119683 williams.pdf (6.4 MB)
Extraordinarily high biomass benthic community on Southern Ocean seamounts
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 09:07 authored by Thresher, RE, Adkins, J, Fallon, SJ, Gowlett-Holmes, K, Althaus, F, Williams, AlanWe describe a previously unknown assemblage of seamount-associated megabenthos that has by far the highest peak biomass reported in the deep-sea outside of vent communities. The assemblage was found at depths of 2–2.5 km on rocky geomorphic features off the southeast coast of Australia, in an area near the Sub-Antarctic Zone characterised by high rates of surface productivity and carbon export to the deep-ocean. These conditions, and the taxa in the assemblage, are widely distributed around the Southern mid-latitudes, suggesting the high-biomass assemblage is also likely to be widespread. The role of this assemblage in regional ecosystem and carbon dynamics and its sensitivities to anthropogenic impacts are unknown. The discovery highlights the lack of information on deep-sea biota worldwide and the potential for unanticipated impacts of deep-sea exploitation.
History
Publication title
Scientific ReportsArticle number
119Number
119Pagination
1-5ISSN
2045-2322Department/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesPublisher
Nature Publishing GroupPlace of publication
United KingdomRights statement
Copyright 2011 The Authors.Repository Status
- Open