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Challenging the paradigms of deep-sea ecology

Challenging the paradigms of deep-sea ecology
Challenging the paradigms of deep-sea ecology

Deep-sea ecosystems represent Earth's major ecological research frontier. Focusing on seafloor ecosystems, we demonstrate how new technologies underpin discoveries that challenge major ecological hypotheses and paradigms, illuminating new deep-sea geosphere–biosphere interactions. We now recognize greater habitat complexity, new ecological interactions and the importance of ‘dark energy’, and chemosynthetic production in fuelling biodiversity. We also acknowledge functional hotspots that contradict a food-poor, metabolically inactive, and minor component of global carbon cycles. Symbioses appear widespread, revealing novel adaptations. Populations show complex spatial structure and evolutionary histories. These new findings redefine deep-sea ecology and the role of Earth's largest biome in global biosphere functioning. Indeed, deep-sea exploration can open new perspectives in ecological research to help mitigate exploitation impacts.
deep-sea ecology, ecological paradigms, biodiversity hot spots, ecosystem functioning
0169-5347
465-475
Danovaro, Roberto
4447c73e-a846-4964-81b6-219e02ff3b20
Snelgrove, Paul V.R.
de84cd1b-4b80-47b5-a338-a1241111b637
Tyler, Paul
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8
Danovaro, Roberto
4447c73e-a846-4964-81b6-219e02ff3b20
Snelgrove, Paul V.R.
de84cd1b-4b80-47b5-a338-a1241111b637
Tyler, Paul
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8

Danovaro, Roberto, Snelgrove, Paul V.R. and Tyler, Paul (2014) Challenging the paradigms of deep-sea ecology. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 29 (8), 465-475. (doi:10.1016/j.tree.2014.06.002).

Record type: Article

Abstract


Deep-sea ecosystems represent Earth's major ecological research frontier. Focusing on seafloor ecosystems, we demonstrate how new technologies underpin discoveries that challenge major ecological hypotheses and paradigms, illuminating new deep-sea geosphere–biosphere interactions. We now recognize greater habitat complexity, new ecological interactions and the importance of ‘dark energy’, and chemosynthetic production in fuelling biodiversity. We also acknowledge functional hotspots that contradict a food-poor, metabolically inactive, and minor component of global carbon cycles. Symbioses appear widespread, revealing novel adaptations. Populations show complex spatial structure and evolutionary histories. These new findings redefine deep-sea ecology and the role of Earth's largest biome in global biosphere functioning. Indeed, deep-sea exploration can open new perspectives in ecological research to help mitigate exploitation impacts.

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More information

Published date: August 2014
Keywords: deep-sea ecology, ecological paradigms, biodiversity hot spots, ecosystem functioning
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 369843
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/369843
ISSN: 0169-5347
PURE UUID: ee086b0e-a722-44c0-891d-4eb56c8e6ead

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Date deposited: 07 Oct 2014 13:42
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 18:09

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Contributors

Author: Roberto Danovaro
Author: Paul V.R. Snelgrove
Author: Paul Tyler

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