The relationship between the standing stock of deep-sea macrobenthos and surface production in the western North Atlantic

Johnson, Noor; Campbell, J. W.; Moore, Timothy S.; Rex, Michael A.; Etter, Ron J.; McClain, Craig R.; Dowell, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2007.04.011

Cited by 81 publications

(55 citation statements)

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“…With increasing sampling and therefore increased number of individuals and species, patterns of standing stock and diversity began to emerge. In many areas of the open deep sea, an exponential decline of macrofaunal standing stock with increasing depth is seen (Rowe, 1983;Rex et al, 2006) and is often related to the flux of particulate organic matter from the surface of the ocean to the seafloor (Johnson et al, 2007). Where there is high surface productivity (e.g.…”

Section: One Of the Highest Diversities On The Planetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

et al. 2010

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Abstract. The deep sea, the largest biome on Earth, has a series of characteristics that make this environment both distinct from other marine and land ecosystems and unique for the entire planet. This review describes these patterns and processes, from geological settings to biological processes, biodiversity and biogeographical patterns. It concludes with a brief discussion of current threats from anthropogenic activities to deep-sea habitats and their fauna.Investigations of deep-sea habitats and their fauna began in the late 19th century. In the intervening years, technological developments and stimulating discoveries have promoted deep-sea research and changed our way of understanding life on the planet. Nevertheless, the deep sea is still mostly unknown and current discovery rates of both habitats and species remain high. The geological, physical and Correspondence to: E. Ramirez-Llodra (ezr@icm.csic.es) geochemical settings of the deep-sea floor and the water column form a series of different habitats with unique characteristics that support specific faunal communities. Since 1840, 28 new habitats/ecosystems have been discovered from the shelf break to the deep trenches and discoveries of new habitats are still happening in the early 21st century. However, for most of these habitats the global area covered is unknown or has been only very roughly estimated; an even smaller -indeed, minimal -proportion has actually been sampled and investigated. We currently perceive most of the deep-sea ecosystems as heterotrophic, depending ultimately on the flux on organic matter produced in the overlying surface ocean through photosynthesis. The resulting strong food limitation thus shapes deep-sea biota and communities, with exceptions only in reducing ecosystems such as inter alia hydrothermal vents or cold seeps. Here, chemoautolithotrophic bacteria play the role of primary producers fuelled by chemical energy sources rather than sunlight. Other ecosystems, such as seamounts, canyons or cold-water corals have an Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 2852 E. Ramirez-Llodra et al.: Unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem increased productivity through specific physical processes, such as topographic modification of currents and enhanced transport of particles and detrital matter. Because of its unique abiotic attributes, the deep sea hosts a specialized fauna. Although there are no phyla unique to deep waters, at lower taxonomic levels the composition of the fauna is distinct from that found in the upper ocean. Amongst other characteristic patterns, deep-sea species may exhibit either gigantism or dwarfism, related to the decrease in food availability with depth. Food limitation on the seafloor and water column is also reflected in the trophic structure of heterotrophic deep-sea communities, which are adapted to low energy availability. In most of these heterotrophic habitats, the dominant megafauna is composed of detritivores, while filter feeders are abundant in...

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Section: One Of the Highest Diversities On The Planetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

et al. 2010

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“…In the northern GoM, the flux of particulate organic carbon (POC) not only declines with depth, but is 2 times higher in the northeast than in the northwest GoM (Biggs et al 2008). The depth-dependent detritus flux from surface production has been linked to benthic standing stocks (Johnson et al 2007) and taxon composition (Ruhl et al 2008). However, the relationship between the export POC flux and species composition or faunal zonation is still poorly understood.…”

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confidence: 99%

Bathymetric zonation of deep-sea macrofauna in relation to export of surface phytoplankton production

Wei¹,

Rowe²,

Hubbard³

et al. 2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

113

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Macrobenthos of the deep, northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) was sampled with box cores (0.2 m 2 ) along multiple cross-depth transects extending from depths of 200 m to the maximum depth of the basin at 3700 m. Bathymetric (depth) zonation of the macrofaunal community was documented for 6 major taxa (a total of 957 species) on the basis of shared species among geographic locations; 4 major depth zones were identified, with the 2 intermediatedepth zones being divided into east and west subzones. Change of faunal composition with depth reflects an underlying continuum of species replacements without distinct boundaries. The zonal patterns correlated with depth and detrital particulate organic carbon (POC) export flux estimated from remotely-sensed phytoplankton pigment concentrations in the surface water. The Mississippi River and its associated mesoscale eddies, submarine canyon, and deep sediment fan appear to influence the horizontal zonation pattern through export of organic carbon from the ocean surface and the adjacent continental margin. On the local scale, near-bottom currents may shape the zonation pattern by altering sediment grain size, food availability, and larval dispersal. This study suggests a macroecological relationship between depth, export POC flux, and zonation; parsimonious zonal thresholds need to be tested independently for other continental margin ecosystems.KEY WORDS: Northern Gulf of Mexico · Deep sea · Macrofauna · Zonation · Biogeography · Community structure · POC export flux · Macroecology Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherThaumastasoma species 521 (Crustacea; Isopoda; Nannoniscidae), a typical species of the lower continental slope.

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“…Detailed studies of macrofauna, a major component of the sediment community, have been conducted at various locations and depths worldwide and have generally found higher abundances below areas with greater surface production (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Abyssal food supply varies with distance from shore, depth, and surface productivity at basin scales.…”

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“…Most spatial studies have effectively compared sediment fauna abundance across a gradient of spatial variation in surface production (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). For example, a metaanalysis of samples collected from 1961 to 1985 in the western North Atlantic found that the principal pattern of macrofauna abundance was related to depth-corrected POC flux as determined from the more modern sea-viewing wide fieldof-view sensor (SeaWiFS) ocean color data (13). Analysis of patterns in body size distributions have also found a decrease in average body size with increasing depth and/or decreasing food availability (12,17,18).…”

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Connections between climate, food limitation, and carbon cycling in abyssal sediment communities

Ruhl

Ellena

Smith

2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

127

114

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Diverse faunal groups inhabit deep-sea sediments over much of Earth's surface, but our understanding of how interannual-scale climate variation alters sediment community components and biogeochemical processes remains limited. The vast majority of deep-sea communities depend on a particulate organic carbon food supply that sinks from photosynthetically active surface waters. Variations in food supply depend, in part, on surface climate conditions. Proposed ocean iron fertilization efforts are also intended to alter surface production and carbon export from surface waters. Understanding the ecology of the abyssal sediment community and constituent metazoan macrofauna is important because they influence carbon and nutrient cycle processes at the seafloor through remineralization, bioturbation, and burial of the sunken material. Results from a 10-year study in the abyssal NE Pacific found that climate-driven variations in food availability were linked to total metazoan macrofauna abundance, phyla composition, rank-abundance distributions, and remineralization over seasonal and interannual scales. The long-term analysis suggests that broad biogeographic patterns in deep-sea macrofauna community structure can change over contemporary timescales with changes in surface ocean conditions and provides significant evidence that sediment community parameters can be estimated from atmospheric and upper-ocean conditions. These apparent links between climate, the upper ocean, and deep-sea biogeochemistry need to be considered in determining the long-term carbon storage capacity of the ocean.biogeochemistry ͉ community structure ͉ deep sea ͉ ecology ͉ macrofauna A ppreciating how climate can influence deep-sea communities and biogeochemical cycles is essential in evaluating how they may vary in the future. Current evidence suggests that climate change is resulting in significant alterations of oceanographic conditions worldwide including increased sea-surface temperatures, stronger stratification, and increased acidity (1, 2). The changing climate will likely also impact net primary production (1, 3-7) and the export of particulate organic carbon (POC) to the deep sea. Life on the seafloor depends upon this sinking POC and has a fundamental influence on the amount of carbon and nutrients that are remineralized or buried there. Ocean iron fertilization plans also project increases in surface production and POC export from surface waters, but fertilization impacts are poorly constrained (8, 9), especially for the deep-sea sediment community.Detailed studies of macrofauna, a major component of the sediment community, have been conducted at various locations and depths worldwide and have generally found higher abundances below areas with greater surface production (10-16). Abyssal food supply varies with distance from shore, depth, and surface productivity at basin scales. Previous studies that covered adequate spatial areas, however, understandably lacked long-term temporal perspective. Most spatial studies have effectively compa...

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The relationship between the standing stock of deep-sea macrobenthos and surface production in the western North Atlantic

Cited by 81 publications

References 54 publications

Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

Deep, diverse and definitely different: unique attributes of the world's largest ecosystem

Bathymetric zonation of deep-sea macrofauna in relation to export of surface phytoplankton production

Connections between climate, food limitation, and carbon cycling in abyssal sediment communities

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