Benthopelagic biomass distribution and oxygen consumption in a deep‐sea benthic boundary layer dominated by gelatinous organisms

Abstract

A quantitative plankton net sampler with a multicompartment cod-end for use with deep submersible vehicles was developed. This cod-end protects samples from surface temperatures so that deep-sea animals can be recovered alive. The DSV Alvin used it to sample the benthopelagic faunas forms, a group dominated by copepods and larger crustaceans, were more uniformly distributed and ranged from 2.1 to 7.9 mg wet wt m-3. Abundances of Scotoanassa sp., but not the other categories, varied greatly between years and between basins. Scotoanassa sp. had a low oxygen consumption rate of 0.0009 ~1 O2 (mg wet wt)-' h-l; the near-bottom crustaceans had rates similar to those of bathypelagic crustaceans. Total metabolism of the sampled groups was dominated by Scotoanassa sp. and nongelatinous plankton near the bottom with other gelatinous plankton becoming dominant higher. Scotoanassa sp. may be a rapid growing, opportunistic species that can respond reproductively to short-term environmental changes.

Crossota millsae (Cnidaria: Trachymedusae: Rhopalonematidae), a new species of viviparous hydromedusa from the deep sea off California and Hawaii

“…Alvariño (1967) reported that Haliscera bigelowi (as Homoeonema alba) and Aegina citrea were found only below 1000 meters. The narcomedusa Solmissus incisa was reported by Thuesen & Childress (1994) and Childress et al (1989, as Solmaris sp.) as another deep living species.…”

Chemical composition and metabolic rates of gelatinous zooplankton from midwater and benthic boundary layer environments off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA

“…First, all 3 species are restricted 1984) in their distributions to the benthic boundary layer. This region of the water column is characterized by relatively high levels of available food (energy), in the form of particulate organic material, small crustaceans, and microorganisms, when compared with overlying midwater communities (Lampitt 1985, Walsh et al 1988, Childress et al 1989. In these regions of the water column, grazing rates and metabolic activities have been reported to be elevated in response to the higher particle concentrations (Smith 1982, Wishner & Meise-Munns 1984 Childress et al 1990).…”

Oceanic pelagic prey of benthopelagic fish in the benthic boundary layer of a marginal oceanic region

“…Wishner and her colleagues have examined this fauna in some detail (Wishner 1980a, b, c, Wishner & Meise-Munns 1984, Gowing & Wishner 1986, Wishner & Gowing 1987. They refer to this environment as the benthopelagic or benthic boundary layer, as do Childress et al (1989). It has its own endemic fauna, phylogenetic aspects of which have been partially examined (Grice & Hulsemann 1970, Grice 1972, Wishner 1980c, Hargreaves 1984, Domanski 1986, Gowing & Wishner 1986, Childress et al 1989.…”

“…They refer to this environment as the benthopelagic or benthic boundary layer, as do Childress et al (1989). It has its own endemic fauna, phylogenetic aspects of which have been partially examined (Grice & Hulsemann 1970, Grice 1972, Wishner 1980c, Hargreaves 1984, Domanski 1986, Gowing & Wishner 1986, Childress et al 1989. These studies are linked to those of benthopelagic coupling reviewed by Angel (1984Angel ( , 1990, Deuser (1986) and Fowler & Knauer (1986).…”