



In the eastern part of the gulf, at a depth less than 50 m 

 Macoma biocenosis is replaced by the biocenosis of sand 

 dollars Echinarachnius parma. Station 25 was a boundary one 

 where both dominant biocenoses are found. 



In the southeast region of the study, at a depth of 

 97-140 m, there is a biocenosis that is characterized by 

 domination of polychaetes Nepthys ciliata and Nicomache 

 luhricalis. along with ophiurae. Average benthic biomass of 

 this biocenosis is not large if compared to the previous one and 

 equals only 78 g m -. 



In the region between the continent and St. Lawrence 

 Island, on mixed sediments of pebbles and rocks, there is a 

 specific biocenosis dominated by sessile benthos (sponges 

 Halichondria panicea, ceripedion Balanus crenatus, ascidiae 

 Ascidiae. and sea hedgehogs Strongylocentrotus pallidus). 



Northern Bering Sea 



Due to the complexity of the hydrological regimes in the 

 region north of St. Lawrence Island to Bering Strait, the 

 biocenoses of the benthos are also very complicated. Three 

 different water masses (waters of the Gulf of Anadyr, shelf 

 waters of the Bering Sea, and Alaska Coastal waters) and 

 enormous diversity of sediment grain size composition 

 contribute to a mosaic structure of benthic faunal distribution. 

 Small numbers of quantitative samples collected in this region 



253 



