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Disturbance, productivity and diversity in deep-sea canyons: a worm’s eye view

Disturbance, productivity and diversity in deep-sea canyons: a worm’s eye view
Disturbance, productivity and diversity in deep-sea canyons: a worm’s eye view
The abundance, diversity and assemblage structure of polychaetes from the Nazaré, Setúbal and Cascais Canyons along the Iberian Margin were studied as part of the EU project HERMES. A Dynamic Equilibrium Model (DEM) was used to identify the main environmental factors structuring the assemblages. Box corer and megacorer samples from upper (1000 m), middle (3400 m) and lower canyon (4300 m) settings were taken in each canyon. Polychaete abundances in the Nazaré and Setúbal Canyons were highest at 3400 m while in Cascais there were only slight differences between the various depths. Most of the polychaetes occurred in the top 5 cm of the sediment. Sample diversity both within and among the canyon sites did not differ statistically despite differences in the environmental settings, suggesting that small-scale heterogeneity at the scale of the sampler was similar at all sites. Species richness at the level of site was lowest at 3400 m sites in both the Nazaré and Setúbal Canyons. In contrast, species richness increased from 1000 m to ca. 3400 m and then again to 4300 m in the Cascais Canyon. The differences were linked to the physico-biogeochemical environment of each canyon. Analyses of physico-environmental variables indicated that the Nazaré mid-canyon sites were subject to high levels of disturbance and intermediate levels of productivity, accounting for high abundances and low species richness. Low disturbance and low productivity characterised the lower Nazaré Canyon site at 4300 m. Diversity results agreed with predictions of the DEM. However, the 4300 m site in the Setúbal Canyon did not conform to model predictions. Overall, while the Iberian Margin canyons demonstrated higher abundance and biomass than ‘open slope’ polychaete assemblages, they had lower species richness.
Polychaeta, Iberian Margin, Canyons, Disturbance, Productivity, Species richness
0967-0645
2448-2460
Paterson, Gordon L.J.
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Glover, Adrian G.
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Cunha, Marina R.
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Neal, Lenka
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de Stigter, Henko
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Kiriakoulakis, Konstadinos
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Billett, David S.M.
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Wolff, George A.
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Tiago, Aurea
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Ravara, Ascensão
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Lamont, Peter
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Tyler, Paul
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Paterson, Gordon L.J.
89e5407e-14a9-49f8-a5ca-971e1a9cb991
Glover, Adrian G.
91192a3a-fc25-4c1f-b062-2e4da183272e
Cunha, Marina R.
f97b25ca-1a36-47ae-a48b-43800a6a6d51
Neal, Lenka
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de Stigter, Henko
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Kiriakoulakis, Konstadinos
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Billett, David S.M.
aab439e2-c839-4cd2-815c-3d401e0468db
Wolff, George A.
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Tiago, Aurea
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Ravara, Ascensão
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Lamont, Peter
d6163981-35d1-4b58-9cd4-e312cb58204a
Tyler, Paul
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8

Paterson, Gordon L.J., Glover, Adrian G., Cunha, Marina R., Neal, Lenka, de Stigter, Henko, Kiriakoulakis, Konstadinos, Billett, David S.M., Wolff, George A., Tiago, Aurea, Ravara, Ascensão, Lamont, Peter and Tyler, Paul (2011) Disturbance, productivity and diversity in deep-sea canyons: a worm’s eye view. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 58 (23-24), 2448-2460. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2011.04.008).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The abundance, diversity and assemblage structure of polychaetes from the Nazaré, Setúbal and Cascais Canyons along the Iberian Margin were studied as part of the EU project HERMES. A Dynamic Equilibrium Model (DEM) was used to identify the main environmental factors structuring the assemblages. Box corer and megacorer samples from upper (1000 m), middle (3400 m) and lower canyon (4300 m) settings were taken in each canyon. Polychaete abundances in the Nazaré and Setúbal Canyons were highest at 3400 m while in Cascais there were only slight differences between the various depths. Most of the polychaetes occurred in the top 5 cm of the sediment. Sample diversity both within and among the canyon sites did not differ statistically despite differences in the environmental settings, suggesting that small-scale heterogeneity at the scale of the sampler was similar at all sites. Species richness at the level of site was lowest at 3400 m sites in both the Nazaré and Setúbal Canyons. In contrast, species richness increased from 1000 m to ca. 3400 m and then again to 4300 m in the Cascais Canyon. The differences were linked to the physico-biogeochemical environment of each canyon. Analyses of physico-environmental variables indicated that the Nazaré mid-canyon sites were subject to high levels of disturbance and intermediate levels of productivity, accounting for high abundances and low species richness. Low disturbance and low productivity characterised the lower Nazaré Canyon site at 4300 m. Diversity results agreed with predictions of the DEM. However, the 4300 m site in the Setúbal Canyon did not conform to model predictions. Overall, while the Iberian Margin canyons demonstrated higher abundance and biomass than ‘open slope’ polychaete assemblages, they had lower species richness.

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More information

Published date: 1 December 2011
Keywords: Polychaeta, Iberian Margin, Canyons, Disturbance, Productivity, Species richness
Organisations: Marine Biogeochemistry, Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 189495
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/189495
ISSN: 0967-0645
PURE UUID: 26572978-f54c-4dd7-a42d-11fa0e10924d

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Date deposited: 02 Jun 2011 11:30
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:36

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Contributors

Author: Gordon L.J. Paterson
Author: Adrian G. Glover
Author: Marina R. Cunha
Author: Lenka Neal
Author: Henko de Stigter
Author: Konstadinos Kiriakoulakis
Author: David S.M. Billett
Author: George A. Wolff
Author: Aurea Tiago
Author: Ascensão Ravara
Author: Peter Lamont
Author: Paul Tyler

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