Bathymetrical distribution and size structure of cold-water coral populations in the Cap de Creus and Lacaze-Duthiers canyons (northwestern Mediterranean)
Bathymetrical distribution and size structure of cold-water coral populations in the Cap de Creus and Lacaze-Duthiers canyons (northwestern Mediterranean)
Submarine canyons are known as one of the seafloor morphological features where living cold-water coral (CWC) communities develop in the Mediterranean Sea. We investigated the CWC community of the two westernmost submarine canyons of the Gulf of Lions canyon system: the Cap de Creus Canyon (CCC) and Lacaze-Duthiers Canyon (LDC). Coral associations have been studied through video material recorded by means of a manned submersible and a remotely operated vehicle. Video transects have been conducted and analyzed in order to obtain information on (1) coral bathymetric distribution and density patterns, (2) size structure of coral populations, and (3) coral colony position with respect to the substrate. Madrepora oculata was the most abundant CWC in both canyons, while Lophelia pertusa and Dendrophyllia cornigera mostly occurred as isolated colonies or in small patches. An important exception was detected in a vertical cliff in LDC where a large L. pertusa framework was documented. This is the first record of such an extended L. pertusa framework in the Mediterranean Sea. In both canyons coral populations were dominated by medium and large colonies, but the frequent presence of small-sized colonies also indicate active recruitment. The predominant coral orientation (90° and 135°) is probably driven by the current regime as well as by the sediment load transported by the current flows. In general, no clear differences were observed in the abundance and in the size structure of the CWC populations between CCC and LDC, despite large differences in particulate matter between canyons.
2049-2060
Gori, A.
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Orejas, C.
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Madurell, T.
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Bramanti, L.
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Martins, M.
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Quintanilla, E.
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Marti-Puig, P.
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Lo Iacono, C.
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Puig, P.
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Requena, S.
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Greenacre, M.
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Gili, J.M.
489607e0-85f7-4739-8921-a860de28e173
2013
Gori, A.
509bae23-97e8-4c7f-bb9f-798d3d66d691
Orejas, C.
d9ec1e64-3070-438c-80da-bc288e752e21
Madurell, T.
402f1068-c620-49dc-bbbc-c13cf5e8045a
Bramanti, L.
e37cee5e-24ea-471a-b277-4c752fafaae2
Martins, M.
36642090-b599-4a2c-b216-502975c73244
Quintanilla, E.
0b76eb76-d827-4a50-a649-8cde2163d624
Marti-Puig, P.
08b25217-f103-4e71-959a-c0a65dcfc467
Lo Iacono, C.
f4b28cb2-4370-4bcf-bc6f-5e640a82ac90
Puig, P.
40eb2ffe-80ff-4ec5-87e6-60e0334ab0c6
Requena, S.
e188acd9-7484-4e4e-8471-42e3aee7966f
Greenacre, M.
d4f9873c-5a66-4b3d-999a-f9fef09e69ec
Gili, J.M.
489607e0-85f7-4739-8921-a860de28e173
Gori, A., Orejas, C., Madurell, T., Bramanti, L., Martins, M., Quintanilla, E., Marti-Puig, P., Lo Iacono, C., Puig, P., Requena, S., Greenacre, M. and Gili, J.M.
(2013)
Bathymetrical distribution and size structure of cold-water coral populations in the Cap de Creus and Lacaze-Duthiers canyons (northwestern Mediterranean).
Biogeosciences, 10 (3), .
(doi:10.5194/bg-10-2049-2013).
Abstract
Submarine canyons are known as one of the seafloor morphological features where living cold-water coral (CWC) communities develop in the Mediterranean Sea. We investigated the CWC community of the two westernmost submarine canyons of the Gulf of Lions canyon system: the Cap de Creus Canyon (CCC) and Lacaze-Duthiers Canyon (LDC). Coral associations have been studied through video material recorded by means of a manned submersible and a remotely operated vehicle. Video transects have been conducted and analyzed in order to obtain information on (1) coral bathymetric distribution and density patterns, (2) size structure of coral populations, and (3) coral colony position with respect to the substrate. Madrepora oculata was the most abundant CWC in both canyons, while Lophelia pertusa and Dendrophyllia cornigera mostly occurred as isolated colonies or in small patches. An important exception was detected in a vertical cliff in LDC where a large L. pertusa framework was documented. This is the first record of such an extended L. pertusa framework in the Mediterranean Sea. In both canyons coral populations were dominated by medium and large colonies, but the frequent presence of small-sized colonies also indicate active recruitment. The predominant coral orientation (90° and 135°) is probably driven by the current regime as well as by the sediment load transported by the current flows. In general, no clear differences were observed in the abundance and in the size structure of the CWC populations between CCC and LDC, despite large differences in particulate matter between canyons.
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Published date: 2013
Organisations:
Marine Geoscience
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Local EPrints ID: 353304
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/353304
ISSN: 1726-4170
PURE UUID: 3f7ad784-1969-45c9-98a6-167988ec3e89
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Date deposited: 04 Jun 2013 14:37
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:04
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Contributors
Author:
A. Gori
Author:
C. Orejas
Author:
T. Madurell
Author:
L. Bramanti
Author:
M. Martins
Author:
E. Quintanilla
Author:
P. Marti-Puig
Author:
C. Lo Iacono
Author:
P. Puig
Author:
S. Requena
Author:
M. Greenacre
Author:
J.M. Gili
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