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Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zekely, J; Van Dover, CL; Nemeschkal, HL; Bright, M
Published in: Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers
August 1, 2006

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents occur along the mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins around the globe. There are very few community analyses of vent meiobenthos. The central objectives of this study were to identify and quantify for the first time the entire metazoan meiobenthic community associated with mussel aggregations of Bathymodiolus thermophilus Kenk and Wilson, 1985 from the EPR, 11°N and of Bathymodiolus puteoserpentis Cosel et al., 1994 from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), 23°N. Using a quantitative sampling method, abundance, biomass, sex ratio, species richness, diversity, evenness, and trophic structure were studied based on three samples from each site. Meiobenthic abundance in each sample was unexpectedly low, but similar between sites. The community was composed of nematodes, copepods, ostracods, and mites, with a total of 24 species at EPR vents, and 15 species at MAR vents. While most copepod species were vent endemics within the family Dirivultidae, nematodes and harpacticoid copepods belonged to generalist genera, which occur at a variety of habitats and are not restricted to hydrothermal vents or the deep sea. The meiobenthos of hydrothermal-vent mussel beds constitutes a unique community unlike those of other sulfidic habitats, including the thiobios of shallow-water sediments and the meiobenthos of deep-sea, cold-seep sediments. The trophic structure was dominated by primary consumers, mainly deposit feeders, followed by parasites. Predatory meiofaunal species were absent. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

DOI

ISSN

0967-0637

Publication Date

August 1, 2006

Volume

53

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1363 / 1378

Related Subject Headings

  • Oceanography
  • 3708 Oceanography
  • 0405 Oceanography
  • 0403 Geology
  • 0402 Geochemistry
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
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Zekely, J., Van Dover, C. L., Nemeschkal, H. L., & Bright, M. (2006). Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise. Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 53(8), 1363–1378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2006.05.010
Zekely, J., C. L. Van Dover, H. L. Nemeschkal, and M. Bright. “Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise.” Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers 53, no. 8 (August 1, 2006): 1363–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2006.05.010.
Zekely J, Van Dover CL, Nemeschkal HL, Bright M. Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise. Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 2006 Aug 1;53(8):1363–78.
Zekely, J., et al. “Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise.” Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, vol. 53, no. 8, Aug. 2006, pp. 1363–78. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2006.05.010.
Zekely J, Van Dover CL, Nemeschkal HL, Bright M. Hydrothermal vent meiobenthos associated with mytilid mussel aggregations from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise. Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 2006 Aug 1;53(8):1363–1378.
Journal cover image

Published In

Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

DOI

ISSN

0967-0637

Publication Date

August 1, 2006

Volume

53

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1363 / 1378

Related Subject Headings

  • Oceanography
  • 3708 Oceanography
  • 0405 Oceanography
  • 0403 Geology
  • 0402 Geochemistry