The Macrophytobenthos of Terra Nova Bay

The results of a study on the benthic macroalgal flora and vegetation of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) are presented for the years 1987–88 and 1989–90. The flora is rather poor (nine Rhodophyceae, four Fucophyceae,four Chlorophyceae), but richer than that known from adjacent areas. The vegetation is on the whole characterized by a prevalence of shade-adapted species among which Iridaea cordata, Phyllophora antarctica and Clathromorphum lemoineanum dominated in the upper infralittoral, lower infralittoral and circalittoral zones, respectively. Moreover, we report on the results of a study, carried out in the years 1993–94, on the biomass of Iridaea cordata and Phyllophora antarctica, which represent the most important primary producers among the macroalgae of the Ross Sea.