Within the final week of June, the MAnDAriN challenge (Marine Annelid Variety of Arctic Norway, homepage right here) went for an additional* subject journey to the areas round Tromsø.
This time we have been centered on intertidal sampling within the internal fjords.
Determine 1. Completely different habitats sampled through the second subject journey of MAnDAriN to Tromsø space (Photograph by N. Budaeva).
In addition to Nataliya and Tom, the sampling workforce included a devoted younger naturalist inquisitive about digging up worms on the mudflats and awaiting seabirds.
Determine 2. Sampling of marine annelids (polychaetes) (Photograph by N. Budaeva).
Two researchers from NIVA, Eivind Oug and Rita Næss, joined us for the a part of the journey serving to with deciding on probably the most attention-grabbing habitats and with pattern assortment. We sampled 18 intertidal and shallow subtidal stations scattered round Tromsø space, amongst these some seashores at Sommarøy, eelgrass mudflats within the internal Balsfjorden, sandy Grøtfjorden, and muddy habitats of Kvaløy.
The sampling was qualitative with mild fraction of sediment sieved via 500 um sieve and later sorted within the lab underneath a stereomicroscope. We invested quite a lot of time in taking reside photographs of the small polychaetes discovered within the samples, for that we needed to loosen up them in a magnesium chloride resolution that stops muscle contraction however retains the worms alive. App. 900 images of 400 specimens was taken throughout this journey. Every of the photographed specimens will grow to be a DNA voucher for additional barcoding and molecular evaluation.
Determine 3. Our laboratory set0up with images gear. The worms on the highest proper – tubes of Lagis koreni, and the underside proper – Malmgrenia sp.
MAnDAriN is supported by Artsdatabanken for 2023-2026 and can proceed sampling in Svalbard and northern Finnmark fjords this and subsequent 12 months to supply an in depth description of annelid range within the coldest Norwegian waters.
*Eva, a grasp pupil on the challenge, has written about her expertise becoming a member of the earlier challenge fieldwork in Torsvåg (Troms) in Might, you may learn extra about that right here (hyperlink):