Hydrothermal vent fields discovered in the southern Gulf of California clarify role of habitat in augmenting regional diversity.

ABSTRACT: Hydrothermal vent communities are distributed along mid-ocean spreading ridges as isolated patches. While distance is a key factor influencing connectivity among sites, habitat characteristics are also critical. The Pescadero Basin (PB) and Alarcón Rise (AR) vent fields, recently discovered in the southern Gulf of California, are bounded by previously known vent localities (e.g. Guaymas Basin and 21° N East Pacific Rise); yet, the newly discovered vents differ markedly in substrata and vent fluid attributes. Out of 116 macrofaunal species observed or collected, only three species are shared among all four vent fields, while 73 occur at only one locality. Foundation species at basalt-hosted sulfide chimneys on the AR differ from the functional equivalents inhabiting sediment-hosted carbonat

SUBMITTER: Goffredi SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5543219 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature