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Environmental setting of deep-water oysters in the Bay of Biscay

Environmental setting of deep-water oysters in the Bay of Biscay
Environmental setting of deep-water oysters in the Bay of Biscay
We report the northernmost and deepest known occurrence of deep-water pycnodontine oysters, based on two surveys along the French Atlantic continental margin to the La Chapelle continental slope (2006) and the Guilvinec Canyon (2008). The combined use of multibeam bathymetry, seismic profiling, CTD casts and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) made it possible to describe the physical habitat and to assess the oceanographic control for the recently described species Neopycnodonte zibrowii. These oysters have been observed in vivo in depths from 540 to 846 m, colonizing overhanging banks or escarpments protruding from steep canyon flanks. Especially in the Bay of Biscay, such physical habitats may only be observed within canyons, where they are created by both long-term turbiditic and contouritic processes. Frequent observations of sand ripples on the seabed indicate the presence of a steady, but enhanced bottom current of about 40 cm/s. The occurrence of oysters also coincides with the interface between the Eastern North Atlantic Water and the Mediterranean Outflow Water. A combination of this water mass mixing, internal tide generation and a strong primary surface productivity may generate an enhanced nutrient flux, which is funnelled through the canyon. When the ideal environmental conditions are met, up to 100 individuals per m² may be observed. These deep-water oysters require a vertical habitat, which is often incompatible with the requirements of other sessile organisms, and are only sparsely distributed along the continental margins. The discovery of these giant oyster banks illustrates the rich biodiversity of deep-sea canyons and their underestimation as true ecosystem hotspots.
0967-0637
1561-1572
Van Rooij, D.
022c3dc6-2eda-419a-9e7d-fa3bd226780d
De Mol, L.
51f284a3-98b2-4235-b5ad-5114f968fa53
Le Guilloux, E.
4bf3002c-c72f-462e-bd7a-d93e07a2ecaa
Wisshak, M.
b6b8820e-2d82-4cec-9bcf-3f5584de0748
Huvenne, V.A.I.
f22be3e2-708c-491b-b985-a438470fa053
Moeremans, R.
c052aa31-3fee-40af-9da2-b72564b73f01
Henriet, J.-P.
c2065e32-e628-4f6d-9a8e-ce67a06fa444
Van Rooij, D.
022c3dc6-2eda-419a-9e7d-fa3bd226780d
De Mol, L.
51f284a3-98b2-4235-b5ad-5114f968fa53
Le Guilloux, E.
4bf3002c-c72f-462e-bd7a-d93e07a2ecaa
Wisshak, M.
b6b8820e-2d82-4cec-9bcf-3f5584de0748
Huvenne, V.A.I.
f22be3e2-708c-491b-b985-a438470fa053
Moeremans, R.
c052aa31-3fee-40af-9da2-b72564b73f01
Henriet, J.-P.
c2065e32-e628-4f6d-9a8e-ce67a06fa444

Van Rooij, D., De Mol, L., Le Guilloux, E., Wisshak, M., Huvenne, V.A.I., Moeremans, R. and Henriet, J.-P. (2010) Environmental setting of deep-water oysters in the Bay of Biscay. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 57 (12), 1561-1572. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2010.09.002).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We report the northernmost and deepest known occurrence of deep-water pycnodontine oysters, based on two surveys along the French Atlantic continental margin to the La Chapelle continental slope (2006) and the Guilvinec Canyon (2008). The combined use of multibeam bathymetry, seismic profiling, CTD casts and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) made it possible to describe the physical habitat and to assess the oceanographic control for the recently described species Neopycnodonte zibrowii. These oysters have been observed in vivo in depths from 540 to 846 m, colonizing overhanging banks or escarpments protruding from steep canyon flanks. Especially in the Bay of Biscay, such physical habitats may only be observed within canyons, where they are created by both long-term turbiditic and contouritic processes. Frequent observations of sand ripples on the seabed indicate the presence of a steady, but enhanced bottom current of about 40 cm/s. The occurrence of oysters also coincides with the interface between the Eastern North Atlantic Water and the Mediterranean Outflow Water. A combination of this water mass mixing, internal tide generation and a strong primary surface productivity may generate an enhanced nutrient flux, which is funnelled through the canyon. When the ideal environmental conditions are met, up to 100 individuals per m² may be observed. These deep-water oysters require a vertical habitat, which is often incompatible with the requirements of other sessile organisms, and are only sparsely distributed along the continental margins. The discovery of these giant oyster banks illustrates the rich biodiversity of deep-sea canyons and their underestimation as true ecosystem hotspots.

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Published date: December 2010
Organisations: Marine Geoscience

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 174543
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/174543
ISSN: 0967-0637
PURE UUID: aef4f511-b2aa-403e-a65b-0cd6b19ea9a7
ORCID for V.A.I. Huvenne: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-7135-6360

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Date deposited: 14 Feb 2011 13:49
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:49

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Contributors

Author: D. Van Rooij
Author: L. De Mol
Author: E. Le Guilloux
Author: M. Wisshak
Author: V.A.I. Huvenne ORCID iD
Author: R. Moeremans
Author: J.-P. Henriet

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