How can SPI be used to measure benthic community condition?
Evaluating Community Succession
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| Courtesy: Science Applications International Corporation |
Stage III organisms are infaunal species, generally found in seafloor areas with low disturbance. They are typically larger-bodied than either Stage I or Stage II organisms. Many of these organisms feed in a head-down position deep in the sediment, which creates distinctive subsurface pockets called feeding voids. Such bioturbation of the sediments results in deep oxygen penetration. This successional stage may take many months to years to become fully established, and it may co-occur with Stage II communities.