Megafaunal assemblages in deep-sea ecosystems of the Gulf of Cadiz, northeast Atlantic ocean

• Published in: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers
• Main Authors: Grinyó, Jordi, Francescangeli, Marco, Santín, Andreu, Ercilla, Gemma, Estrada, Ferran, Mechó, Ariadna, Fanelli, Emanuela, Costa, Corrado, Danovaro, Roberto, Company, Joan B., Sobrino, Ignacio, Valencia, Javier, Aguzzi, Jacopo
• Other Authors: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2022
• Subjects: Benthic assemblages; Deep-sea ecosystems; Gulf of Cadiz; Vulnerable marine ecosystems; ROV imaging; Northeast Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/270199; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2022.103738; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329

10 pages, 5 figures, 1 table Deep-sea ecosystems of the Iberian margin have been widely impacted over the past decades, but the limited knowledge on their biodiversity and functioning limits our ability to contribute to their conservation. So far, in the Gulf of Cadiz, research has mostly been focused on megabenthic assemblages associated to mud volcanoes. However, several other geomorphological structures have remained widely unexplored. Here, by means of a quantitative analysis of 17 video transects conducted between 220 and 980 m depth, we investigated megabenthic assemblages associated to canyons, contouritic channels, contouritic furrows and open slopes. We report the presence of 8 different assemblages, segregated as a result of the different substrates and geomorphologic features. Megabenthic assemblages on hard substrates were characterized by mono or multispecific sponge assemblages. Soft bottoms hosted crinoid beds, pennatulacean meadows and fields of the gorgonian Radicipes gracilis. These results highlight the high diversity of megabenthic assemblages in deep-sea ecosystems of the Gulf of Cadiz and suggest that most of the geomorphological features that remained so far unexplored represent vulnerable marine ecosystems deserving protection and inclusion in future management plans The present study was developed in the framework of the Tecnoterra (ICM-CSIC/UPC) Associate Unit and the following project activities, funded by the Spanish Government MOWER (CTM 2012-39599-C03), FAUCES (CTM2015-65461-C2-1-R) and RESBIO (TEC2017-87861-R), plus the ARIM (Autonomous Robotic sea-floor Infrastructure for benthopelagic Monitoring) funded by the MartTERA ERA-Net Cofound and by the project PRIN GLIDE (MUR-IT). [.] This work acknowledges the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S). Francescangeli M. was funded by the European Project ERASMUS grant 2017 Peer reviewed