Services
Macrofaunal Analysis
Benthos is the community of fauna living in and on the sediment of the seafloor. These communities are dominated by invertebrates such as polychaete worms, molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. The structure of benthic communities can reveal a lot about the general health of an area and their predictable responses to stressors, such as disturbance and pollution, means that benthic assessments are useful for monitoring marine ecosystems.
Benthic assessments are most often done by macrofaunal analysis. The sample processing is a complex, multi-stage process requiring expert knowledge to extract fauna and identify the taxa based on their morphology. JGB's macrobenthic processing is conducted in line with industry standards (NMBAQC). The analysis produces data on diversity along with the abundance and biomass of different species.
Survey Support
Marine surveys require specialist equipment and knowledge. JGB can support with a range of survey requirements, including walk-over assessments in intertidal regions, sediment coring from mudflats, and grab sampling from subtidal environments. Sample collection and processing can be undertaken for a range of analyses (e.g. macrofaunal, particle size, chemical), all conducted in a safe and efficient manner.
Reporting
JGBenthos can report on specialist marine benthic data, clearly and accurately presenting results from sample collection and analyses. Reports can be specialised to meet project aims and may include:
- highlighting protected species that may require consideration, as well as non-native species that may pose threats to local ecosystems
- evaluating benthic communities using statistical tools, providing insight into diversity and community structure.
- categorising benthic communities using biotope classification methods, ensuring that ecosystems are understood in terms of their environmental and ecological characteristics.