The fauna of hydrothermal vents on the Mohn Ridge (North Atlantic)

• The macrofauna of the newly discovered hydrothermal vent field on the Mohn Ridge at 71 degrees N was investigated. Samples were collected during the cruise BIODEEP 2006 using the ROV 'Bathysaurus'. A total of 180 species-level taxa were identified. The region contains very few vent-endemic species, but some species of Porifera, Crustacea and Mollusca may be vent-associated. Dense aggregations of motile non-vent species such as Heliometra glacialis and Gorgonocephalus eucnemis surrounded the vent area, but the area in general only held small numbers of sedentary animals. Calcareous sponges comprised an unusually high portion of the sponge species found and they constitute one of the first pioneers among the sessile invertebrates settling on these vents. Possible explanations for the structure of the fauna in the region are discussed.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Arctic fauna; bacterial mats; Beggiatoa; hydrothermal vents; Mohn Ridge; vent fauna; white smoker

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