Landscape-scale spatial heterogeneity in phytodetrital cover and megafauna biomass in the abyss links to modest topographic variation
Landscape-scale spatial heterogeneity in phytodetrital cover and megafauna biomass in the abyss links to modest topographic variation
Sinking particulate organic matter (POM, phytodetritus) is the principal limiting resource for deep-sea life. However, little is known about spatial variation in POM supply to the abyssal seafloor, which is frequently assumed to be homogenous. In reality, the abyss has a highly complex landscape with millions of hills and mountains. Here, we show a significant increase in seabed POM % cover (by ~1.05 times), and a large significant increase in megafauna biomass (by ~2.5 times), on abyssal hill terrain in comparison to the surrounding plain. These differences are substantially greater than predicted by current models linking water depth to POM supply or benthic biomass. Our observed variations in POM % cover (phytodetritus), megafauna biomass, sediment total organic carbon and total nitrogen, sedimentology, and benthic boundary layer turbidity, all appear to be consistent with topographically enhanced current speeds driving these enhancements. The effects are detectable with bathymetric elevations of only 10s of metres above the surrounding plain. These results imply considerable unquantified heterogeneity in global ecology.
34080
Morris, Kirsty J.
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Bett, Brian J.
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Durden, Jennifer M.
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Benoist, Noelie M.A.
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Huvenne, Veerle A.I.
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Jones, Daniel O.B.
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Robert, Katleen
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Ichino, Matteo
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Wolff, George A.
6b29d886-06f9-4405-8fab-33cfb436acaa
Ruhl, Henry A.
177608ef-7793-4911-86cf-cd9960ff22b6
29 September 2016
Morris, Kirsty J.
4640fbf5-0c92-476c-a35f-281ccf41d6b0
Bett, Brian J.
61342990-13be-45ae-9f5c-9540114335d9
Durden, Jennifer M.
d7101246-b76b-44bc-8956-8ca4ae62ae1f
Benoist, Noelie M.A.
9a06e349-0049-49dc-a616-97c43d222a2e
Huvenne, Veerle A.I.
f22be3e2-708c-491b-b985-a438470fa053
Jones, Daniel O.B.
44fc07b3-5fb7-4bf5-9cec-78c78022613a
Robert, Katleen
49e4bfa2-0999-41ec-b50d-65c0f8896583
Ichino, Matteo
b9711899-7818-4add-8029-0dea524ef9d0
Wolff, George A.
6b29d886-06f9-4405-8fab-33cfb436acaa
Ruhl, Henry A.
177608ef-7793-4911-86cf-cd9960ff22b6
Morris, Kirsty J., Bett, Brian J., Durden, Jennifer M., Benoist, Noelie M.A., Huvenne, Veerle A.I., Jones, Daniel O.B., Robert, Katleen, Ichino, Matteo, Wolff, George A. and Ruhl, Henry A.
(2016)
Landscape-scale spatial heterogeneity in phytodetrital cover and megafauna biomass in the abyss links to modest topographic variation.
Scientific Reports, 6, .
(doi:10.1038/srep34080).
Abstract
Sinking particulate organic matter (POM, phytodetritus) is the principal limiting resource for deep-sea life. However, little is known about spatial variation in POM supply to the abyssal seafloor, which is frequently assumed to be homogenous. In reality, the abyss has a highly complex landscape with millions of hills and mountains. Here, we show a significant increase in seabed POM % cover (by ~1.05 times), and a large significant increase in megafauna biomass (by ~2.5 times), on abyssal hill terrain in comparison to the surrounding plain. These differences are substantially greater than predicted by current models linking water depth to POM supply or benthic biomass. Our observed variations in POM % cover (phytodetritus), megafauna biomass, sediment total organic carbon and total nitrogen, sedimentology, and benthic boundary layer turbidity, all appear to be consistent with topographically enhanced current speeds driving these enhancements. The effects are detectable with bathymetric elevations of only 10s of metres above the surrounding plain. These results imply considerable unquantified heterogeneity in global ecology.
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Submitted date: July 2016
Accepted/In Press date: 14 September 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 September 2016
Published date: 29 September 2016
Organisations:
Ocean and Earth Science, Marine Biogeochemistry, Marine Geoscience
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 398597
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/398597
PURE UUID: def6c2c6-4933-4eb1-ac10-36b2af0548e1
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Date deposited: 20 Sep 2016 09:04
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:46
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Contributors
Author:
Kirsty J. Morris
Author:
Brian J. Bett
Author:
Jennifer M. Durden
Author:
Noelie M.A. Benoist
Author:
Veerle A.I. Huvenne
Author:
Daniel O.B. Jones
Author:
Katleen Robert
Author:
Matteo Ichino
Author:
George A. Wolff
Author:
Henry A. Ruhl
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