A biological survey method applied to seafloor massive sulphides (SMS) with contagiously distributed hydrothermal-vent fauna

Abstract

Strategies for mitigation of seafloor massive sulphide (SMS) extraction in the deep sea include establishment of suitable reference sites that allow for studies of natural environmental variability and that can serve as sources of larvae for re-colonisation of extracted hydrothermal fields. In this study, we characterize deep-sea vent communities in Manus Basin (Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea) and use macrofaunal data sets from a proposed reference site (South Su) and a proposed mine site (Solwara 1) to test the hypothesis that there was no difference in macrofaunal community structure between the sites. We used dispersion weighting to adjust taxa-abundance matrices to down-weight the contribution of contagious distributions of numerically abundant taxa. Faunal assemblages of 3 habitat types defined by biogenic taxa (2 provannid snails, Alviniconcha spp. and Ifremeria nautilei; and a sessile barnacle, Eochionelasmus ohtai) were distinct from one another and from the vent peripheral assemblage, but were not differentiable from mound-to-mound within a site or between sites. Mussel and tubeworm populations at South Su but not at Solwara 1 enhance the taxonomic and habitat diversity of the proposed reference site.

Genetic diversity of hydrothermal-vent barnacles in Manus Basin

“…To date, E. ohtai manusensis has been found exclusively in inactive venting areas of Manus Basin, while V. cf. parensis inhabits both actively venting and peripheral substrata (Collins et al, 2012). This suggests V. cf.…”

“…Early studies that evaluated biodiversity in Manus Basin were performed at the level of qualitative (Galkin, 1997) and quantitative community structure (Collins et al, 2012) based primarily on morphological characters. Manus Basin community structure is very similar to that found in Lau and Fiji Basins (Galkin, 1997;Bachraty et al, 2009) snails (Alviniconcha spp.…”

Molecular taxonomy and naming of five cryptic species ofAlviniconchasnails (Gastropoda: Abyssochrysoidea) from hydrothermal vents

“…Alviniconcha spp. (Collins, Kennedy, & Van Dover, 2012;Denis et al, 1993;Hashimoto & co-authors, 1999;Henry, Childress, & Figueroa, 2008;Kim & Hammerstrom, 2012;Kyuno et al, 2009;Podowski, Ma, Luther, & Wardrop, 2010;Sen et al, 2013;Van Dover et al, 2001). Alviniconcha aff.…”

Reproductive ecology of a hippolytid shrimp, Lebbeus virentova (Caridea: Hippolytidae) at the Von Damm Vent Field, Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre

“…Hydrothermal vents support endemic assemblages of high conservation value, which are expected to be impacted severely by mineral extraction (e.g., Collins et al 2012;. Taxa at vents, whether endemic or opportunists, are not likely to share life histories, responses to disturbance, environmental tolerances or recovery and resilience potential (Van Dover 2014).…”