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Titel |
Influence of chemosynthetic ecosystems on nematode community structure and biomass in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea |
VerfasserIn |
N. Lampadariou, V. Kalogeropoulou, K. Sevastou, K. Keklikoglou, J. Sarrazin |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1726-4170
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 10, no. 8 ; Nr. 10, no. 8 (2013-08-09), S.5381-5398 |
Datensatznummer |
250085291
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/bg-10-5381-2013.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
Mud volcanoes are a~special type of cold seeps where life is based on
chemoautotrophic processes. They are considered to be extreme environments
and are characterized by unique megafaunal and macrofaunal communities.
However, very few studies on mud volcanoes taking into account the smaller
meiobenthic communities have been carried out. Two mud volcanoes were
explored during the MEDECO (MEditerranean Deep-sea ECOsystems) cruise (2007)
with the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Victor-6000: Amsterdam,
located south of Turkey between 1700 and 2000 m depth (Anaximander
mud field); and Napoli, south of Crete, located along the Mediterranean Ridge
at about 2000 m depth (Olimpi mud field). The major aim of this study
was to describe distributional patterns of meiofaunal communities and
nematode assemblages from different seep microhabitats. Meiofaunal taxa and
nematode assemblages at both mud volcanoes differed significantly from other
Mediterranean sites in terms of standing stocks, dominance and species
diversity. Density and biomass values were significantly higher at the seep
sites, particularly at Amsterdam. Patterns of nematode diversity, the
dominant meiofaunal taxon, varied, displaying both very high or very low
species richness and dominance, depending on the microhabitat studied. The
periphery of the Lamellibrachia and bivalve shell microhabitats of
Napoli exhibited the highest species richness, while the reduced sediments of
Amsterdam yielded a species-poor nematode community dominated by two
successful species, one belonging to the genus Aponema and the other
to the genus Sabatieria. Analysis of β-diversity showed that
microhabitat heterogeneity of mud volcanoes contributed substantially to the
total nematode species richness in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. These
observations indicate a strong influence of mud volcanoes and cold-seep
ecosystems on the meiofaunal communities and nematode assemblages. |
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