Meiofauna and nematode abundances from cold seep related habitats along the Norwegian coast ...

Cold-seep environments and their associated symbiont-bearing megafaunal communities create islands of primary production for macro- and meiofauna in the otherwise monotonous and nutrient-poor deep-sea environment. To examine the spatial variation and distribution patterns of metazoan meiobenthos in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Van Gaever, Saskia, Olu, Karine, Derycke, Sofie, Vanreusel, Ann
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.777203
https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.777203
Description
Summary:Cold-seep environments and their associated symbiont-bearing megafaunal communities create islands of primary production for macro- and meiofauna in the otherwise monotonous and nutrient-poor deep-sea environment. To examine the spatial variation and distribution patterns of metazoan meiobenthos in different seepage-related habitats, samples were collected in two regions off Norway: several pockmarks associated with the Storegga Slide including the Nyegga pockmark area (730 m; 64°N), and the active, methane-venting Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano (HMMV) west of the Barents Sea (1280 m; 72°N). Based on sediment geochemistry and associated epifauna, three different habitat types were distinguished across the two regions: (1) reduced sediment with suboxic conditions, sometimes covered by bacterial mats, (2) sediment colonised by chemosynthetic, siboglinid tubeworms, and (3) sediment outside the influence of seepage and without a large chemosynthetic fauna. Meiofaunal communities varied strongly in terms of generic ... : Supplement to: Van Gaever, Saskia; Olu, Karine; Derycke, Sofie; Vanreusel, Ann (2009): Metazoan meiofaunal communities at cold seeps along the Norwegian margin: Influence of habitat heterogeneity and evidence for connection with shallow-water habitats. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 56, 772-785 ...