The Community Structure of Deep-Sea Macrofauna Associated with Polymetallic Nodules in the Eastern Part of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone

Smet, Brecht De; Pape, Ellen; Riehl, Torben; Bonifácio, Paulo; Colson, Liesbet; Vanreusel, Ann

doi:10.3389/fmars.2017.00103

Cited by 62 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…To put the results of our study in the larger context of the NE Pacific Basin, we compiled data from previous surveys of polychaete assemblages in the NE Pacific, including CLI-MAX II sampled in 1969, DOMES A, B and C in 1977and 1978, ECHO I in 1983, PRA in 1989, EqPac in 1992, Kaplan East in 2003, Kaplan West and Central in 2004, KR5 in 2012 in 2015 (Paterson et al, 1998;Glover et al, 2002;Wilson, 2017;Smith et al, 2008b;De Smet et al, 2017). From these studies, we compiled (when available) the mean abundance (ind.…”

Section: Ne-pacific-scale Polychaete Community Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpha and beta diversity patterns of polychaete assemblages across the nodule province of the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (equatorial Pacific)

2020

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Abstract. In the abyssal equatorial Pacific Ocean, most of the seafloor of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ), a 6 million km2 polymetallic nodule province, has been preempted for future mining. In light of the large environmental footprint that mining would leave and given the diversity and the vulnerability of the abyssal fauna, the International Seabed Authority has implemented a regional management plan that includes the creation of nine Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) located at the periphery of the CCFZ. The scientific principles for the design of the APEIs were based on the best – albeit very limited – knowledge of the area. The fauna and habitats in the APEIs are unknown, as are species' ranges and the extent of biodiversity across the CCFZ. As part of the Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans) pilot action “Ecological aspects of deep-sea mining”, the SO239 cruise provided data to improve species inventories, determine species ranges, identify the drivers of beta diversity patterns and assess the representativeness of an APEI. Four exploration contract areas and an APEI (APEI no. 3) were sampled along a gradient of sea surface primary productivity that spanned a distance of 1440 km in the eastern CCFZ. Between three and eight quantitative box cores (0.25 m2; 0–10 cm) were sampled in each study area, resulting in a large collection of polychaetes that were morphologically and molecularly (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S genes) analyzed. A total of 275 polychaete morphospecies were identified. Only one morphospecies was shared among all five study areas and 49 % were singletons. The patterns in community structure and composition were mainly attributed to variations in organic carbon fluxes to the seafloor at the regional scale and nodule density at the local scale, thus supporting the main assumptions underlying the design of the APEIs. However, the APEI no. 3, which is located in an oligotrophic province and separated from the CCFZ by the Clarion Fracture Zone, showed the lowest densities, lowest diversity, and a very low and distant independent similarity in community composition compared to the contract areas, thus questioning the representativeness and the appropriateness of APEI no. 3 to meet its purpose of diversity preservation. Among the four exploration contracts, which belong to a mesotrophic province, the distance decay of similarity provided a species turnover of 0.04 species km−1, an average species range of 25 km and an extrapolated richness of up to 240 000 polychaete species in the CCFZ. By contrast, nonparametric estimators of diversity predict a regional richness of up to 498 species. Both estimates are biased by the high frequency of singletons in the dataset, which likely result from under-sampling and merely reflect our level of uncertainty. The assessment of potential risks and scales of biodiversity loss due to nodule mining thus requires an appropriate inventory of species richness in the CCFZ.

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Section: Ne-pacific-scale Polychaete Community Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Alpha and beta diversity patterns of polychaete assemblages across the nodule province of the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (equatorial Pacific)

2020

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“…De Smet et al 2017), significant sampling effort is required to achieve high sampling 499 completeness in particular for the sparse but highly diverse sediment community. Additionally, 500 the detection probability of taxa is influenced by the amount of template DNA used for PCR 501 amplification and in studies with low amount of template material, such as ancient DNA studies, 502 a minimum of 8 PCR replicates have been proposed to increase detection probability (Ficetola et 503 al., 2015).…”

Section: Benthic Perspective 359mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Benthic communities in the CCZ 43 are typically characterized by high biodiversity and low biomass (Ramirez-Llodra et al, 2010, 44 Kaiser et al, 2017, Smith et al 2019, due to severe food limitation at abyssal depths (Smith et al 45 2008a). A high proportion of species are rare, rendering adequate sampling coverage particularly 46 difficult to achieve (Smith et al, 2008a; Simon-Lledó et al, 2019;De Smet et al, 2017). 47 Thomsen et al 2012), larger volumes are required to offset expected declines in eDNA 132 concentration and adequately sample communities at depth (e.g., as in Shulse et al 2017).…”

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From sea surface to seafloor: a benthic allochthonous eDNA survey for the abyssal ocean

Laroche

Kersten

Smith

et al. 2020

Preprint

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1Diverse and remote deep-sea communities are critically under-sampled and increasingly 2 threatened by anthropogenic impacts. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding could 3 facilitate rapid and comprehensive biotic surveys in the deep ocean, yet many aspects of the 4 sources and distribution of eDNA in the deep sea are still poorly understood. In order to examine 5 the influence of the water column on benthic eDNA surveys in regions targeted for deep-sea 6 polymetallic nodule mining, we investigated the occurrence of pelagic eDNA across: (1) two 7 different deep-sea habitat types, abyssal plains and seamounts, (2) benthic sample types, 8including nodules, sediment, and seawater within the benthic boundary layer (BBL), and (3) 9 sediment depth horizons (0-2 cm, 3-5 cm). Little difference was observed between seamounts and 10 the adjacent abyssal plains in the proportion of legacy pelagic eDNA sampled in the benthos, 11 despite an > 1000 m depth difference for these habitats. In terms of both reads and amplicon 12 sequence variants (ASVs), pelagic eDNA was minimal within sediment and nodule samples (< 13 2%), and is unlikely to affect benthic surveys that monitor resident organisms at the deep 14 seafloor. However, pelagic eDNA was substantial within the BBL (up to 13 % ASVs, 86% 15 reads), deriving both from the high biomass upper ocean as well as deep pelagic residents. While 16 most pelagic eDNA found in sediments and on nodules could be sourced from the epipelagic for 17 metazoans, protist legacy eDNA sampled on these substrates appeared to originate across a range 18 of depths in the water column. Some evidence of eDNA degradation across a vertical sediment 19 profile was observed for protists, with higher diversity in the 0-2 cm layer and a significantly 20 lower proportion of legacy pelagic eDNA in deeper sediments (3-5 cm). Study-wide, our 21 contracts granted by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Benthic communities in the CCZ 43 are typically characterized by high biodiversity and low biomass (Ramirez-Llodra et al., 2010, 44 Kaiser et al, 2017, Smith et al. 2019, due to severe food limitation at abyssal depths (Smith et al. 45 2008a). A high proportion of species are rare, rendering adequate sampling coverage particularly 46 difficult to achieve (Smith et al., 2008a; Simon-Lledó et al., 2019;De Smet et al., 2017). 47 Thomsen et al. 2012), larger volumes are required to offset expected declines in eDNA 132 concentration and adequately sample communities at depth (e.g., as in Shulse et al. 2017). 133 Therefore, filtered seawater volumes varied across depth in this study, with 5 L per replicate 134 sampled at 5 mab, 50 mab and bathypelagic depths, 4 L filtered in the deep mesopelagic 135 (1000m), 2 L in the mesopelagic (500m), and 1 L filtered per replicate at the DCM and in the 136 near surface. Four to six replicates were taken from each CTD cast and depth. To assess and 137 eliminate cross-contamination, negative controls (double-distilled water; ddH 2 O) were collected 138 for each CTD c...

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“…On the 14th of March 2013, the Belgian company Global Sea Mineral Resources NV (GSR) was granted a license for the exploration of polymetallic nodules for a period of 15 years, in an exploration area (EA) encompassing 76,728 km 2 in total, divided into three geographically separated parts in the eastern CCFZ (henceforward referred to as GSR EA). Within the GSR EA, a homogeneous but diverse macrofaunal community was observed associated with the sediment from polymetallic nodule areas at scales of 10-100 s of km (De Smet et al, 2017). However, in order to get a more complete view on the community structure and the diversity of the fauna in the GSR EA, species should be identified taxonomically to the lowest possible level, preferably to species (ISA, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Isopod crustaceans comprise a high proportion of macrofaunal organisms in the CCFZ (De Smet et al, 2017;Janssen et al, 2015;Kaiser, 2014;Wilson, 2017Wilson, , 1987. All isopods collected there by previous campaigns belonged to the superfamily Janiroidea and among these, the family Macrostylidae Hansen (1916) was one of the most dominant groups in terms of abundance (De Smet et al, 2017;Janssen et al, 2019Janssen et al, , 2015S. Brix, 2019, unpublished data).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macrostylis metallicola spec. nov.—an isopod with geographically clustered genetic variability from a polymetallic-nodule area in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone

Riehl

Smet

2020

PeerJ

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Background The Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) in the Northeast Central Pacific Ocean is a region of heightened scientific and public interest because of its wealth in manganese nodules. Due to a poor ecological understanding at the abyssal seafloor and limited knowledge of the organisms inhabiting this area, huge efforts in alpha taxonomy are required. To predict and manage potential hazards associated with future mining, taxonomy is an essential first step to grasp fundamental ecosystem traits, such as biogeographic patterns, connectivity, and the potential for post-impact recolonization. Amongst samples from the Global Sea Mineral Resources NV exploration area (EA) in the CCFZ an undescribed species of the isopod crustacean family Macrostylidae was discovered. Previously, it has been reported from two other nearby regions, the Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer and BGR EAs. There it was one of the more widely distributed and abundant species of the benthic macrofauna and exhibited geographically structured populations. It nevertheless remained taxonomically undescribed so far. Methods The new species is described by means of integrative taxonomy. Morphologically, macro photography, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy were used to describe the species and to get first insights on its phylogenetic origin. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA markers were used to test the morphological allocation of the two dimorphic sexes and juvenile stages, to analyze geographic patterns of genetic differentiation, and to study intra-and inter-species relationships, also in light of previously published population genetics on this species. Results The new species, Macrostylis metallicola spec. nov., is a typical representative of Macrostylidae as recognizable from the fossosoma, prognathous cephalothorax, and styliform uropods. It can be morphologically distinguished from congeners by a combination of character states which include the autapomorphic shape of the first pleopod of the copulatory male. A sexual dimorphism, as expressed by a peculiar sequence of article length-width ratios of the male antennula, indicates a relationship with M. marionae Kniesz, Brandt & Riehl (2018) and M. longipes Hansen (1916) amongst other species sharing this dimorphism. Mitochondrial genetic markers point in a similar direction. M. metallicola appears to be amongst the more common and widely distributed components of the benthic macrofauna in this region which may suggest a resilience of this species to future mining activities because of its apparent potential for recolonization of impacted sites from adjacent areas of particular environmental interest. The genetic data, however, show geographic clustering of its genetic variability, pointing towards a limited potential for dispersal. Local extinction of populations could potentially not be compensated quickly and would mean a loss of genetic diversity of this species.

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The Community Structure of Deep-Sea Macrofauna Associated with Polymetallic Nodules in the Eastern Part of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone

Cited by 62 publications

References 34 publications

Alpha and beta diversity patterns of polychaete assemblages across the nodule province of the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (equatorial Pacific)

Alpha and beta diversity patterns of polychaete assemblages across the nodule province of the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (equatorial Pacific)

From sea surface to seafloor: a benthic allochthonous eDNA survey for the abyssal ocean

Macrostylis metallicola spec. nov.—an isopod with geographically clustered genetic variability from a polymetallic-nodule area in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone

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