scholarly journals Biodiversity in soft-sediments of mud volcanoes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A Ramey-Balci ◽  
Nicole Raineault ◽  
Derya Ürkmez
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Spatial Scale ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Microbial Mats ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Sediment Cores ◽  
Methane Seep ◽  
Mud Volcanoes ◽  
Soft Sediments ◽  
History Of

Biodiversity in coastal ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea have a long history of intense studies but investigations in deep-sea habitats are scarce. In collaboration with the (E/V) Nautilus, we examined the Anaximander Seamounts, located in the south of Turkey, at the junction of the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs. Five mud volcanoes (Amsterdam, Kula, Thessaloniki, Kazan, Athina; depths 1250−2300 m) and a non-seep site (Anaximenes Ridge, 818-m depth) were sampled in July/August 2012 and quantitative, soft-sediment cores (6-cm diameter, 10-cm deep) were collected for community analyses and DNA barcoding of organisms. Actively seeping fluid (14°C) containing methane was present at several volcanoes. The seabed was heterogeneous, consisting of soft-sediments interspersed with carbonate crusts harboring mussels and tubeworms. Varying colors of patchy, superficial microbial mats were the most common methane seep habitat. We characterized the distribution and community structure of macro- and meiobenthos in these reduced sediments. Specific questions addressed include: Do community composition and diversity differ: A. from one mud volcano to another (spatial scale of km), B. from communities in non-seep sediments, and C. at different locations/depths on mud volcanoes (spatial scale <1 m to km)? How unique and diverse are these communities compared to those in similar habitats elsewhere?

scholarly journals Biodiversity in soft-sediments of mud volcanoes in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A Ramey-Balci ◽  
Nicole Raineault ◽  
Derya Ürkmez
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Spatial Scale ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Microbial Mats ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Sediment Cores ◽  
Methane Seep ◽  
Mud Volcanoes ◽  
Soft Sediments ◽  
History Of

Biodiversity in coastal ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea have a long history of intense studies but investigations in deep-sea habitats are scarce. In collaboration with the (E/V) Nautilus, we examined the Anaximander Seamounts, located in the south of Turkey, at the junction of the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs. Five mud volcanoes (Amsterdam, Kula, Thessaloniki, Kazan, Athina; depths 1250−2300 m) and a non-seep site (Anaximenes Ridge, 818-m depth) were sampled in July/August 2012 and quantitative, soft-sediment cores (6-cm diameter, 10-cm deep) were collected for community analyses and DNA barcoding of organisms. Actively seeping fluid (14°C) containing methane was present at several volcanoes. The seabed was heterogeneous, consisting of soft-sediments interspersed with carbonate crusts harboring mussels and tubeworms. Varying colors of patchy, superficial microbial mats were the most common methane seep habitat. We characterized the distribution and community structure of macro- and meiobenthos in these reduced sediments. Specific questions addressed include: Do community composition and diversity differ: A. from one mud volcano to another (spatial scale of km), B. from communities in non-seep sediments, and C. at different locations/depths on mud volcanoes (spatial scale <1 m to km)? How unique and diverse are these communities compared to those in similar habitats elsewhere?

scholarly journals A new genus and species of spionid polychaete (Annelida, Spionidae) from a deep-water cold seep site in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea off Turkey

Zoosymposia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-134
Author(s):  
JAMES A. BLAKE ◽  
PATRICIA A. RAMEY-BALCI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Microbial Mats ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Cold Seep ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Sea

A new spionid polychaete was discovered in deep-sea sediments in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during an expedition by the Ocean Exploration Trust. Specimens were collected by the E/V Nautilus in August 2012 off Turkey, at a depth of 2216 m on the Anaximander Seamount at the Amsterdam mud volcano site. Cores were taken from sediments covered with microbial mats. The new species belongs to the Pygospiopsis-Atherospio Group, which has unusual neuropodial hooks, modified neurosetae in some anterior setigers, and branchiae in middle body segments that are broad, flattened, and fused to the dorsal lamellae. The new species is assigned to a new genus and species, Aciculaspio anaximanderi n. gen., n. sp., and is unusual in having a reduced setiger 1 lacking notosetae; well-developed pre- and postsetal lamellae that encompass the neurosetae and notosetae; notopodial lamellae free from the branchiae in anterior setigers that become fused and flattened in middle and posterior segments; unidentate hooded hooks in both noto- and neuropodia; neuropodial spines in setigers 4–10; and a pygidium with three anal cirri. Aciculaspio anaximanderi n. gen., n. sp. is the first species in the Atherospio-Pygospiopsis Group collected from a deep-water cold seep habitat.

scholarly journals Influence of chemosynthetic ecosystems on nematode community structure and biomass in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 18131-18173
Author(s):  
N. Lampadariou ◽  
V. Kalogeropoulou ◽  
K. Sevastou ◽  
K. Keklikoglou ◽  
J. Sarrazin
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Cold Seep ◽  
Mud Volcanoes ◽  
Mussel Bed ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Density And Biomass

Abstract. Mud volcanoes are a special type of cold seeps where life is based on chemoautotrophic processes. They are considered as extreme environments and are characterised 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 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. Nematodes, the dominant meiofaunal taxon, displayed deeper penetration vertically into the sediment at the seep areas, indicating that biological rather than physicochemical factors are responsible for their vertical distribution. Patterns of nematode diversity varied, displaying both very high or very low species richness and dominance, depending on the habitat studied. The Lamellibrachia periphery and mussel bed 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 habitat 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.

scholarly journals Influence of chemosynthetic ecosystems on nematode community structure and biomass in the deep eastern Mediterranean Sea

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 5381-5398 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Lampadariou ◽  
V. Kalogeropoulou ◽  
K. Sevastou ◽  
K. Keklikoglou ◽  
J. Sarrazin
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Cold Seep ◽  
Cold Seeps ◽  
Mud Volcanoes ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Density And Biomass

Abstract. 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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