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Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA

Publication ,  Journal Article
Heyl, TP; Gilhooly, WP; Chambers, RM; Gilchrist, GW; Macko, SA; Ruppel, CD; Van Dover, CL
Published in: Marine Ecology Progress Series
June 6, 2007

Spatial distributions and patchiness of dominant megafaunal invertebrates in deep-sea seep environments may indicate heterogeneities in the flux of reduced chemical compounds. At the Blake Ridge seep off South Carolina, USA, the invertebrate assemblage includes dense populations of live vesicomyid clams (an undescribed species) as well as extensive clam shell beds (i.e. dead clams). In the present study, we characterized clam parameters (density, size-frequency distribution, reproductive condition) in relation to sulfur chemistry (sulfide and sulfate concentrations and isotopic compositions, pyrite and elemental sulfur concentrations) and other sedimentary metrics (grain size, organic content). For clams >5 mm, clam density was highest where the total dissolved sulfide concentration at 10 cm depth (ΣH2S10cm) was 0.4 to 1.1 mmol l-1; juvenile clams (<5 mm) were most dense where ΣH2S10cm was lowest. Clams were reproductively capable across a broad range of ΣH2S10cm (0.1 to 6.4 mmol l-1), and females in the sampled populations displayed asynchronous gametogenesis. Sulfide concentrations in porewaters at the shell-sediment interface of cores from shell beds were high, 3.3 to 12.1 mmol l-1, compared to <1 mmol l-1 sulfide concentrations at the clam-sediment interface in live clam beds. Concentration profiles for sulfide and sulfate in shell beds were typical of those expected where there is active microbial sulfate reduction. In clam beds, profiles of sulfide and sulfate concentrations were also consistent with rapid uptake of sulfide by the clams. Sulfate in shell beds was systematically enriched in 34S relative to that in clam beds due to microbial fractionation during sulfate reduction, but in clam beds, sulfate δ34S matched that of seawater (∼20‰). Residual sulfide values in clam and shell beds were correspondingly depleted in 34S. Based on porewater sulfide concentrations in shell beds at the time of sampling, we suggest that clam mortality may have been due to an abrupt increase in sulfide concentration and sulfide toxicity, but other alternatives cannot be eliminated. © Inter-Research 2007.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Marine Ecology Progress Series

DOI

ISSN

0171-8630

Publication Date

June 6, 2007

Volume

339

Start / End Page

169 / 184

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0405 Oceanography
 

Citation

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MLA
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Heyl, T. P., Gilhooly, W. P., Chambers, R. M., Gilchrist, G. W., Macko, S. A., Ruppel, C. D., & Van Dover, C. L. (2007). Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 339, 169–184. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps339169
Heyl, T. P., W. P. Gilhooly, R. M. Chambers, G. W. Gilchrist, S. A. Macko, C. D. Ruppel, and C. L. Van Dover. “Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 339 (June 6, 2007): 169–84. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps339169.
Heyl TP, Gilhooly WP, Chambers RM, Gilchrist GW, Macko SA, Ruppel CD, et al. Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 2007 Jun 6;339:169–84.
Heyl, T. P., et al. “Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA.” Marine Ecology Progress Series, vol. 339, June 2007, pp. 169–84. Scopus, doi:10.3354/meps339169.
Heyl TP, Gilhooly WP, Chambers RM, Gilchrist GW, Macko SA, Ruppel CD, Van Dover CL. Characteristics of vesicomyid clams and their environment at the Blake Ridge cold seep, South Carolina, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 2007 Jun 6;339:169–184.
Journal cover image

Published In

Marine Ecology Progress Series

DOI

ISSN

0171-8630

Publication Date

June 6, 2007

Volume

339

Start / End Page

169 / 184

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0405 Oceanography