Comparative composition, diversity and trophic ecology of sediment macrofauna at vents, seeps and organic falls.

ABSTRACT: Sediments associated with hydrothermal venting, methane seepage and large organic falls such as whale, wood and plant detritus create deep-sea networks of soft-sediment habitats fueled, at least in part, by the oxidation of reduced chemicals. Biological studies at deep-sea vents, seeps and organic falls have looked at macrofaunal taxa, but there has yet to be a systematic comparison of the community-level attributes of sediment macrobenthos in various reducing ecosystems. Here we review key similarities and differences in the sediment-dwelling assemblages of each system with the goals of (1) generating a predictive framework for the exploration and study of newly identified reducing habitats, and (2) identifying taxa and communities that overlap across ecosystems. We show that deep-sea see

SUBMITTER: Bernardino AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3319539 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature