sFDvent: A global trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna

Abstract

Motivation Traits are increasingly being used to quantify global biodiversity patterns, with trait databases growing in size and number, across diverse taxa. Despite growing interest in a trait‐based approach to the biodiversity of the deep sea, where the impacts of human activities (including seabed mining) accelerate, there is no single repository for species traits for deep‐sea chemosynthesis‐based ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents. Using an international, collaborative approach, we have compiled the first global‐scale trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna – sFDvent (sDiv‐funded trait database for the Functional Diversity of vents). We formed a funded working group to select traits appropriate to: (a) capture the performance of vent species and their influence on ecosystem processes, and (b) compare trait‐based diversity in different ecosystems. Forty contributors, representing expertise across most known hydrothermal‐vent systems and taxa, scored species traits using online collaborative tools and shared workspaces. Here, we characterise the sFDvent database, describe our approach, and evaluate its scope. Finally, we compare the sFDvent database to similar databases from shallow‐marine and terrestrial ecosystems to highlight how the sFDvent database can inform cross‐ecosystem comparisons. We also make the sFDvent database publicly available online by assigning a persistent, unique DOI. Main types of variable contained Six hundred and forty‐six vent species names, associated location information (33 regions), and scores for 13 traits (in categories: community structure, generalist/specialist, geographic distribution, habitat use, life history, mobility, species associations, symbiont, and trophic structure). Contributor IDs, certainty scores, and references are also provided. Spatial location and grain Global coverage (grain size: ocean basin), spanning eight ocean basins, including vents on 12 mid‐ocean ridges and 6 back‐arc spreading centres. Time period and grain sFDvent includes information on deep‐sea vent species, and associated taxonomic updates, since they were first discovered in 1977. Time is not recorded. The database will be updated every 5 years. Major taxa and level of measurement Deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna with species‐level identification present or in progress. Software format .csv and MS Excel (.xlsx).

High environmental stress and productivity increase functional diversity along a deep‐sea hydrothermal vent gradient

“…They include “adult mobility” (hereafter “mobility”), “maximum adult body size” (hereafter “size”), and “feeding mechanism” (see trait definitions, modalities, references, and data sets in Appendix ). Traits were obtained from direct measurements and/or literature, including the sFDVent database (Chapman et al 2019). We estimated the total (FRic Total ) and mean functional richness (FRic) per site as the percentage of functional volume at each site derived from a multidimensional functional space (Mouchet et al 2010).…”

“…Locally, species and trophic diversities are typically low in areas of higher fluid flux, higher in areas of lower emissions, and even higher in more stable yet less productive adjacent environments without direct influence of vent fluid emissions (Govenar et al 2005, Gollner et al 2010, 2015 b , Sarrazin et al 2015, Zeppilli et al 2015, Sen et al 2016, Bell et al 2017, Plum et al 2017). To date, however, local functional diversity patterns remain largely unexplored in these ecosystems (but see Chapman et al 2018, 2019). Coupling taxonomic and functional‐trait–based approaches can provide crucial insights into processes structuring faunal communities and their responses to global environmental changes and industrial impacts (McGill et al 2006).…”

Chiridota heheva—the cosmopolitan holothurian

“…Since the discovery of deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems just over 40 years ago, more than 600 species have been described from hydrothermal vent environments (Chapman et al 2019) and at least 200 at cold seeps (Van Dover et al 2002). Organic falls, such as whale falls and wood falls, have also been shown to be important deep-sea oases of organic enrichment, supporting a whole range of life including a chemosynthetic stage (Smith and Baco 2003).…”

A Blueprint for an Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program

“…Further questions around ecosystem function (KSQiii) require physical specimens to quantify physiological processes and ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, and to determine biological traits such as growth rates, longevity, age and size at first maturity, population size structure, and length/weight relationships. Earlier efforts to develop a functional traits database for vent species highlighted how few life-history traits could be assembled for all species (Chapman et al, 2019). Impact and risk assessment measures (KSQiv) require physical specimens for analyses of contamination such as microplastics, particulate or dissolved metals, hydrocarbon exposure, and legacy and emergent persistent organic pollutants.…”