1
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Knights AM, Lemasson AJ, Firth LB, Bond T, Claisse J, Coolen JWP, Copping A, Dannheim J, De Dominicis M, Degraer S, Elliott M, Fernandes PG, Fowler AM, Frost M, Henry LA, Hicks N, Hyder K, Jagerroos S, Jones DOB, Love M, Lynam CP, Macreadie PI, Marlow J, Mavraki N, McLean D, Montagna PA, Paterson DM, Perrow M, Porter J, Russell DJF, Bull AS, Schratzberger M, Shipley B, van Elden S, Vanaverbeke J, Want A, Watson SCL, Wilding TA, Somerfield P. Developing expert scientific consensus on the environmental and societal effects of marine artificial structures prior to decommissioning. J Environ Manage 2024; 352:119897. [PMID: 38184869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Thousands of artificial ('human-made') structures are present in the marine environment, many at or approaching end-of-life and requiring urgent decisions regarding their decommissioning. No consensus has been reached on which decommissioning option(s) result in optimal environmental and societal outcomes, in part, owing to a paucity of evidence from real-world decommissioning case studies. To address this significant challenge, we asked a worldwide panel of scientists to provide their expert opinion. They were asked to identify and characterise the ecosystem effects of artificial structures in the sea, their causes and consequences, and to identify which, if any, should be retained following decommissioning. Experts considered that most of the pressures driving ecological and societal effects from marine artificial structures (MAS) were of medium severity, occur frequently, and are dependent on spatial scale with local-scale effects of greater magnitude than regional effects. The duration of many effects following decommissioning were considered to be relatively short, in the order of days. Overall, environmental effects of structures were considered marginally undesirable, while societal effects marginally desirable. Experts therefore indicated that any decision to leave MAS in place at end-of-life to be more beneficial to society than the natural environment. However, some individual environmental effects were considered desirable and worthy of retention, especially in certain geographic locations, where structures can support improved trophic linkages, increases in tourism, habitat provision, and population size, and provide stability in population dynamics. The expert analysis consensus that the effects of MAS are both negative and positive for the environment and society, gives no strong support for policy change whether removal or retention is favoured until further empirical evidence is available to justify change to the status quo. The combination of desirable and undesirable effects associated with MAS present a significant challenge for policy- and decision-makers in their justification to implement decommissioning options. Decisions may need to be decided on a case-by-case basis accounting for the trade-off in costs and benefits at a local level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antony M Knights
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Anaëlle J Lemasson
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Louise B Firth
- University of Plymouth, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Todd Bond
- The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Jeremy Claisse
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, 91768, USA; Vantuna Research Group, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, 90041, USA
| | - Joop W P Coolen
- Wageningen Marine Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, Den Helder, Netherlands
| | - Andrea Copping
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Seattle, USA
| | - Jennifer Dannheim
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Michela De Dominicis
- National Oceanography Centre, Joseph Proudman Building, 6 Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L3 5DA, UK
| | - Steven Degraer
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directory Natural Environment, Marine Ecology and Management, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michael Elliott
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, HU6 7RX, UK; International Estuarine & Coastal Specialists (IECS) Ltd., Leven, HU17 5LQ, UK
| | - Paul G Fernandes
- Heriot-Watt University, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK
| | - Ashley M Fowler
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
| | - Matt Frost
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, The Hoe Plymouth, Prospect Place, Devon, PL13DH, UK
| | - Lea-Anne Henry
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings Campus, James Hutton Road, EH9 3FE, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Natalie Hicks
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK
| | - Kieran Hyder
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, UK; School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Sylvia Jagerroos
- King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Milton Love
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Christopher P Lynam
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Lowestoft, UK
| | - Peter I Macreadie
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Australia
| | - Joseph Marlow
- Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, UK
| | - Ninon Mavraki
- Wageningen Marine Research, Ankerpark 27, 1781 AG, Den Helder, Netherlands
| | - Dianne McLean
- The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Perth, Australia
| | - Paul A Montagna
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | - David M Paterson
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Martin Perrow
- Department of Geography, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Joanne Porter
- International Centre Island Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Orkney Campus, Stromness, Orkney, UK
| | | | | | | | - Brooke Shipley
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Coastal Fisheries - Artificial Reef Program, USA
| | - Sean van Elden
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Jan Vanaverbeke
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directory Natural Environment, Marine Ecology and Management, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andrew Want
- Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Stephen C L Watson
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, The Hoe Plymouth, Prospect Place, Devon, PL13DH, UK
| | | | - Paul Somerfield
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, The Hoe Plymouth, Prospect Place, Devon, PL13DH, UK
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2
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Simon-Lledó E, Amon DJ, Bribiesca-Contreras G, Cuvelier D, Durden JM, Ramalho SP, Uhlenkott K, Arbizu PM, Benoist N, Copley J, Dahlgren TG, Glover AG, Fleming B, Horton T, Ju SJ, Mejía-Saenz A, McQuaid K, Pape E, Park C, Smith CR, Jones DOB. Carbonate compensation depth drives abyssal biogeography in the northeast Pacific. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1388-1397. [PMID: 37488225 PMCID: PMC10482686 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02122-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Abyssal seafloor communities cover more than 60% of Earth's surface. Despite their great size, abyssal plains extend across modest environmental gradients compared to other marine ecosystems. However, little is known about the patterns and processes regulating biodiversity or potentially delimiting biogeographical boundaries at regional scales in the abyss. Improved macroecological understanding of remote abyssal environments is urgent as threats of widespread anthropogenic disturbance grow in the deep ocean. Here, we use a new, basin-scale dataset to show the existence of clear regional zonation in abyssal communities across the 5,000 km span of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (northeast Pacific), an area targeted for deep-sea mining. We found two pronounced biogeographic provinces, deep and shallow-abyssal, separated by a transition zone between 4,300 and 4,800 m depth. Surprisingly, species richness was maintained across this boundary by phylum-level taxonomic replacements. These regional transitions are probably related to calcium carbonate saturation boundaries as taxa dependent on calcium carbonate structures, such as shelled molluscs, appear restricted to the shallower province. Our results suggest geochemical and climatic forcing on distributions of abyssal populations over large spatial scales and provide a potential paradigm for deep-sea macroecology, opening a new basis for regional-scale biodiversity research and conservation strategies in Earth's largest biome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diva J Amon
- SpeSeas, D'Abadie, Trinidad and Tobago
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | - Daphne Cuvelier
- Institute of Marine Sciences-Okeanos, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | | | - Sofia P Ramalho
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Katja Uhlenkott
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research, Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Pedro Martinez Arbizu
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research, Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | | | - Jonathan Copley
- Ocean & Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Thomas G Dahlgren
- NORCE Climate and Environment, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Bethany Fleming
- National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK
- Ocean & Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Se-Jong Ju
- Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, South Korea
- Ocean Science Major, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | | | | | - Ellen Pape
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Chailinn Park
- Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, South Korea
- Ocean Science Major, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Craig R Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
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3
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Rabone M, Wiethase JH, Simon-Lledó E, Emery AM, Jones DOB, Dahlgren TG, Bribiesca-Contreras G, Wiklund H, Horton T, Glover AG. How many metazoan species live in the world's largest mineral exploration region? Curr Biol 2023; 33:2383-2396.e5. [PMID: 37236182 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The global surge in demand for metals such as cobalt and nickel has created unprecedented interest in deep-sea habitats with mineral resources. The largest area of activity is a 6 million km2 region known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the central and eastern Pacific, regulated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Baseline biodiversity knowledge of the region is crucial to effective management of environmental impact from potential deep-sea mining activities, but until recently this has been almost completely lacking. The rapid growth in taxonomic outputs and data availability for the region over the last decade has allowed us to conduct the first comprehensive synthesis of CCZ benthic metazoan biodiversity for all faunal size classes. Here we present the CCZ Checklist, a biodiversity inventory of benthic metazoa vital to future assessments of environmental impacts. An estimated 92% of species identified from the CCZ are new to science (436 named species from a total of 5,578 recorded). This is likely to be an overestimate owing to synonyms in the data but is supported by analysis of recent taxonomic studies suggesting that 88% of species sampled in the region are undescribed. Species richness estimators place total CCZ metazoan benthic diversity at 6,233 (+/-82 SE) species for Chao1, and 7,620 (+/-132 SE) species for Chao2, most likely representing lower bounds of diversity in the region. Although uncertainty in estimates is high, regional syntheses become increasingly possible as comparable datasets accumulate. These will be vital to understanding ecological processes and risks of biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel Rabone
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD London, UK.
| | - Joris H Wiethase
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Erik Simon-Lledó
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, SO14 3ZH Southampton, UK
| | - Aidan M Emery
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD London, UK
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, SO14 3ZH Southampton, UK
| | - Thomas G Dahlgren
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; NORCE, Norwegian Research Centre, 112, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD London, UK
| | - Helena Wiklund
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD London, UK; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tammy Horton
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, SO14 3ZH Southampton, UK
| | - Adrian G Glover
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD London, UK
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4
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Rabone M, Horton T, Jones DOB, Simon-Lledó E, Glover AG. A review of the International Seabed Authority database DeepData from a biological perspective: challenges and opportunities in the UN Ocean Decade. Database (Oxford) 2023; 2023:7097613. [PMID: 36999559 PMCID: PMC10064262 DOI: 10.1093/database/baad013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for high-quality biodiversity data in the context of rapid environmental change. Nowhere is this need more urgent than in the deep ocean, with the possibility of seabed mining moving from exploration to exploitation, but where vast knowledge gaps persist. Regions of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction, managed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), are undergoing intensive mining exploration, including the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Central Pacific. In 2019, the ISA launched its database 'DeepData', publishing environmental (including biological) data. Here, we explore how DeepData could support biological research and environmental policy development in the CCZ (and wider ocean regions) and whether data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR). Given the direct connection of DeepData with the regulator of a rapidly developing potential industry, this review is particularly timely. We found evidence of extensive duplication of datasets; an absence of unique record identifiers and significant taxonomic data-quality issues, compromising FAIRness of the data. The publication of DeepData records on the OBIS ISA node in 2021 has led to large-scale improvements in data quality and accessibility. However, limitations in the usage of identifiers and issues with taxonomic information were also evident in datasets published on the node, stemming from mismapping of data from the ISA environmental data template to the data standard Darwin Core prior to data harvesting by OBIS. While notable data-quality issues remain, these changes signal a rapid evolution for the database and significant movement towards integrating with global systems, through the usage of data standards and publication on the global data aggregator OBIS. This is exactly what has been needed for biological datasets held by the ISA. We provide recommendations for the future development of the database to support this evolution towards FAIR. Database URL https://data.isa.org.jm/isa/map.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rabone
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Research Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - T Horton
- Ocean Biogeosciences, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - D O B Jones
- Ocean Biogeosciences, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - E Simon-Lledó
- Ocean Biogeosciences, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - A G Glover
- Deep-Sea Systematics and Ecology Research Group, Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD, UK
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5
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Stewart ECD, Bribiesca‐Contreras G, Taboada S, Wiklund H, Ravara A, Pape E, De Smet B, Neal L, Cunha MR, Jones DOB, Smith CR, Glover AG, Dahlgren TG. Biodiversity, biogeography, and connectivity of polychaetes in the world's largest marine minerals exploration frontier. DIVERS DISTRIB 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
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6
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Simon-Lledó E, Bett BJ, Benoist NMA, Hoving HJ, Aleynik D, Horton T, Jones DOB. Mass falls of crustacean carcasses link surface waters and the deep seafloor. Ecology 2023; 104:e3898. [PMID: 36263763 PMCID: PMC10078340 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Henk-Jan Hoving
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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7
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Levin LA, Wei C, Dunn DC, Amon DJ, Ashford OS, Cheung WWL, Colaço A, Dominguez‐Carrió C, Escobar EG, Harden‐Davies HR, Drazen JC, Ismail K, Jones DOB, Johnson DE, Le JT, Lejzerowicz F, Mitarai S, Morato T, Mulsow S, Snelgrove PVR, Sweetman AK, Yasuhara M. Climate change considerations are fundamental to management of deep-sea resource extraction. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:4664-4678. [PMID: 32531093 PMCID: PMC7496832 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Climate change manifestation in the ocean, through warming, oxygen loss, increasing acidification, and changing particulate organic carbon flux (one metric of altered food supply), is projected to affect most deep-ocean ecosystems concomitantly with increasing direct human disturbance. Climate drivers will alter deep-sea biodiversity and associated ecosystem services, and may interact with disturbance from resource extraction activities or even climate geoengineering. We suggest that to ensure the effective management of increasing use of the deep ocean (e.g., for bottom fishing, oil and gas extraction, and deep-seabed mining), environmental management and developing regulations must consider climate change. Strategic planning, impact assessment and monitoring, spatial management, application of the precautionary approach, and full-cost accounting of extraction activities should embrace climate consciousness. Coupled climate and biological modeling approaches applied in the water and on the seafloor can help accomplish this goal. For example, Earth-System Model projections of climate-change parameters at the seafloor reveal heterogeneity in projected climate hazard and time of emergence (beyond natural variability) in regions targeted for deep-seabed mining. Models that combine climate-induced changes in ocean circulation with particle tracking predict altered transport of early life stages (larvae) under climate change. Habitat suitability models can help assess the consequences of altered larval dispersal, predict climate refugia, and identify vulnerable regions for multiple species under climate change. Engaging the deep observing community can support the necessary data provisioning to mainstream climate into the development of environmental management plans. To illustrate this approach, we focus on deep-seabed mining and the International Seabed Authority, whose mandates include regulation of all mineral-related activities in international waters and protecting the marine environment from the harmful effects of mining. However, achieving deep-ocean sustainability under the UN Sustainable Development Goals will require integration of climate consideration across all policy sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A. Levin
- Integrative Oceanography Division and Center for Marine Biodiversity and ConservationScripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA
| | - Chih‐Lin Wei
- Institute of OceanographyNational Taiwan UniversityTaipeiTaiwan
| | - Daniel C. Dunn
- School of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQldAustralia
| | - Diva J. Amon
- Life Sciences DepartmentNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - Oliver S. Ashford
- Integrative Oceanography Division and Center for Marine Biodiversity and ConservationScripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA
| | - William W. L. Cheung
- Institute for the Oceans and FisheriesThe University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Ana Colaço
- IMARInstituto do Mar, and Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar – Okeanos da Universidade dos AçoresHortaPortugal
| | - Carlos Dominguez‐Carrió
- IMARInstituto do Mar, and Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar – Okeanos da Universidade dos AçoresHortaPortugal
| | - Elva G. Escobar
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y LimnologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoMexico CityMexico
| | - Harriet R. Harden‐Davies
- Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and SecurityUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
| | - Jeffrey C. Drazen
- Department of OceanographyUniversity of Hawaii at ManoaHonoluluHIUSA
| | - Khaira Ismail
- Faculty of Science and Marine EnvironmentUniversiti Malaysia TerengganuKuala TerengganuMalaysia
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems GroupNational Oceanography CentreSouthamptonUK
| | - David E. Johnson
- Global Ocean Biodiversity InitiativeSeascape Consultants Ltd.RomseyUK
| | - Jennifer T. Le
- Integrative Oceanography Division and Center for Marine Biodiversity and ConservationScripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of California, San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA
| | - Franck Lejzerowicz
- Jacobs School of EngineeringUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCAUSA
| | - Satoshi Mitarai
- Marine Biophysics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOkinawaJapan
| | - Telmo Morato
- IMARInstituto do Mar, and Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar – Okeanos da Universidade dos AçoresHortaPortugal
| | - Sandor Mulsow
- Instituto Ciencias Marinas y LimnológicasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Paul V. R. Snelgrove
- Department of Ocean Sciences and Biology DepartmentMemorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John'sNLCanada
| | - Andrew K. Sweetman
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and TechnologyHeriot Watt UniversityEdinburghUK
| | - Moriaki Yasuhara
- School of Biological Sciences and Swire Institute of Marine ScienceThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
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8
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Milligan RJ, Scott EM, Jones DOB, Bett BJ, Jamieson AJ, O'Brien R, Pereira Costa S, Rowe GT, Ruhl HA, Smith KL, de Susanne P, Vardaro MF, Bailey DM. Evidence for seasonal cycles in deep-sea fish abundances: A great migration in the deep SE Atlantic? J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1593-1603. [PMID: 32198925 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Animal migrations are of global ecological significance, providing mechanisms for the transport of nutrients and energy between distant locations. In much of the deep sea (>200 m water depth), the export of nutrients from the surface ocean provides a crucial but seasonally variable energy source to seafloor ecosystems. Seasonal faunal migrations have been hypothesized to occur on the deep seafloor as a result, but have not been documented. Here, we analyse a 7.5-year record of photographic data from the Deep-ocean Environmental Long-term Observatory Systems seafloor observatories to determine whether there was evidence of seasonal (intra-annual) migratory behaviours in a deep-sea fish assemblage on the West African margin and, if so, identify potential cues for the behaviour. Our findings demonstrate a correlation between intra-annual changes in demersal fish abundance at 1,400 m depth and satellite-derived estimates of primary production off the coast of Angola. Highest fish abundances were observed in late November with a smaller peak in June, occurring approximately 4 months after corresponding peaks in primary production. Observed changes in fish abundance occurred too rapidly to be explained by recruitment or mortality, and must therefore have a behavioural driver. Given the recurrent patterns observed, and the established importance of bottom-up trophic structuring in deep-sea ecosystems, we hypothesize that a large fraction of the fish assemblage may conduct seasonal migrations in this region, and propose seasonal variability in surface ocean primary production as a plausible cause. Such trophic control could lead to changes in the abundance of fishes across the seafloor by affecting secondary production of prey species and/or carrion availability for example. In summary, we present the first evidence for seasonally recurring patterns in deep-sea demersal fish abundances over a 7-year period, and demonstrate a previously unobserved level of dynamism in the deep sea, potentially mirroring the great migrations so well characterized in terrestrial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna J Milligan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - E Marian Scott
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | - Alan J Jamieson
- School of Natural and Environmental Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Robert O'Brien
- BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, Sunbury on Thames, UK
| | - Sofia Pereira Costa
- BP Angola (Block 18) BV, BP International Centre for Business & Technology, Sunbury on Thames, UK
| | | | - Henry A Ruhl
- National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK.,Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Ken L Smith
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Philippe de Susanne
- BP Angola (Block 18) BV, BP International Centre for Business & Technology, Sunbury on Thames, UK
| | | | - David M Bailey
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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9
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Affiliation(s)
- Katleen Robert
- Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial UniversitySt. John’s NL Canada
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre University of Southampton Waterfront Campus Southampton UK
| | - Aggeliki Georgiopoulou
- School of Earth Sciences University College Dublin Dublin Ireland
- School of Environment and Technology University of Brighton Brighton UK
| | - Veerle A. I. Huvenne
- National Oceanography Centre University of Southampton Waterfront Campus Southampton UK
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10
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Simon‐Lledó E, Bett BJ, Huvenne VAI, Schoening T, Benoist NMA, Jones DOB. Ecology of a polymetallic nodule occurrence gradient: Implications for deep-sea mining. Limnol Oceanogr 2019; 64:1883-1894. [PMID: 31598009 PMCID: PMC6774340 DOI: 10.1002/lno.11157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Abyssal polymetallic nodule fields constitute an unusual deep-sea habitat. The mix of soft sediment and the hard substratum provided by nodules increases the complexity of these environments. Hard substrata typically support a very distinct fauna to that of seabed sediments, and its presence can play a major role in the structuring of benthic assemblages. We assessed the influence of seafloor nodule cover on the megabenthos of a marine conservation area (area of particular environmental interest 6) in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (3950-4250 m water depth) using extensive photographic surveys from an autonomous underwater vehicle. Variations in nodule cover (1-20%) appeared to exert statistically significant differences in faunal standing stocks, some biological diversity attributes, faunal composition, functional group composition, and the distribution of individual species. The standing stock of both the metazoan fauna and the giant protists (xenophyophores) doubled with a very modest initial increase in nodule cover (from 1% to 3%). Perhaps contrary to expectation, we detected little if any substantive variation in biological diversity along the nodule cover gradient. Faunal composition varied continuously along the nodule cover gradient. We discuss these results in the context of potential seabed-mining operations and the associated sustainable management and conservation plans. We note in particular that successful conservation actions will likely require the preservation of areas comprising the full range of nodule cover and not just the low cover areas that are least attractive to mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Simon‐Lledó
- National Oceanography CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Brian J. Bett
- National Oceanography CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | | | - Timm Schoening
- Marine Geosystems Working Group, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean ResearchKielGermany
| | - Noelie M. A. Benoist
- National Oceanography CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography CentreUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
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11
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Langenkämper D, Simon-Lledó E, Hosking B, Jones DOB, Nattkemper TW. On the impact of Citizen Science-derived data quality on deep learning based classification in marine images. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218086. [PMID: 31188894 PMCID: PMC6561570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The evaluation of large amounts of digital image data is of growing importance for biology, including for the exploration and monitoring of marine habitats. However, only a tiny percentage of the image data collected is evaluated by marine biologists who manually interpret and annotate the image contents, which can be slow and laborious. In order to overcome the bottleneck in image annotation, two strategies are increasingly proposed: “citizen science” and “machine learning”. In this study, we investigated how the combination of citizen science, to detect objects, and machine learning, to classify megafauna, could be used to automate annotation of underwater images. For this purpose, multiple large data sets of citizen science annotations with different degrees of common errors and inaccuracies observed in citizen science data were simulated by modifying “gold standard” annotations done by an experienced marine biologist. The parameters of the simulation were determined on the basis of two citizen science experiments. It allowed us to analyze the relationship between the outcome of a citizen science study and the quality of the classifications of a deep learning megafauna classifier. The results show great potential for combining citizen science with machine learning, provided that the participants are informed precisely about the annotation protocol. Inaccuracies in the position of the annotation had the most substantial influence on the classification accuracy, whereas the size of the marking and false positive detections had a smaller influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Langenkämper
- Biodata Mining Group, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Erik Simon-Lledó
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Brett Hosking
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Tim W. Nattkemper
- Biodata Mining Group, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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12
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Jones DOB, Gates AR, Huvenne VAI, Phillips AB, Bett BJ. Autonomous marine environmental monitoring: Application in decommissioned oil fields. Sci Total Environ 2019; 668:835-853. [PMID: 30870752 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hundreds of Oil & Gas Industry structures in the marine environment are approaching decommissioning. In most areas decommissioning operations will need to be supported by environmental assessment and monitoring, potentially over the life of any structures left in place. This requirement will have a considerable cost for industry and the public. Here we review approaches for the assessment of the primary operating environments associated with decommissioning - namely structures, pipelines, cuttings piles, the general seabed environment and the water column - and show that already available marine autonomous systems (MAS) offer a wide range of solutions for this major monitoring challenge. Data of direct relevance to decommissioning can be collected using acoustic, visual, and oceanographic sensors deployed on MAS. We suggest that there is considerable potential for both cost savings and a substantial improvement in the temporal and spatial resolution of environmental monitoring. We summarise the trade-offs between MAS and current conventional approaches to marine environmental monitoring. MAS have the potential to successfully carry out much of the monitoring associated with decommissioning and to offer viable alternatives where a direct match for the conventional approach is not possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - Andrew R Gates
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Veerle A I Huvenne
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Alexander B Phillips
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Brian J Bett
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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13
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Simon-Lledó E, Bett BJ, Huvenne VAI, Köser K, Schoening T, Greinert J, Jones DOB. Biological effects 26 years after simulated deep-sea mining. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8040. [PMID: 31142831 PMCID: PMC6541615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44492-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential for imminent abyssal polymetallic nodule exploitation has raised considerable scientific attention. The interface between the targeted nodule resource and sediment in this unusual mosaic habitat promotes the development of some of the most biologically diverse communities in the abyss. However, the ecology of these remote ecosystems is still poorly understood, so it is unclear to what extent and timescale these ecosystems will be affected by, and could recover from, mining disturbance. Using data inferred from seafloor photo-mosaics, we show that the effects of simulated mining impacts, induced during the "DISturbance and reCOLonization experiment" (DISCOL) conducted in 1989, were still evident in the megabenthos of the Peru Basin after 26 years. Suspension-feeder presence remained significantly reduced in disturbed areas, while deposit-feeders showed no diminished presence in disturbed areas, for the first time since the experiment began. Nevertheless, we found significantly lower heterogeneity diversity in disturbed areas and markedly distinct faunal compositions along different disturbance levels. If the results of this experiment at DISCOL can be extrapolated to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, the impacts of polymetallic nodule mining there may be greater than expected, and could potentially lead to an irreversible loss of some ecosystem functions, especially in directly disturbed areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Simon-Lledó
- National Oceanography Centre, Empress Dock, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK.
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK.
| | - Brian J Bett
- National Oceanography Centre, Empress Dock, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Kevin Köser
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, D-24148, Kiel, Germany
| | - Timm Schoening
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, D-24148, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jens Greinert
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, D-24148, Kiel, Germany
- Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Institute of Geosciences, D-24098, Kiel, Germany
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, Empress Dock, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK
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14
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Taboada S, Riesgo A, Wiklund H, Paterson GLJ, Koutsouveli V, Santodomingo N, Dale AC, Smith CR, Jones DOB, Dahlgren TG, Glover AG. Implications of population connectivity studies for the design of marine protected areas in the deep sea: An example of a demosponge from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:4657-4679. [PMID: 30378207 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The abyssal demosponge Plenaster craigi inhabits the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the northeast Pacific, a region with abundant seafloor polymetallic nodules with potential mining interest. Since P. craigi is a very abundant encrusting sponge on nodules, understanding its genetic diversity and connectivity could provide important insights into extinction risks and design of marine protected areas. Our main aim was to assess the effectiveness of the Area of Particular Environmental Interest 6 (APEI-6) as a potential genetic reservoir for three adjacent mining exploration contract areas (UK-1A, UK-1B and OMS-1A). As in many other sponges, COI showed extremely low variability even for samples ~900 km apart. Conversely, the 168 individuals of P. craigi, genotyped for 11 microsatellite markers, provided strong genetic structure at large geographical scales not explained by isolation by distance (IBD). Interestingly, we detected molecular affinities between samples from APEI-6 and UK-1A, despite being separated ~800 km. Although our migration analysis inferred very little progeny dispersal of individuals between areas, the major differentiation of OMS-1A from the other areas might be explained by the occurrence of predominantly northeasterly transport predicted by the HYCOM hydrodynamic model. Our study suggests that although APEI-6 does serve a conservation role, with species connectivity to the exploration areas, it is on its own inadequate as a propagule source for P. craigi for the entire eastern portion of the CCZ. Our new data suggest that an APEI located to the east and/or the south of the UK-1, OMS-1, BGR, TOML and NORI areas would be highly valuable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Taboada
- Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.,Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Ana Riesgo
- Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Helena Wiklund
- Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Andrew C Dale
- The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK
| | - Craig R Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Thomas G Dahlgren
- NORCE, Uni Research, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Adrian G Glover
- Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
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15
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Macreadie PI, McLean DL, Thomson PG, Partridge JC, Jones DOB, Gates AR, Benfield MC, Collin SP, Booth DJ, Smith LL, Techera E, Skropeta D, Horton T, Pattiaratchi C, Bond T, Fowler AM. Eyes in the sea: Unlocking the mysteries of the ocean using industrial, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Sci Total Environ 2018; 634:1077-1091. [PMID: 29660864 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
For thousands of years humankind has sought to explore our oceans. Evidence of this early intrigue dates back to 130,000BCE, but the advent of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in the 1950s introduced technology that has had significant impact on ocean exploration. Today, ROVs play a critical role in both military (e.g. retrieving torpedoes and mines) and salvage operations (e.g. locating historic shipwrecks such as the RMS Titanic), and are crucial for oil and gas (O&G) exploration and operations. Industrial ROVs collect millions of observations of our oceans each year, fueling scientific discoveries. Herein, we assembled a group of international ROV experts from both academia and industry to reflect on these discoveries and, more importantly, to identify key questions relating to our oceans that can be supported using industry ROVs. From a long list, we narrowed down to the 10 most important questions in ocean science that we feel can be supported (whole or in part) by increasing access to industry ROVs, and collaborations with the companies that use them. The questions covered opportunity (e.g. what is the resource value of the oceans?) to the impacts of global change (e.g. which marine ecosystems are most sensitive to anthropogenic impact?). Looking ahead, we provide recommendations for how data collected by ROVs can be maximised by higher levels of collaboration between academia and industry, resulting in win-win outcomes. What is clear from this work is that the potential of industrial ROV technology in unravelling the mysteries of our oceans is only just beginning to be realised. This is particularly important as the oceans are subject to increasing impacts from global change and industrial exploitation. The coming decades will represent an important time for scientists to partner with industry that use ROVs in order to make the most of these 'eyes in the sea'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter I Macreadie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Victoria 3216, Australia.
| | - Dianne L McLean
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Paul G Thomson
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Julian C Partridge
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Andrew R Gates
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Mark C Benfield
- Louisiana State University, Collegee of the Coast and Environment, Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Shaun P Collin
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - David J Booth
- Fish Ecology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway, 2007, Australia
| | - Luke L Smith
- Woodside Energy, 240 Georges Terace, Perth, Western Australia 6000, Australia
| | - Erika Techera
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Danielle Skropeta
- School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, 2500, Australia
| | - Tammy Horton
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Charitha Pattiaratchi
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Todd Bond
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Ashley M Fowler
- Fish Ecology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway, 2007, Australia; New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
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16
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Marsh L, Huvenne VAI, Jones DOB. Geomorphological evidence of large vertebrates interacting with the seafloor at abyssal depths in a region designated for deep-sea mining. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:180286. [PMID: 30225016 PMCID: PMC6124127 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Exploration licences for seafloor mineral deposits have been granted across large areas of the world's oceans, with the abyssal Pacific Ocean being the primary target for polymetallic nodules-a potentially valuable source of minerals. These nodule-bearing areas support a large diversity of deep-sea life and although studies have begun to characterize the benthic fauna within the region, the ecological interactions between large bathypelagic vertebrates of the open ocean and the abyssal seafloor remain largely unknown. Here we report seafloor geomorphological alterations observed by an autonomous underwater vehicle that suggest large vertebrates could have interacted with the seafloor to a maximum depth of 4258 m in the recent geological past. Patterns of disturbance on the seafloor are broadly comparable to those recorded in other regions of the world's oceans attributed to beaked whales. These observations have important implications for baseline ecological assessments and the environmental management of potential future mining activities within this region of the Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh Marsh
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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17
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Brown A, Thatje S, Morris JP, Oliphant A, Morgan EA, Hauton C, Jones DOB, Pond DW. Metabolic costs imposed by hydrostatic pressure constrain bathymetric range in the lithodid crab Lithodes maja. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:3916-3926. [PMID: 29093188 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.158543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The changing climate is shifting the distributions of marine species, yet the potential for shifts in depth distributions is virtually unexplored. Hydrostatic pressure is proposed to contribute to a physiological bottleneck constraining depth range extension in shallow-water taxa. However, bathymetric limitation by hydrostatic pressure remains undemonstrated, and the mechanism limiting hyperbaric tolerance remains hypothetical. Here, we assess the effects of hydrostatic pressure in the lithodid crab Lithodes maja (bathymetric range 4-790 m depth, approximately equivalent to 0.1 to 7.9 MPa hydrostatic pressure). Heart rate decreased with increasing hydrostatic pressure, and was significantly lower at ≥10.0 MPa than at 0.1 MPa. Oxygen consumption increased with increasing hydrostatic pressure to 12.5 MPa, before decreasing as hydrostatic pressure increased to 20.0 MPa; oxygen consumption was significantly higher at 7.5-17.5 MPa than at 0.1 MPa. Increases in expression of genes associated with neurotransmission, metabolism and stress were observed between 7.5 and 12.5 MPa. We suggest that hyperbaric tolerance in Lmaja may be oxygen-limited by hyperbaric effects on heart rate and metabolic rate, but that Lmaja's bathymetric range is limited by metabolic costs imposed by the effects of high hydrostatic pressure. These results advocate including hydrostatic pressure in a complex model of environmental tolerance, where energy limitation constrains biogeographic range, and facilitate the incorporation of hydrostatic pressure into the broader metabolic framework for ecology and evolution. Such an approach is crucial for accurately projecting biogeographic responses to changing climate, and for understanding the ecology and evolution of life at depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Brown
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Sven Thatje
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - James P Morris
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Andrew Oliphant
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Elizabeth A Morgan
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Chris Hauton
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - David W Pond
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, UK
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18
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Brown A, Hauton C, Stratmann T, Sweetman A, van Oevelen D, Jones DOB. Metabolic rates are significantly lower in abyssal Holothuroidea than in shallow-water Holothuroidea. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:172162. [PMID: 29892403 PMCID: PMC5990736 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent analyses of metabolic rates in fishes, echinoderms, crustaceans and cephalopods have concluded that bathymetric declines in temperature- and mass-normalized metabolic rate do not result from resource-limitation (e.g. oxygen or food/chemical energy), decreasing temperature or increasing hydrostatic pressure. Instead, based on contrasting bathymetric patterns reported in the metabolic rates of visual and non-visual taxa, declining metabolic rate with depth is proposed to result from relaxation of selection for high locomotory capacity in visual predators as light diminishes. Here, we present metabolic rates of Holothuroidea, a non-visual benthic and benthopelagic echinoderm class, determined in situ at abyssal depths (greater than 4000 m depth). Mean temperature- and mass-normalized metabolic rate did not differ significantly between shallow-water (less than 200 m depth) and bathyal (200-4000 m depth) holothurians, but was significantly lower in abyssal (greater than 4000 m depth) holothurians than in shallow-water holothurians. These results support the dominance of the visual interactions hypothesis at bathyal depths, but indicate that ecological or evolutionary pressures other than biotic visual interactions contribute to bathymetric variation in holothurian metabolic rates. Multiple nonlinear regression assuming power or exponential models indicates that in situ hydrostatic pressure and/or food/chemical energy availability are responsible for variation in holothurian metabolic rates. Consequently, these results have implications for modelling deep-sea energetics and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Brown
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Chris Hauton
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Tanja Stratmann
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Yerseke), and Utrecht University, PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Sweetman
- The Sir Charles Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Dick van Oevelen
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Yerseke), and Utrecht University, PO Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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19
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Vad J, Kazanidis G, Henry LA, Jones DOB, Tendal OS, Christiansen S, Henry TB, Roberts JM. Potential Impacts of Offshore Oil and Gas Activities on Deep-Sea Sponges and the Habitats They Form. Adv Mar Biol 2018; 79:33-60. [PMID: 30012276 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sponges form an important component of benthic ecosystems from shallow littoral to hadal depths. In the deep ocean, beyond the continental shelf, sponges can form high-density fields, constituting important habitats supporting rich benthic communities. Yet these habitats remain relatively unexplored. The oil and gas industry has played an important role in advancing our knowledge of deep-sea environments. Since its inception in the 1960s, offshore oil and gas industry has moved into deeper waters. However, the impacts of these activities on deep-sea sponges and other ecosystems are only starting to become the subject of active research. Throughout the development, operation and closure of an oil or gas field many activities take place, ranging from the seismic exploration of subseafloor geological features to the installation of infrastructure at the seabed to the drilling process itself. These routine activities and accidental releases of hydrocarbons during spills can significantly impact the local marine environment. Each phase of a field development or an accidental oil spill will therefore have different impacts on sponges at community, individual and cellular levels. Legacy issues regarding the future decommissioning of infrastructure and the abandonment of wells are also important environmental management considerations. This chapter reviews our understanding of impacts from hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation activities on deep-sea sponges and the habitats they form. These impacts include those (1) at community level, decreasing the diversity and density of benthic communities associated with deep-sea sponges owing to physical disturbance of the seabed; (2) at individual level, interrupting filtration owing to exposure to increased sedimentation; and (3) at cellular level, decreasing cellular membrane stability owing to exposure to drill muds. However, many potential effects not yet tested in deep-sea sponges but observed in shallow-water sponges or other model organisms should also be taken into account. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have shown impact of oil or dispersed oil on deep-sea sponges. To highlight these significant knowledge gaps, a summary table of potential and known impacts of hydrocarbon extraction and production activities combined with a simple "traffic light" scheme is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Vad
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Georgios Kazanidis
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lea-Anne Henry
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ole S Tendal
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Theodore B Henry
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, United Kingdom; Center for Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - J Murray Roberts
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, United States.
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20
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Dunlop KM, Jones DOB, Sweetman AK. Direct evidence of an efficient energy transfer pathway from jellyfish carcasses to a commercially important deep-water species. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17455. [PMID: 29234052 PMCID: PMC5727084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we provide empirical evidence of the presence of an energetic pathway between jellyfish and a commercially important invertebrate species. Evidence of scavenging on jellyfish carcasses by the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) was captured during two deployments of an underwater camera system to 250–287 m depth in Sognefjorden, western Norway. The camera system was baited with two Periphylla periphylla (Scyphozoa) carcasses to simulate the transport of jellyfish detritus to the seafloor, hereby known as jelly-falls. N. norveigus rapidly located and consumed a large proportion (>50%) of the bait. We estimate that the energy input from jelly-falls may represent a significant contribution to N. norvegicus energy demand (0.21 to 10.7 times the energy required for the population of N. norvegicus in Sognefjorden). This potentially high energetic contribution from jelly-falls highlights a possible role of gelatinous material in the support of commercial fisheries. Such an energetic pathway between jelly-falls and N. norvegicus could become more important with increases in jellyfish blooms in some regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy M Dunlop
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway. .,The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK. .,International Research Institute of Stavanger, Prof. Olav Hanssensvei 15, 4021, Stavanger, Norway.
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Andrew K Sweetman
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK
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21
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Abstract
Poly-metallic nodules are a marine resource considered for deep sea mining. Assessing nodule abundance is of interest for mining companies and to monitor potential environmental impact. Optical seafloor imaging allows quantifying poly-metallic nodule abundance at spatial scales from centimetres to square kilometres. Towed cameras and diving robots acquire high-resolution imagery that allow detecting individual nodules and measure their sizes. Spatial abundance statistics can be computed from these size measurements, providing e.g. seafloor coverage in percent and the nodule size distribution. Detecting nodules requires segmentation of nodule pixels from pixels showing sediment background. Semi-supervised pattern recognition has been proposed to automate this task. Existing nodule segmentation algorithms employ machine learning that trains a classifier to segment the nodules in a high-dimensional feature space. Here, a rapid nodule segmentation algorithm is presented. It omits computation-intense feature-based classification and employs image processing only. It exploits a nodule compactness heuristic to delineate individual nodules. Complex machine learning methods are avoided to keep the algorithm simple and fast. The algorithm has successfully been applied to different image datasets. These data sets were acquired by different cameras, camera platforms and in varying illumination conditions. Their successful analysis shows the broad applicability of the proposed method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timm Schoening
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany.
| | | | - Jens Greinert
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
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22
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Gooday AJ, Holzmann M, Caulle C, Goineau A, Jones DOB, Kamenskaya O, Simon-Lledó E, Weber AAT, Pawlowski J. New species of the xenophyophore genus Aschemonella (Rhizaria: Foraminifera) from areas of the abyssal eastern Pacific licensed for polymetallic nodule exploration. Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Gooday
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Maria Holzmann
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clemence Caulle
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer, Centre Bretagne, ZI de la Pointe du Diable, CS, Plouzané, France
| | - Aurélie Goineau
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Olga Kamenskaya
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nahimovskiy Prospekt, Moscow, Russia
| | - Erik Simon-Lledó
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Alexandra A -T Weber
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Jan Pawlowski
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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23
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Yool A, Martin AP, Anderson TR, Bett BJ, Jones DOB, Ruhl HA. Big in the benthos: Future change of seafloor community biomass in a global, body size-resolved model. Glob Chang Biol 2017; 23:3554-3566. [PMID: 28317324 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Deep-water benthic communities in the ocean are almost wholly dependent on near-surface pelagic ecosystems for their supply of energy and material resources. Primary production in sunlit surface waters is channelled through complex food webs that extensively recycle organic material, but lose a fraction as particulate organic carbon (POC) that sinks into the ocean interior. This exported production is further rarefied by microbial breakdown in the abyssal ocean, but a residual ultimately drives diverse assemblages of seafloor heterotrophs. Advances have led to an understanding of the importance of size (body mass) in structuring these communities. Here we force a size-resolved benthic biomass model, BORIS, using seafloor POC flux from a coupled ocean-biogeochemistry model, NEMO-MEDUSA, to investigate global patterns in benthic biomass. BORIS resolves 16 size classes of metazoans, successively doubling in mass from approximately 1 μg to 28 mg. Simulations find a wide range of seasonal responses to differing patterns of POC forcing, with both a decline in seasonal variability, and an increase in peak lag times with increasing body size. However, the dominant factor for modelled benthic communities is the integrated magnitude of POC reaching the seafloor rather than its seasonal pattern. Scenarios of POC forcing under climate change and ocean acidification are then applied to investigate how benthic communities may change under different future conditions. Against a backdrop of falling surface primary production (-6.1%), and driven by changes in pelagic remineralization with depth, results show that while benthic communities in shallow seas generally show higher biomass in a warmed world (+3.2%), deep-sea communities experience a substantial decline (-32%) under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario. Our results underscore the importance for benthic ecology of reducing uncertainty in the magnitude and seasonality of seafloor POC fluxes, as well as the importance of studying a broader range of seafloor environments for future model development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Yool
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Adrian P Martin
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Thomas R Anderson
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Brian J Bett
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
| | - Henry A Ruhl
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, UK
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24
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Robert K, Huvenne VAI, Georgiopoulou A, Jones DOB, Marsh L, D O Carter G, Chaumillon L. New approaches to high-resolution mapping of marine vertical structures. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9005. [PMID: 28827612 PMCID: PMC5567197 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09382-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertical walls in marine environments can harbour high biodiversity and provide natural protection from bottom-trawling activities. However, traditional mapping techniques are usually restricted to down-looking approaches which cannot adequately replicate their 3D structure. We combined sideways-looking multibeam echosounder (MBES) data from an AUV, forward-looking MBES data from ROVs and ROV-acquired videos to examine walls from Rockall Bank and Whittard Canyon, Northeast Atlantic. High-resolution 3D point clouds were extracted from each sonar dataset and structure from motion photogrammetry (SfM) was applied to recreate 3D representations of video transects along the walls. With these reconstructions, it was possible to interact with extensive sections of video footage and precisely position individuals. Terrain variables were derived on scales comparable to those experienced by megabenthic individuals. These were used to show differences in environmental conditions between observed and background locations as well as explain spatial patterns in ecological characteristics. In addition, since the SfM 3D reconstructions retained colours, they were employed to separate and quantify live coral colonies versus dead framework. The combination of these new technologies allows us, for the first time, to map the physical 3D structure of previously inaccessible habitats and demonstrates the complexity and importance of vertical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katleen Robert
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom.
| | - Veerle A I Huvenne
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - Aggeliki Georgiopoulou
- School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, D04 V1W8, Ireland.,Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - Leigh Marsh
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom.,Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth D O Carter
- Marine Geoscience, British Geological Survey, The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, United Kingdom
| | - Leo Chaumillon
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom.,L'Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer (INTECHMER), Boulevard de Collignon, Tourlaville, Cherbourg, 50110, France
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25
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Gollner S, Kaiser S, Menzel L, Jones DOB, Brown A, Mestre NC, van Oevelen D, Menot L, Colaço A, Canals M, Cuvelier D, Durden JM, Gebruk A, Egho GA, Haeckel M, Marcon Y, Mevenkamp L, Morato T, Pham CK, Purser A, Sanchez-Vidal A, Vanreusel A, Vink A, Martinez Arbizu P. Resilience of benthic deep-sea fauna to mining activities. Mar Environ Res 2017; 129:76-101. [PMID: 28487161 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
With increasing demand for mineral resources, extraction of polymetallic sulphides at hydrothermal vents, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts at seamounts, and polymetallic nodules on abyssal plains may be imminent. Here, we shortly introduce ecosystem characteristics of mining areas, report on recent mining developments, and identify potential stress and disturbances created by mining. We analyze species' potential resistance to future mining and perform meta-analyses on population density and diversity recovery after disturbances most similar to mining: volcanic eruptions at vents, fisheries on seamounts, and experiments that mimic nodule mining on abyssal plains. We report wide variation in recovery rates among taxa, size, and mobility of fauna. While densities and diversities of some taxa can recover to or even exceed pre-disturbance levels, community composition remains affected after decades. The loss of hard substrata or alteration of substrata composition may cause substantial community shifts that persist over geological timescales at mined sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Gollner
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany; Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Ocean Systems (OCS), 't Horntje (Texel), The Netherlands.
| | - Stefanie Kaiser
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Lena Menzel
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre (NOC), University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom.
| | - Alastair Brown
- University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.
| | - Nelia C Mestre
- CIMA, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Algarve, Portugal.
| | - Dick van Oevelen
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Estuarine and Delta Systems (EDS), Yerseke, The Netherlands.
| | - Lenaick Menot
- IFREMER, Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer, Plouzane, France.
| | - Ana Colaço
- IMAR Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Horta, Açores, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Horta, Açores, Portugal.
| | - Miquel Canals
- GRC Marine Geosciences, Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Daphne Cuvelier
- IMAR Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Horta, Açores, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Horta, Açores, Portugal.
| | - Jennifer M Durden
- National Oceanography Centre (NOC), University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrey Gebruk
- P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Great A Egho
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | | | - Yann Marcon
- Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany; MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Lisa Mevenkamp
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Telmo Morato
- IMAR Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Horta, Açores, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Horta, Açores, Portugal.
| | - Christopher K Pham
- IMAR Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Horta, Açores, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas, Horta, Açores, Portugal.
| | - Autun Purser
- Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Bremerhaven, Germany.
| | - Anna Sanchez-Vidal
- GRC Marine Geosciences, Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics, Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ann Vanreusel
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Annemiek Vink
- Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Pedro Martinez Arbizu
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
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26
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Jones DOB, Kaiser S, Sweetman AK, Smith CR, Menot L, Vink A, Trueblood D, Greinert J, Billett DSM, Arbizu PM, Radziejewska T, Singh R, Ingole B, Stratmann T, Simon-Lledó E, Durden JM, Clark MR. Biological responses to disturbance from simulated deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171750. [PMID: 28178346 PMCID: PMC5298332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Commercial-scale mining for polymetallic nodules could have a major impact on the deep-sea environment, but the effects of these mining activities on deep-sea ecosystems are very poorly known. The first commercial test mining for polymetallic nodules was carried out in 1970. Since then a number of small-scale commercial test mining or scientific disturbance studies have been carried out. Here we evaluate changes in faunal densities and diversity of benthic communities measured in response to these 11 simulated or test nodule mining disturbances using meta-analysis techniques. We find that impacts are often severe immediately after mining, with major negative changes in density and diversity of most groups occurring. However, in some cases, the mobile fauna and small-sized fauna experienced less negative impacts over the longer term. At seven sites in the Pacific, multiple surveys assessed recovery in fauna over periods of up to 26 years. Almost all studies show some recovery in faunal density and diversity for meiofauna and mobile megafauna, often within one year. However, very few faunal groups return to baseline or control conditions after two decades. The effects of polymetallic nodule mining are likely to be long term. Our analyses show considerable negative biological effects of seafloor nodule mining, even at the small scale of test mining experiments, although there is variation in sensitivity amongst organisms of different sizes and functional groups, which have important implications for ecosystem responses. Unfortunately, many past studies have limitations that reduce their effectiveness in determining responses. We provide recommendations to improve future mining impact test studies. Further research to assess the effects of test-mining activities will inform ways to improve mining practices and guide effective environmental management of mining activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Stefanie Kaiser
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Andrew K. Sweetman
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Craig R. Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | | | - Annemiek Vink
- Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources), Geozentrum Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dwight Trueblood
- NOAA Office for Coastal Management, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Jens Greinert
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre For Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel, Germany
- Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Institute of Geosciences, Kiel, Germany
| | - David S. M. Billett
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro Martinez Arbizu
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Teresa Radziejewska
- Palaeoceanology Unit, Faculty of Geosciences, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Ravail Singh
- Senckenberg am Meer, German Centre for Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Baban Ingole
- CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India
| | - Tanja Stratmann
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, and Utrecht University, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Simon-Lledó
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer M. Durden
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm R. Clark
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
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27
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Main CE, Yool A, Holliday NP, Popova EE, Jones DOB, Ruhl HA. Simulating pathways of subsurface oil in the Faroe-Shetland Channel using an ocean general circulation model. Mar Pollut Bull 2017; 114:315-326. [PMID: 27745973 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the fate of subsurface hydrocarbon plumes from deep-sea oil well blowouts and their effects on processes and communities. As deepwater drilling expands in the Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC), oil well blowouts are a possibility, and the unusual ocean circulation of this region presents challenges to understanding possible subsurface oil pathways in the event of a spill. Here, an ocean general circulation model was used with a particle tracking algorithm to assess temporal variability of the oil-plume distribution from a deep-sea oil well blowout in the FSC. The drift of particles was first tracked for one year following release. Then, ambient model temperatures were used to simulate temperature-mediated biodegradation, truncating the trajectories of particles accordingly. Release depth of the modeled subsurface plumes affected both their direction of transport and distance travelled from their release location, and there was considerable interannual variability in transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Main
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom; Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom; Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Western Isles Office, Talla na Mara, Pairc Niseaboist, Harris, HS3 3AE, United Kingdom.
| | - A Yool
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - N P Holliday
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - E E Popova
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - D O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - H A Ruhl
- National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
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28
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Durden JM, Simon-Lledo E, Gooday AJ, Jones DOB. Abundance and morphology of Paleodictyon nodosum, observed at the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Mar Biodivers 2017; 47:265-269. [PMID: 32025272 PMCID: PMC6979535 DOI: 10.1007/s12526-017-0636-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Paleodictyon is an important trace fossil characterised by a regular hexagonal structure and typical of ancient deep-ocean habitats as far back as the Ordovician. It is represented in modern deep-sea settings by Paleodictyon nodosum, known from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the South Atlantic, and off eastern Australia. Here we report the occurrence of P. nodosum in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), abyssal equatorial Pacific, an area characterised by polymetallic nodule fields. At the study site within the International Seabed Authority northeastern Area of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI-6), P. nodosum appeared as a compact, regular pattern of small circular openings on the seafloor, each pattern interpreted as reflecting the activity of an individual organism. The patterns had a mean size (maximum dimension) of 45 mm ± 16 mm SD (n = 841) and occurred at a density of 0.33 individuals m-2. Most (82%) were interrupted by nodules, but those that were not displayed both regular (59%) and irregular (41%) forms, the former having equal numbers of rows along the three axes (6 x 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 x 8). In both size and morphology, our Paleodictyon traces were more similar to the Australian examples than to those from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Durden
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
| | - Erik Simon-Lledo
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
| | - Andrew J. Gooday
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
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29
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Morris KJ, Bett BJ, Durden JM, Benoist NMA, Huvenne VAI, Jones DOB, Robert K, Ichino MC, Wolff GA, Ruhl HA. Landscape-scale spatial heterogeneity in phytodetrital cover and megafauna biomass in the abyss links to modest topographic variation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34080. [PMID: 27681937 PMCID: PMC5040962 DOI: 10.1038/srep34080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sinking particulate organic matter (POM, phytodetritus) is the principal limiting resource for deep-sea life. However, little is known about spatial variation in POM supply to the abyssal seafloor, which is frequently assumed to be homogenous. In reality, the abyss has a highly complex landscape with millions of hills and mountains. Here, we show a significant increase in seabed POM % cover (by ~1.05 times), and a large significant increase in megafauna biomass (by ~2.5 times), on abyssal hill terrain in comparison to the surrounding plain. These differences are substantially greater than predicted by current models linking water depth to POM supply or benthic biomass. Our observed variations in POM % cover (phytodetritus), megafauna biomass, sediment total organic carbon and total nitrogen, sedimentology, and benthic boundary layer turbidity, all appear to be consistent with topographically enhanced current speeds driving these enhancements. The effects are detectable with bathymetric elevations of only 10 s of metres above the surrounding plain. These results imply considerable unquantified heterogeneity in global ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty J Morris
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Brian J Bett
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Jennifer M Durden
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.,Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Noelie M A Benoist
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.,Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Veerle A I Huvenne
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Katleen Robert
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.,Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Matteo C Ichino
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.,Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - George A Wolff
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Henry A Ruhl
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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Sweetman AK, Smith CR, Dale T, Jones DOB. Rapid scavenging of jellyfish carcasses reveals the importance of gelatinous material to deep-sea food webs. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:20142210. [PMID: 25320167 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Jellyfish blooms are common in many oceans, and anthropogenic changes appear to have increased their magnitude in some regions. Although mass falls of jellyfish carcasses have been observed recently at the deep seafloor, the dense necrophage aggregations and rapid consumption rates typical for vertebrate carrion have not been documented. This has led to a paradigm of limited energy transfer to higher trophic levels at jelly falls relative to vertebrate organic falls. We show from baited camera deployments in the Norwegian deep sea that dense aggregations of deep-sea scavengers (more than 1000 animals at peak densities) can rapidly form at jellyfish baits and consume entire jellyfish carcasses in 2.5 h. We also show that scavenging rates on jellyfish are not significantly different from fish carrion of similar mass, and reveal that scavenging communities typical for the NE Atlantic bathyal zone, including the Atlantic hagfish, galatheid crabs, decapod shrimp and lyssianasid amphipods, consume both types of carcasses. These rapid jellyfish carrion consumption rates suggest that the contribution of gelatinous material to organic fluxes may be seriously underestimated in some regions, because jelly falls may disappear much more rapidly than previously thought. Our results also demonstrate that the energy contained in gelatinous carrion can be efficiently incorporated into large numbers of deep-sea scavengers and food webs, lessening the expected impacts (e.g. smothering of the seafloor) of enhanced jellyfish production on deep-sea ecosystems and pelagic-benthic coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Sweetman
- International Research Institute of Stavanger, Mekjarvik 12, Randaberg 4070, Norway
| | - Craig R Smith
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Trine Dale
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Thormøhlensgate 53D, Bergen 5006, Norway
| | - Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Center, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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Jones DOB, Yool A, Wei CL, Henson SA, Ruhl HA, Watson RA, Gehlen M. Global reductions in seafloor biomass in response to climate change. Glob Chang Biol 2014; 20:1861-72. [PMID: 24382828 PMCID: PMC4261893 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Seafloor organisms are vital for healthy marine ecosystems, contributing to elemental cycling, benthic remineralization, and ultimately sequestration of carbon. Deep-sea life is primarily reliant on the export flux of particulate organic carbon from the surface ocean for food, but most ocean biogeochemistry models predict global decreases in export flux resulting from 21st century anthropogenically induced warming. Here we show that decadal-to-century scale changes in carbon export associated with climate change lead to an estimated 5.2% decrease in future (2091-2100) global open ocean benthic biomass under RCP8.5 (reduction of 5.2 Mt C) compared with contemporary conditions (2006-2015). Our projections use multi-model mean export flux estimates from eight fully coupled earth system models, which contributed to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5, that have been forced by high and low representative concentration pathways (RCP8.5 and 4.5, respectively). These export flux estimates are used in conjunction with published empirical relationships to predict changes in benthic biomass. The polar oceans and some upwelling areas may experience increases in benthic biomass, but most other regions show decreases, with up to 38% reductions in parts of the northeast Atlantic. Our analysis projects a future ocean with smaller sized infaunal benthos, potentially reducing energy transfer rates though benthic multicellular food webs. More than 80% of potential deep-water biodiversity hotspots known around the world, including canyons, seamounts, and cold-water coral reefs, are projected to experience negative changes in biomass. These major reductions in biomass may lead to widespread change in benthic ecosystems and the functions and services they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O B Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
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Abstract
The carcasses of large pelagic vertebrates that sink to the seafloor represent a bounty of food to the deep-sea benthos, but natural food-falls have been rarely observed. Here were report on the first observations of three large 'fish-falls' on the deep-sea floor: a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) and three mobulid rays (genus Mobula). These observations come from industrial remotely operated vehicle video surveys of the seafloor on the Angola continental margin. The carcasses supported moderate communities of scavenging fish (up to 50 individuals per carcass), mostly from the family Zoarcidae, which appeared to be resident on or around the remains. Based on a global dataset of scavenging rates, we estimate that the elasmobranch carcasses provided food for mobile scavengers over extended time periods from weeks to months. No evidence of whale-fall type communities was observed on or around the carcasses, with the exception of putative sulphide-oxidising bacterial mats that outlined one of the mobulid carcasses. Using best estimates of carcass mass, we calculate that the carcasses reported here represent an average supply of carbon to the local seafloor of 0.4 mg m(-2)d(-1), equivalent to ∼ 4% of the normal particulate organic carbon flux. Rapid flux of high-quality labile organic carbon in fish carcasses increases the transfer efficiency of the biological pump of carbon from the surface oceans to the deep sea. We postulate that these food-falls are the result of a local concentration of large marine vertebrates, linked to the high surface primary productivity in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D. Higgs
- Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrew R. Gates
- SERPENT Project, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- SERPENT Project, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Pham CK, Ramirez-Llodra E, Alt CHS, Amaro T, Bergmann M, Canals M, Company JB, Davies J, Duineveld G, Galgani F, Howell KL, Huvenne VAI, Isidro E, Jones DOB, Lastras G, Morato T, Gomes-Pereira JN, Purser A, Stewart H, Tojeira I, Tubau X, Van Rooij D, Tyler PA. Marine litter distribution and density in European seas, from the shelves to deep basins. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95839. [PMID: 24788771 PMCID: PMC4005782 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 396] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to the most remote points in the oceans. On the seafloor, marine litter, particularly plastic, can accumulate in high densities with deleterious consequences for its inhabitants. Yet, because of the high cost involved with sampling the seafloor, no large-scale assessment of distribution patterns was available to date. Here, we present data on litter distribution and density collected during 588 video and trawl surveys across 32 sites in European waters. We found litter to be present in the deepest areas and at locations as remote from land as the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The highest litter density occurs in submarine canyons, whilst the lowest density can be found on continental shelves and on ocean ridges. Plastic was the most prevalent litter item found on the seafloor. Litter from fishing activities (derelict fishing lines and nets) was particularly common on seamounts, banks, mounds and ocean ridges. Our results highlight the extent of the problem and the need for action to prevent increasing accumulation of litter in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K. Pham
- Center of the Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- Laboratory of Robotics and Systems in Engineering and Science (LARSyS), Lisbon, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Eva Ramirez-Llodra
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Marine Biology section, Oslo, Norway
| | - Claudia H. S. Alt
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Amaro
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Melanie Bergmann
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Miquel Canals
- GRC Geociències Marines, Departament d′Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Campus de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jaime Davies
- Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre, Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard Duineveld
- Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands
| | - François Galgani
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l′Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), Bastia, France
| | - Kerry L. Howell
- Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre, Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Veerle A. I. Huvenne
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Eduardo Isidro
- Center of the Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- Laboratory of Robotics and Systems in Engineering and Science (LARSyS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Galderic Lastras
- GRC Geociències Marines, Departament d′Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Campus de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Telmo Morato
- Center of the Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- Laboratory of Robotics and Systems in Engineering and Science (LARSyS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Nuno Gomes-Pereira
- Center of the Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
- Laboratory of Robotics and Systems in Engineering and Science (LARSyS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Autun Purser
- OceanLab, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Heather Stewart
- British Geological Survey, Murchison House, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Inês Tojeira
- Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC), Paço de Arcos, Portugal
| | - Xavier Tubau
- GRC Geociències Marines, Departament d′Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geociències Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Campus de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Van Rooij
- Renard Centre of Marine Geology (RCMG), Department of Geology and Soil Science, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Paul A. Tyler
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom
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Mora C, Wei CL, Rollo A, Amaro T, Baco AR, Billett D, Bopp L, Chen Q, Collier M, Danovaro R, Gooday AJ, Grupe BM, Halloran PR, Ingels J, Jones DOB, Levin LA, Nakano H, Norling K, Ramirez-Llodra E, Rex M, Ruhl HA, Smith CR, Sweetman AK, Thurber AR, Tjiputra JF, Usseglio P, Watling L, Wu T, Yasuhara M. Biotic and human vulnerability to projected changes in ocean biogeochemistry over the 21st century. PLoS Biol 2013; 11:e1001682. [PMID: 24143135 PMCID: PMC3797030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing greenhouse gas emissions can modify climate processes and induce shifts in ocean temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, and productivity, which in turn could alter biological and social systems. Here, we provide a synoptic global assessment of the simultaneous changes in future ocean biogeochemical variables over marine biota and their broader implications for people. We analyzed modern Earth System Models forced by greenhouse gas concentration pathways until 2100 and showed that the entire world's ocean surface will be simultaneously impacted by varying intensities of ocean warming, acidification, oxygen depletion, or shortfalls in productivity. In contrast, only a small fraction of the world's ocean surface, mostly in polar regions, will experience increased oxygenation and productivity, while almost nowhere will there be ocean cooling or pH elevation. We compiled the global distribution of 32 marine habitats and biodiversity hotspots and found that they would all experience simultaneous exposure to changes in multiple biogeochemical variables. This superposition highlights the high risk for synergistic ecosystem responses, the suite of physiological adaptations needed to cope with future climate change, and the potential for reorganization of global biodiversity patterns. If co-occurring biogeochemical changes influence the delivery of ocean goods and services, then they could also have a considerable effect on human welfare. Approximately 470 to 870 million of the poorest people in the world rely heavily on the ocean for food, jobs, and revenues and live in countries that will be most affected by simultaneous changes in ocean biogeochemistry. These results highlight the high risk of degradation of marine ecosystems and associated human hardship expected in a future following current trends in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Mora
- Department of Geography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Chih-Lin Wei
- Ocean Science Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Audrey Rollo
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Teresa Amaro
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Amy R. Baco
- Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - David Billett
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Bopp
- Institut Pierre Simon Laplace/Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Geography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Mark Collier
- The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Marine and Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Andrew J. Gooday
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin M. Grupe
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Paul R. Halloran
- Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Ingels
- Marine Biology Research Group, Biology Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel O. B. Jones
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa A. Levin
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | | | - Karl Norling
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eva Ramirez-Llodra
- Institut de Ciències Marines, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Rex
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Henry A. Ruhl
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Craig R. Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Andrew K. Sweetman
- International Research Institute of Stavanger, Thormøhlensgate, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andrew R. Thurber
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | | | - Paolo Usseglio
- Department of Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, United States of America
- Centro de innovacion Fundacion In-nova Castilla La Mancha, Madrid, Spain
| | - Les Watling
- Department of Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Tongwen Wu
- Beijing Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Moriaki Yasuhara
- School of Biological Sciences, Swire Institute of Marine Science, and Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Priede IG, Bergstad OA, Miller PI, Vecchione M, Gebruk A, Falkenhaug T, Billett DSM, Craig J, Dale AC, Shields MA, Tilstone GH, Sutton TT, Gooday AJ, Inall ME, Jones DOB, Martinez-Vicente V, Menezes GM, Niedzielski T, Sigurðsson Þ, Rothe N, Rogacheva A, Alt CHS, Brand T, Abell R, Brierley AS, Cousins NJ, Crockard D, Hoelzel AR, Høines Å, Letessier TB, Read JF, Shimmield T, Cox MJ, Galbraith JK, Gordon JDM, Horton T, Neat F, Lorance P. Does presence of a mid-ocean ridge enhance biomass and biodiversity? PLoS One 2013; 8:e61550. [PMID: 23658696 PMCID: PMC3642170 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2012] [Accepted: 03/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to generally sparse biological communities in open-ocean settings, seamounts and ridges are perceived as areas of elevated productivity and biodiversity capable of supporting commercial fisheries. We investigated the origin of this apparent biological enhancement over a segment of the North Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) using sonar, corers, trawls, traps, and a remotely operated vehicle to survey habitat, biomass, and biodiversity. Satellite remote sensing provided information on flow patterns, thermal fronts, and primary production, while sediment traps measured export flux during 2007-2010. The MAR, 3,704,404 km(2) in area, accounts for 44.7% lower bathyal habitat (800-3500 m depth) in the North Atlantic and is dominated by fine soft sediment substrate (95% of area) on a series of flat terraces with intervening slopes either side of the ridge axis contributing to habitat heterogeneity. The MAR fauna comprises mainly species known from continental margins with no evidence of greater biodiversity. Primary production and export flux over the MAR were not enhanced compared with a nearby reference station over the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. Biomasses of benthic macrofauna and megafauna were similar to global averages at the same depths totalling an estimated 258.9 kt C over the entire lower bathyal north MAR. A hypothetical flat plain at 3500 m depth in place of the MAR would contain 85.6 kt C, implying an increase of 173.3 kt C attributable to the presence of the Ridge. This is approximately equal to 167 kt C of estimated pelagic biomass displaced by the volume of the MAR. There is no enhancement of biological productivity over the MAR; oceanic bathypelagic species are replaced by benthic fauna otherwise unable to survive in the mid ocean. We propose that globally sea floor elevation has no effect on deep sea biomass; pelagic plus benthic biomass is constant within a given surface productivity regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imants G Priede
- Oceanlab, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
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Pape E, Jones DOB, Manini E, Bezerra TN, Vanreusel A. Benthic-pelagic coupling: effects on nematode communities along southern European continental margins. PLoS One 2013; 8:e59954. [PMID: 23565176 PMCID: PMC3615007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Along a west-to-east axis spanning the Galicia Bank region (Iberian margin) and the Mediterranean basin, a reduction in surface primary productivity and in seafloor flux of particulate organic carbon was mirrored in the in situ organic matter quantity and quality within the underlying deep-sea sediments at different water depths (1200, 1900 and 3000 m). Nematode standing stock (abundance and biomass) and genus and trophic composition were investigated to evaluate downward benthic-pelagic coupling. The longitudinal decline in seafloor particulate organic carbon flux was reflected by a reduction in benthic phytopigment concentrations and nematode standing stock. An exception was the station sampled at the Galicia Bank seamount, where despite the maximal particulate organic carbon flux estimate, we observed reduced pigment levels and nematode standing stock. The strong hydrodynamic forcing at this station was believed to be the main cause of the local decoupling between pelagic and benthic processes. Besides a longitudinal cline in nematode standing stock, we noticed a west-to-east gradient in nematode genus and feeding type composition (owing to an increasing importance of predatory/scavenging nematodes with longitude) governed by potential proxies for food availability (percentage of nitrogen, organic carbon, and total organic matter). Within-station variability in generic composition was elevated in sediments with lower phytopigment concentrations. Standing stock appeared to be regulated by sedimentation rates and benthic environmental variables, whereas genus composition covaried only with benthic environmental variables. The coupling between deep-sea nematode assemblages and surface water processes evidenced in the present study suggests that it is likely that climate change will affect the composition and function of deep-sea nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Pape
- Marine Biology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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Gates AR, Jones DOB. Recovery of benthic megafauna from anthropogenic disturbance at a hydrocarbon drilling well (380 m depth in the Norwegian Sea). PLoS One 2012; 7:e44114. [PMID: 23056177 PMCID: PMC3466215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recovery from disturbance in deep water is poorly understood, but as anthropogenic impacts increase in deeper water it is important to quantify the process. Exploratory hydrocarbon drilling causes physical disturbance, smothering the seabed near the well. Video transects obtained by remotely operated vehicles were used to assess the change in invertebrate megafaunal density and diversity caused by drilling a well at 380 m depth in the Norwegian Sea in 2006. Transects were carried out one day before drilling commenced and 27 days, 76 days, and three years later. A background survey, further from the well, was also carried out in 2009. Porifera (45% of observations) and Cnidaria (40%) dominated the megafauna. Porifera accounted for 94% of hard-substratum organisms and cnidarians (Pennatulacea) dominated on the soft sediment (78%). Twenty seven and 76 days after drilling commenced, drill cuttings were visible, extending over 100 m from the well. In this area there were low invertebrate megafaunal densities (0.08 and 0.10 individuals m(-2)) in comparison to pre-drill conditions (0.21 individuals m(-2)). Three years later the visible extent of the cuttings had reduced, reaching 60 m from the well. Within this area the megafaunal density (0.05 individuals m(-2)) was lower than pre-drill and reference transects (0.23 individuals m(-2)). There was a significant increase in total megafaunal invertebrate densities with both distance from drilling and time since drilling although no significant interaction. Beyond the visible disturbance there were similar megafaunal densities (0.14 individuals m(-2)) to pre-drilling and background surveys. Species richness, Shannon-Weiner diversity and multivariate techniques showed similar patterns to density. At this site the effects of exploratory drilling on megafaunal invertebrate density and diversity seem confined to the extent of the visible cuttings pile. However, elevated Barium concentration and reduced sediment grain size suggest persistence of disturbance for three years, with unclear consequences for other components of the benthic fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Gates
- Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems Group, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom.
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Lebrato M, Iglesias-Rodríguez D, Feely RA, Greeley D, Jones DOB, Suarez-Bosche N, Lampitt RS, Cartes JE, Green DRH, Alker B. Global contribution of echinoderms to the marine carbon cycle: CaCO3budget and benthic compartments. ECOL MONOGR 2010. [DOI: 10.1890/09-0553.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Jones DOB, Bett BJ, Tyler PA. Depth-related changes to density, diversity and structure of benthic megafaunal assemblages in the Fimbul ice shelf region, Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Polar Biol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-007-0319-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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