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Nearest vent, dearest friend: biodiversity of Tiancheng vent field reveals cross-ridge similarities in the Indian Ocean.

ABSTRACT: Biodiversity of hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, particularly those on the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR), are still relatively poorly understood. The Tiancheng field on the SWIR was initially reported with only a low-temperature diffuse flow venting area, but here we report two new active areas, including a chimney emitting high-temperature vent fluids. Biological sampling in these new sites doubled the known megafauna and macrofauna richness reported from Tiancheng. Significantly, we found several iconic species, such as the scaly-foot snail and the first Alviniconcha population on the SWIR. Tiancheng shares a high proportion of taxa with vents on the Central Indian Ridge (CIR) and lacks a number of key taxa that characterize other vents investigated so far on the SWIR. Population genetics of the scaly-foot snail confirmed this, as the Tiancheng population was clustered with populations from the CIR, showing low connectivity with the Longqi field. Unlike the previously examined populations, scales of the Tiancheng scaly-foot snail were coated in zinc sulfide, although this results only from precipitation. The close connection between Tiancheng and CIR vents indicates that the dispersal barrier for vent endemic species is not the Rodriguez Triple Junction as previously suggested but the transformation faults between Tiancheng and Longqi, warranting further studies on deep currents in this area to resolve the key barrier, which has important implications for biological conservation.

SUBMITTER: Sun J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7137978 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Nearest vent, dearest friend: biodiversity of Tiancheng vent field reveals cross-ridge similarities in the Indian Ocean.

Sun Jin J Zhou Yadong Y Chen Chong C Kwan Yick Hang YH Sun Yanan Y Wang Xuyang X Yang Lei L Zhang Ruiyan R Wei Tong T Yang Yi Y Qu Lingyun L Sun Chengjun C Qian Pei-Yuan PY

Royal Society open science 20200325 3

Biodiversity of hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, particularly those on the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR), are still relatively poorly understood. The Tiancheng field on the SWIR was initially reported with only a low-temperature diffuse flow venting area, but here we report two new active areas, including a chimney emitting high-temperature vent fluids. Biological sampling in these new sites doubled the known megafauna and macrofauna richness reported from Tiancheng. Significantly, we fou ...[more]

PMID: 32269824

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Project description:Since the 19th century, the impact of seamounts on the distribution of plankton has been a topic of considerable interest. The influence of seamounts on the biogeographic patterns of marine organisms is complex, with some aspects still under debate. It is generally accepted that seamounts can drive the upwelling of nutrient-rich deep waters. Tidal amplification, flow acceleration, and internal waves can further enhance vertical mixing, leading to increased primary productivity near seamounts. Seamounts may also act as barriers to the migration of marine organisms, affecting gene flow. Research on Pacific seamounts suggests these features might serve as "stepping stones" for the dispersal of marine species across the ocean. However, investigations of seamounts in the eastern Indian Ocean remain limited. Focusing on the Ninety East Ridge region in the eastern Indian Ocean, this study collected zooplankton samples using horizontal (surface) and vertical (0-200 m) plankton nets and measured temperature and salinity profiles with a conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) sensor. A total of 544 fish larvae were identified, including 260 lanternfish larvae, representing 38 species across 12 genera, determined through COI DNA barcoding. Phylogenetic trees and haplotype networks were constructed to analyze genetic distances and population structures of lanternfish species. Among the samples, intra-specific genetic distances ranged from 0% to 2.99%, while inter-specific distances ranged from 1.88% to 25.71%. Except for Notolychnus valdiviae (Brauer, 1904), the maximum intra-specific distances were lower than the minimum inter-specific distances for all species. Haplotype analysis of nine species revealed significant variations in haplotype number, structure, and spatial distribution. Specifically, Ceratoscopelus warmingii (Lütken, 1892) and N. valdiviae exhibited a notable north-south divergence pattern, consistent with the temperature and salinity distribution of the region's water masses. This conclusion was supported by analysis of molecular variance analysis, suggesting that larval stages of certain lanternfish species may struggle to cross boundaries between water masses. However, the remaining species showed no significant north-south distribution differences, possibly due to their adaptive capabilities, vertical migration patterns, or the duration of their planktonic larval stages. These findings suggest that seamounts and water mass distribution have varying implications for lanternfish species, potentially influencing gene flow and horizontal distribution patterns, which could contribute to speciation. Global climate change-induced alterations in ocean currents may profoundly impact the genetic diversity of fish species. This study provides new insights into the diversity of lanternfish in the Ninety East Ridge region and offers valuable data for understanding the biogeography of seamounts.

Dataset Information

Nearest vent, dearest friend: biodiversity of Tiancheng vent field reveals cross-ridge similarities in the Indian Ocean.

Publications

Nearest vent, dearest friend: biodiversity of Tiancheng vent field reveals cross-ridge similarities in the Indian Ocean.

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