Low-temperature, shallow-water hydrothermal vent mineralization following the recent submarine eruption of Tagoro volcano (El Hierro, Canary Islands)

The Interactive Role of Hydrocarbon Seeps, Hydrothermal Vents and Intermediate Antarctic/Mediterranean Water Masses on the Distribution of Some Vulnerable Deep-Sea Habitats in Mid Latitude NE Atlantic Ocean

“…In the case of the hydrothermal-related habitats (V1 = hornitos-like hydrothermal chimneys and V2 = lava cavities in Figure 14A), temperatures reflect thermal anomalies associated with venting hydrothermal fluids. Therefore, maximum measured temperature of expelled fluids in Tagoro volcano was 39 • C, while the ambient seawater range between 15 and 19 • C with local temperature anomalies of +2.7 • C associated with CO 2 emissions [50].…”

“…ROV images of the summit of the volcano show 5 m-high chimneys or hornitos with numerous degassing conduits punctuating their walls and marked by yellow mats, linked to sulfur-related bacteria (Figure 9D). Temperatures measured during the 2014 survey (Supplementary Table S1) showed abrupt increases in temperature up to~2.69 • C, related to active hydrothermal chimneys or hornitos located at the volcano summit [50]. Peaks of CO 2 emissions were detected with the ROV sensors around these hornitos [50].…”

“…Temperatures measured during the 2014 survey (Supplementary Table S1) showed abrupt increases in temperature up to~2.69 • C, related to active hydrothermal chimneys or hornitos located at the volcano summit [50]. Peaks of CO 2 emissions were detected with the ROV sensors around these hornitos [50]. On the contrary, the flanks of the volcano showed recolonization of fauna such as small oysters (Neopycnodonte cochlear) and serpulids, shrimps (mainly Plesionika), and eels (Conger conger, Gymnothorax) living on caves and crevices generated by the cooling of the plastic bulbous lavas flowing downslope at 250-300 mbsl.…”

“…This section discusses the potential drivers affecting the distribution and biodiversity of vulnerable deep-sea habitats, including both chemosynthesis and non-chemosynthesisbased habitats. Some of these drivers are: (a) the seafloor water mass properties as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and potential density [12]; and (b) the active geological processes affecting the seafloor such as (i) methane seeps [51][52][53][54][55] and (ii) submarine volcanic eruptions followed by low-T hydrothermal degasification [50]. Furthermore, an overview of the effects of methane seeps and low-T hydrothermal vents following recent submarine eruptions on the distribution of deep-sea habitats at regional scale along the northeast Atlantic Ocean from 24 • N to 42 • N is provided.…”

“…Some authors indicated that the first colonizers at Tagoro volcano included a large proportion of common suspension feeders and predators of circalittoral and bathyal hard bottoms of the Macaronesian fauna, which could have exploited the uncolonized hard bottoms and the post eruptive fertilization of water masses [35,36]. Along the flanks of this volcano, caves show high values up 6.44 mL•L −1 of DO related to active CO 2 degasification two years after the volcanic eruption [50]. The trend representing the DO range for deep-sea complex habitats from 40 • N to 26 • N (Figure 16) shows the potential pathway from the present parameters to reach suitable DO conditions for the settlement and development of slow-growing organisms such as octocorals (gorgonians and soft corals) as well as antipatharians as detected in other areas of El Hierro Island [89].…”