Diffuse Flow On and Around Hydrothermal Vents at Mid-Ocean Ridges

Bemis, K. G.; Lowell, R. P.; Farough, A.

doi:10.5670/oceanog.2012.16

Cited by 64 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Hydrothermal sediments (also called sediment-hosted or sedimented hydrothermal vents), the product of subsurface mixing between hydrothermal fluid and ambient seawater within the sediment, are physically more similar to background deep-sea habitats than to high-temperature hard substratum vents (Bemis et al, 2012;Bernardino et al, 2012). This means that whilst they can host chemosynthetic obligate species, they can also be more easily colonised by nonspecialist fauna and potentially offer an important metabolic resource in the nutrient-limited deep sea (Levin et al, 2009;Dowell et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic hydrothermal sediments

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Hydrothermal sediments are those in which hydrothermal fluid is discharged through sediments and are one of the least studied deep-sea ecosystems. We present a combination of microbial and biochemical data to assess trophodynamics between and within hydrothermal and background areas of the Bransfield Strait (1050-1647 m of depth). Microbial composition, biomass, and fatty acid signatures varied widely between and within hydrothermally active and background sites, providing evidence of diverse metabolic activity. Several species had different feeding strategies and trophic positions between hydrothermally active and inactive areas, and the stable isotope values of consumers were not consistent with feeding morphology. Niche area and the diversity of microbial fatty acids was lowest at the most hydrothermally active site, reflecting trends in species diversity. Faunal uptake of chemosynthetically produced organics was relatively limited but was detected at both hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal sites, potentially suggesting that hydrothermal activity can affect trophodynamics over a much wider area than previously thought.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic hydrothermal sediments

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These are mainly planktonic free-living communities under conditions in which the endmember fluids have already mixed with infiltrated seawater in relatively shallow subseafloor environments in the recharge and discharge regions of hydrothermal fluids (Bemis et al 2012). In addition to planktonic freeliving populations, these microbial communities also include detached epilithic and biofilm-forming components entrained by the fluid flows.…”

Section: Diffusing Hydrothermal Fluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Theoretical constraints of physical and chemical properties of hydrothermal fluids on variations in chemolithotrophic microbial communities in seafloor hydrothermal systems

Nakamura

Takai

2014

Prog Earth Planet Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the past few decades, chemosynthetic ecosystems at deep-sea hydrothermal vents have received attention as plausible analogues to the early ecosystems of Earth, as well as to extraterrestrial ecosystems. These ecosystems are sustained by chemical energy obtained from inorganic redox substances (e.g., H 2 S, CO 2 , H 2 , CH 4 , and O 2 ) in hydrothermal fluids and ambient seawater. The chemical and isotope compositions of the hydrothermal fluid are, in turn, controlled by subseafloor physical and chemical processes, including fluid-rock interactions, phase separation and partitioning of fluids, and precipitation of minerals. We hypothesized that specific physicochemical principles describe the linkages among the living ecosystems, hydrothermal fluids, and geological background in deep-sea hydrothermal systems. We estimated the metabolic energy potentially available for productivity by chemolithotrophic microorganisms at various hydrothermal vent fields. We used a geochemical model based on hydrothermal fluid chemistry data compiled from 89 globally distributed hydrothermal vent sites. The model estimates were compared to the observed variability in extant microbial communities in seafloor hydrothermal environments. Our calculations clearly show that representative chemolithotrophic metabolisms (e.g., thiotrophic, hydrogenotrophic, and methanotrophic) respond differently to geological and geochemical variations in the hydrothermal systems. Nearly all of the deep-sea hydrothermal systems provide abundant energy for organisms with aerobic thiotrophic metabolisms; observed variations in the H 2 S concentrations among the hydrothermal fluids had little effect on the energetics of thiotrophic metabolism. Thus, these organisms form the base of the chemosynthetic microbial community in global deep-sea hydrothermal environments. In contrast, variations in H 2 concentrations in hydrothermal fluids significantly impact organisms with aerobic and anaerobic hydrogenotrophic metabolisms. Particularly in H 2 -rich ultramafic rock-hosted hydrothermal systems, anaerobic and aerobic hydrogenotrophy is more energetically significant than thiotrophy. The CH 4 concentration also has a considerable impact on organisms with aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophic metabolisms, particularly in sediment-associated hydrothermal systems. Recently clarified patterns and functions of existing microbial communities and their metabolisms are generally consistent with the results of our thermodynamic modeling of the hydrothermal mixing zones. These relationships provide important directions for future research addressing the origin and early evolution of life on Earth as well as for the search for extraterrestrial life.

show abstract

“…As a result of subsurface mixing between hydrothermal fluid and ambient seawater within the 35 sediment, sedimented hydrothermal vents (SHVs) are more similar to non-hydrothermal deep-36 sea habitats than they are to high temperature, hard substratum vents (Bemis et al 2012, 37 Bernardino et al 2012). This creates opportunities for non-specialist, soft-sediment fauna to 38 colonise areas of chemosynthetic organic matter production, potentially offering an important 39 metabolic resource in the nutrient-limited deep-sea (Levin et al 2009, Dowell et al 2016.…”

Section: Section 1 Introduction 334mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic sedimented hydrothermal vents

Bell

Reid

Pearce

et al. 2016

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

17 18Sedimented hydrothermal vents are those in which hydrothermal fluid vents through sediment 19 and are among the least studied deep-sea ecosystems. We present a combination of microbial 20 and biochemical data to assess trophodynamics between and within hydrothermally active and 21 off-vent areas of the Bransfield Strait (1050 -1647m depth). Microbial composition, biomass 22 and fatty acid signatures varied widely between and within vent and non-vent sites and 23 provided evidence of diverse metabolic activity. Several species showed diverse feeding 24 strategies and occupied different trophic positions in vent and non-vent areas and stable 25 isotope values of consumers were generally not consistent with feeding structure morphology. 26Niche area and the diversity of microbial fatty acids reflected trends in species diversity and 27 was lowest at the most hydrothermally active site. Faunal utilisation of chemosynthetic activity 28 was relatively limited but was detected at both vent and non-vent sites as evidenced by carbon 29 and sulphur isotopic signatures, suggesting that the hydrothermal activity can affect 30 trophodynamics over a much wider area than previously thought. 31 32Biogeosciences Discuss., doi:10.5194/bg-2016Discuss., doi:10.5194/bg- -318, 2016 Manuscript under review for journal Biogeosciences Published: 31 August 2016 c Author(s) 2016. CC-BY 3.0 License. Section 1. Introduction 334As a result of subsurface mixing between hydrothermal fluid and ambient seawater within the 35 sediment, sedimented hydrothermal vents (SHVs) are more similar to non-hydrothermal deep-36 sea habitats than they are to high temperature, hard substratum vents (Bemis et al. 2012, 37 Bernardino et al. 2012). This creates opportunities for non-specialist, soft-sediment fauna to 38 colonise areas of chemosynthetic organic matter production, potentially offering an important 39 metabolic resource in the nutrient-limited deep-sea (Levin et al. 2009, Dowell et al. 2016. To 40 take advantage of this resource, fauna must overcome the environmental stress associated 41 with high-temperature, acidic and toxic conditions at SHVs (Levin et al. 2013, Gollner et al. 42 2015. The combination of elevated toxicity and in-situ organic matter (OM) production results 43 in a different complement of ecological niches between vents and background conditions that 44 elicits compositional changes along a productivity-toxicity gradient (Bernardino et al. 2012, 45 Gollner et al. 2015, Bell et al. 2016. Hydrothermal sediments offer different relative 46 abundances of chemosynthetic and photosynthetic organic matter, depending upon supply of 47 surface-derived primary productivity, which may vary with depth and latitude, and levels of 48 hydrothermal activity (Tarasov et al. 2005). In shallow environments (<200 m depth), where 49 production of chemosynthetic and photosynthetic organic matter sources can co-occur, 50 consumption may still favour photosynthetic OM over chemosynthetic OM as this does not 51 require adaptions to e...

show abstract

Diffuse Flow On and Around Hydrothermal Vents at Mid-Ocean Ridges

Cited by 64 publications

References 32 publications

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic hydrothermal sediments

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic hydrothermal sediments

Theoretical constraints of physical and chemical properties of hydrothermal fluids on variations in chemolithotrophic microbial communities in seafloor hydrothermal systems

Hydrothermal activity lowers trophic diversity in Antarctic sedimented hydrothermal vents

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About