From chemosynthesis-based communities to cold-water corals: Vulnerable deep-sea habitats of the Gulf of Cádiz

Rueda, José L.; González-García, Emilio; Krutzky, Cinja; Rodríguez, Francisco Javier López; Bruque, Gerardo; López-González, N.; Palomino, Desirée; Sánchez, Ricardo; Vázquez, Juan Tomás; Fernández-Salas, L.M.; Díaz‐del‐Río, V.

doi:10.1007/s12526-015-0366-0

Cited by 31 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…We have demonstrated that there is a strong relation between the NACW-MOW interface, associated with the activity of internal waves, and the abundance of benthic suspension feeders. This supports the hypothesis that the biological importance of seamounts in the pathway of the MOW through the eastern Atlantic (WWF, 2004;Oceana, 2005;Rueda et al, 2016) might be associated to internal waves in the NACW-MOW interface, that improves the favorable conditions for benthic suspension feeders to grow on the slope of the seafloor elevations.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…Following the path of the MOW through the eastern Atlantic, three seafloor elevated features, where CWC have been described (WWF, 2004;Oceana, 2005;Rueda et al, 2016), were selected as target regions for this study: the Gazul mud volcano and the Ormonde and Formigas seamounts (Figure 1). Both Gazul and Ormonde are directly in the pathway of the MOW after it outflows through the Strait of Gibraltar, while Formigas, located further away in the middle of the Atlantic, is influenced by the westward branch of the MOW (Bashmachnikov et al, 2015).…”

Section: Area Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These oceanographic processes induced by the topography may provoke the enhancement of the primary production and retention of plankton (Xavier and van Soest, 2007;Denda et al, 2016), turning seamounts into ecosystems with high biomass, biodiversity and sometimes with a considerable level of endemism (Boehlert and Genin, 1987;Beckmann and Mohn, 2002;O'Hara, 2007;Pitcher et al, 2007;Clark et al, 2010;Miller and Gunasekera, 2017), which offer particularly good conditions for the settlement of benthic suspension feeders like corals and sponges (Koslow et al, 2001;Xavier and van Soest, 2007;O'Hara et al, 2008). Cold-water corals (CWC) have been described along the path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) in several locations: at the Gazul mud volcano (Rueda et al, 2016), the Galicia Bank (e.g., Duineveld et al, 2004;Serrano et al, 2017), and the Porcupine Seabight (De Mol et al, 2002), among others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ocean Circulation Over North Atlantic Underwater Features in the Path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: The Ormonde and Formigas Seamounts, and the Gazul Mud Volcano

Vélez‐Belchí

Rivera

et al. 2019

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Seamounts constitute an obstacle to the ocean circulation, modifying it. As a result, a variety of hydrodynamical processes and phenomena may take place over seamounts, among others, flow intensification, current deflection, upwelling, Taylor caps, and internal waves. These oceanographic effects may turn seamounts into very productive ecosystems with high species diversity, and in some cases, are densely populated by benthic organisms, such corals, gorgonians, and sponges. In this study, we describe the oceanographic conditions over seamounts and other underwater features in the path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW), where populations of benthic suspensions feeders have been observed. Using CTD, LADPC and biochemical measurements carried out in the Ormonde and Formigas seamounts and the Gazul mud volcano (Northeast Atlantic), we show that Taylor caps were not observed in any of the sampled features. However, we point out that the relatively high values of the Brunt-Väisälä frequency in the MOW halocline, in conjunction with the slope of the seamount flanks, set up conditions for the breakout of internal waves and amplification of the currents. This may enhance the vertical mixing, resuspending the organic material deposited on the seafloor and, therefore, increasing the food availability for the communities dominated by benthic suspension feeders. Thus, we hypothesize that internal waves could be improving the conditions for benthic suspension feeders to grow on the slope of seamounts.

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Section: Summary and Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Area Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ocean Circulation Over North Atlantic Underwater Features in the Path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: The Ormonde and Formigas Seamounts, and the Gazul Mud Volcano

Vélez‐Belchí

Rivera

et al. 2019

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…Several studies noted the presence of deep-sea suspension feeding species previously known only from the Mediterranean (e.g., the sponges Geodia anceps, Coelosphaera cryosi, and Petrosia raphida) at NE Atlantic locations, such as the Gulf of Cadiz (Spain; Palomino et al, 2016;Sitjá et al, 2018). This area is dominated by aggregations of scleractinians and gardens of large gorgonians and black corals (e.g., M. oculata, Acanthogorgia spp., Antipathes dichotoma, Leiopathes glaberrima; Figure 2) with particular locations, such as Gazul mud volcano, representing a biodiversity hotspot with more than 400 associated species (Rueda et al, 2016;Ramalho et al, 2018;Sitjá et al, 2018). The current distribution of living L. pertusa and M. oculata in the canyons of the Bay of Biscay coincides with the lower limit of the boundary between the ENACW and the MOW (De Mol et al, 2011), as does the distribution of carbonate mounds and CWC reefs in the Porcupine Seabight (De Mol et al, 2002, 2005White and Dorschel, 2010) and other contourite systems in the NE Atlantic (Van Rooij et al, 2007a,b;Hernández-Molina et al, 2009).…”

Section: Cold-water Coral Reefs and Gardensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Water Masses on the Biodiversity and Biogeography of Deep-Sea Benthic Ecosystems in the North Atlantic

et al. 2020

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Circulation patterns in the North Atlantic Ocean have changed and reorganized multiple times over millions of years, influencing the biodiversity, distribution, and connectivity patterns of deep-sea species and ecosystems. In this study, we review the effects of the water mass properties (temperature, salinity, food supply, carbonate chemistry, and oxygen) on deep-sea benthic megafauna (from species to community level) and discussed in future scenarios of climate change. We focus on the key oceanic controls on deep-sea megafauna biodiversity and biogeography patterns. We place particular attention on cold-water corals and sponges, as these are ecosystem-engineering organisms that constitute vulnerable marine ecosystems (VME) with high associated biodiversity. Besides documenting the current state of the knowledge on this topic, a future scenario for water mass properties in the deep North Atlantic basin was predicted. The pace and severity of climate change in the deep-sea will vary across regions. However, predicted water mass properties showed that all regions in the North Atlantic will be exposed to multiple stressors by 2100, experiencing at least one critical change in water temperature (+2 • C), organic carbon fluxes (reduced up to 50%), ocean acidification (pH reduced up to 0.3), aragonite saturation horizon (shoaling above 1000 m) and/or reduction in dissolved oxygen (>5%). The northernmost regions of the North Atlantic will suffer the greatest impacts. Warmer and more acidic oceans will drastically reduce the suitable habitat for ecosystem-engineers, with severe consequences such as declines in population densities, even compromising their long-term survival, loss of biodiversity and reduced biogeographic distribution that might compromise connectivity at large scales. These effects can be aggravated by reductions in carbon fluxes, particularly in areas where food availability is already limited. Declines in benthic biomass and biodiversity will diminish ecosystem services such as habitat provision, nutrient

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“…CWC development and hydrocarbon-rich seepage are consequently linked via the formation of MDAC deposits, which provide the hard substrata needed for CWC larval settlement (e.g. Díaz-del-Rio et al, 2003;Van Rooij et al, 2011;Magalhães et al, 2012;Le Bris et al, 2016;Rueda et al, 2016). If too severe, however, fluid flow and associated metabolic processes can result in local conditions that are lethal to CWCs (see 4.3).…”

Section: Ecological Meaning Of Hydrocarbon-rich Seepage For Cwcsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cold-water corals and hydrocarbon-rich seepage in the Pompeia Province (Gulf of Cádiz) – living on the edge

Rincón-Tomás¹,

Duda²,

Somoza³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Abstract. Azooxanthellate cold-water corals (CWCs) are globally widespread and have commonly been found in areas of active fluid seepage. The relationship between the CWCs and these fluids, however, is not well understood. This study aims at unravelling the relationship between CWC development and hydrocarbon-rich seepage in the Pompeia Province (Gulf of C&#225;diz, Atlantic Ocean). This region comprises mud volcanoes, coral ridges and fields of coral mounds, which are all affected by the tectonically driven seepage of hydrocarbon-rich fluids. Rate and type of seepage (i.e. focused, scattered, diffused, eruptive), however, is tightly controlled by a complex system of faults and diapirs. Early diagenetic carbonates from the currently active Al Gacel MV exhibit &#948;13C-signatures down to &#8722;28.77&#8201;&#8240; VPDB, indicating biologically derived methane as the main carbon source. The same samples contained 13C-depleted lipid biomarkers diagnostic for archaea such as crocetane (&#948;13C down to &#8722;101.2&#8201;&#8240; VPDB) and PMI (&#948;13C down to &#8722;102.9&#8201;&#8240; VPDB), evidencing microbially mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). This is further supported by next generation DNA sequencing data, demonstrating the presence of AOM related microorganisms (ANME archaea, sulfate-reducing bacteria) in the carbonate. Embedded corals in some of the carbonates and CWC fragments exhibit less negative &#948;13C values (&#8722;8.08 to &#8722;1.39&#8201;&#8240; VPDB), pointing against the use of methane as carbon source. Likewise, the absence of DNA from methane- and sulfide-oxidizing microbes in a sampled coral does not support a chemosynthetic lifestyle of these organisms. In the light of these findings, it appears that the CWCs benefit rather indirectly from hydrocarbon-rich seepage by using methane-derived authigenic carbonates as substratum for colonization. At the same time, chemosynthetic organisms at active sites prevent coral dissolution and necrosis by feeding on the seeped fluids (i.e. methane, sulfate, hydrogen sulfide), allowing cold-water corals to colonize carbonates currently affected by hydrocarbon-rich seepage.

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From chemosynthesis-based communities to cold-water corals: Vulnerable deep-sea habitats of the Gulf of Cádiz

Cited by 31 publications

References 32 publications

Ocean Circulation Over North Atlantic Underwater Features in the Path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: The Ormonde and Formigas Seamounts, and the Gazul Mud Volcano

Ocean Circulation Over North Atlantic Underwater Features in the Path of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: The Ormonde and Formigas Seamounts, and the Gazul Mud Volcano

Influence of Water Masses on the Biodiversity and Biogeography of Deep-Sea Benthic Ecosystems in the North Atlantic

Cold-water corals and hydrocarbon-rich seepage in the Pompeia Province (Gulf of Cádiz) – living on the edge

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