Abstract
Benthic macrofauna collected with a 0.2 m2 van Veen grab at 33 stations in Fanafjorden and at 10 stations located outside the fjord was subjected to Factor Analysis. The analysis was limited to the 29 species which occurred on more than 25 % of the stations. The Q-mode of the Factor Analysis showed that the benthos was distributed as a continuum. From 63 % to 76 % of the variance in the Factor loading could be explained in a multiple regression analysis with depth, particle size, organic matter, and pore water as independent variables. There was no difference in the distributional pattern of the benthos from inside and outside Fanafjorden. The number of organisms was highest at the shallow-water stations, whereas number of species showed no distinct trend with regard to depths. The R-mode of the Factor Analysis resulted in five species groups, whose distribution could be explained by reference to depth and sediment-types.