Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic
The Cape Lookout cold-water coral area off the coast of North Carolina forms the shallowest and northernmost cold-water coral mound area on the Blake Plateau in the NW Atlantic. Cold-water coral habitats near Cape Lookout are occasionally bathed in the Gulf Stream, which is characterised by oligotro...
Published in: | Biogeosciences |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 https://doaj.org/article/ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc 2023-05-15T17:08:49+02:00 Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic F. Mienis G. C. A. Duineveld A. J. Davies M. M. S. Lavaleye S. W. Ross H. Seim J. Bane H. van Haren M. J. N. Bergman H. de Haas S. Brooke T. C. E. van Weering 2014-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 https://doaj.org/article/ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/2543/2014/bg-11-2543-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 1726-4170 1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 https://doaj.org/article/ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc Biogeosciences, Vol 11, Iss 9, Pp 2543-2560 (2014) Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 2022-12-30T22:13:02Z The Cape Lookout cold-water coral area off the coast of North Carolina forms the shallowest and northernmost cold-water coral mound area on the Blake Plateau in the NW Atlantic. Cold-water coral habitats near Cape Lookout are occasionally bathed in the Gulf Stream, which is characterised by oligotrophic warm water and strong surface currents. Here, we present the first insights into the mound distribution and morphology, sedimentary environment and coral cover and near-bed environmental conditions as recorded by bottom landers from this coral area. The mounds occur between 320 and 550 m water depth and are characterised by high acoustic backscatter indicating the presence of hard structure. Three distinct mound morphologies were observed: (1) a mound with a flattened top at 320 m, (2) multi-summited mounds with a teardrop shape in the middle part of the area and (3) a single mound at 540 m water depth. Echosounder profiles show the presence of a strong reflector underneath all mound structures that forms the base of the mounds. This reflector cropped out at the downstream side of the single mound and consists of carbonate slabs. Video analysis revealed that all mounds are covered by Lophelia pertusa and that living colonies only occur close to the summits of the SSW side of the mounds, which is the side that faces the strongest currents. Off-mound areas were characterised by low backscatter and sediment ripples, indicating the presence of relatively strong bottom currents. Two bottom landers were deployed amidst the coral mounds between December 2009 and May 2010. Both landers recorded prominent events, characterised by large fluctuations in environmental conditions near the seabed as well as in the overlying water column. The period between December and April was characterised by several events of increasing temperature and salinity, coinciding with increased flow and near-bed acoustic backscatter. During these events temperature fluctuated by up to 9 °C within a day, which is the largest temperature ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Lophelia pertusa Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Cape Lookout ENVELOPE(156.450,156.450,-83.050,-83.050) Lookout ENVELOPE(77.955,77.955,-68.605,-68.605) Teardrop ENVELOPE(163.917,163.917,-78.150,-78.150) Biogeosciences 11 9 2543 2560 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 F. Mienis G. C. A. Duineveld A. J. Davies M. M. S. Lavaleye S. W. Ross H. Seim J. Bane H. van Haren M. J. N. Bergman H. de Haas S. Brooke T. C. E. van Weering Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
topic_facet |
Ecology QH540-549.5 Life QH501-531 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The Cape Lookout cold-water coral area off the coast of North Carolina forms the shallowest and northernmost cold-water coral mound area on the Blake Plateau in the NW Atlantic. Cold-water coral habitats near Cape Lookout are occasionally bathed in the Gulf Stream, which is characterised by oligotrophic warm water and strong surface currents. Here, we present the first insights into the mound distribution and morphology, sedimentary environment and coral cover and near-bed environmental conditions as recorded by bottom landers from this coral area. The mounds occur between 320 and 550 m water depth and are characterised by high acoustic backscatter indicating the presence of hard structure. Three distinct mound morphologies were observed: (1) a mound with a flattened top at 320 m, (2) multi-summited mounds with a teardrop shape in the middle part of the area and (3) a single mound at 540 m water depth. Echosounder profiles show the presence of a strong reflector underneath all mound structures that forms the base of the mounds. This reflector cropped out at the downstream side of the single mound and consists of carbonate slabs. Video analysis revealed that all mounds are covered by Lophelia pertusa and that living colonies only occur close to the summits of the SSW side of the mounds, which is the side that faces the strongest currents. Off-mound areas were characterised by low backscatter and sediment ripples, indicating the presence of relatively strong bottom currents. Two bottom landers were deployed amidst the coral mounds between December 2009 and May 2010. Both landers recorded prominent events, characterised by large fluctuations in environmental conditions near the seabed as well as in the overlying water column. The period between December and April was characterised by several events of increasing temperature and salinity, coinciding with increased flow and near-bed acoustic backscatter. During these events temperature fluctuated by up to 9 °C within a day, which is the largest temperature ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
F. Mienis G. C. A. Duineveld A. J. Davies M. M. S. Lavaleye S. W. Ross H. Seim J. Bane H. van Haren M. J. N. Bergman H. de Haas S. Brooke T. C. E. van Weering |
author_facet |
F. Mienis G. C. A. Duineveld A. J. Davies M. M. S. Lavaleye S. W. Ross H. Seim J. Bane H. van Haren M. J. N. Bergman H. de Haas S. Brooke T. C. E. van Weering |
author_sort |
F. Mienis |
title |
Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
title_short |
Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
title_full |
Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
title_fullStr |
Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the Cape Lookout area, NW Atlantic |
title_sort |
cold-water coral growth under extreme environmental conditions, the cape lookout area, nw atlantic |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 https://doaj.org/article/ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(156.450,156.450,-83.050,-83.050) ENVELOPE(77.955,77.955,-68.605,-68.605) ENVELOPE(163.917,163.917,-78.150,-78.150) |
geographic |
Cape Lookout Lookout Teardrop |
geographic_facet |
Cape Lookout Lookout Teardrop |
genre |
Lophelia pertusa |
genre_facet |
Lophelia pertusa |
op_source |
Biogeosciences, Vol 11, Iss 9, Pp 2543-2560 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://www.biogeosciences.net/11/2543/2014/bg-11-2543-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4170 https://doaj.org/toc/1726-4189 1726-4170 1726-4189 doi:10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 https://doaj.org/article/ec295bf14a3a4be8ae52fbf2ecd858bc |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-2543-2014 |
container_title |
Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
2543 |
op_container_end_page |
2560 |
_version_ |
1766064683908857856 |