1. |
- Alexander, Stephen P. H., et al.
(author)
-
The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2023/24: G protein-coupled receptors
- 2023
-
In: BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. - : British pharmacological society. - 0007-1188 .- 1476-5381. ; 180
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2023/24 is the sixth in this series of biennial publications. The Concise Guide provides concise overviews, mostly in tabular format, of the key properties of approximately 1800 drug targets, and about 6000 interactions with about 3900 ligands. There is an emphasis on selective pharmacology (where available), plus links to the open access knowledgebase source of drug targets and their ligands (), which provides more detailed views of target and ligand properties. Although the Concise Guide constitutes almost 500 pages, the material presented is substantially reduced compared to information and links presented on the website. It provides a permanent, citable, point-in-time record that will survive database updates. The full contents of this section can be found at . G protein-coupled receptors are one of the six major pharmacological targets into which the Guide is divided, with the others being: ion channels, nuclear hormone receptors, catalytic receptors, enzymes and transporters. These are presented with nomenclature guidance and summary information on the best available pharmacological tools, alongside key references and suggestions for further reading. The landscape format of the Concise Guide is designed to facilitate comparison of related targets from material contemporary to mid-2023, and supersedes data presented in the 2021/22, 2019/20, 2017/18, 2015/16 and 2013/14 Concise Guides and previous Guides to Receptors and Channels. It is produced in close conjunction with the Nomenclature and Standards Committee of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (NC-IUPHAR), therefore, providing official IUPHAR classification and nomenclature for human drug targets, where appropriate.
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2. |
- Fowler, A. M., et al.
(author)
-
Environmental benefits of leaving offshore infrastructure in the ocean
- 2018
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In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. - : Wiley. - 1540-9295. ; 16:10, s. 571-578
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The removal of thousands of structures associated with oil and gas development from the world's oceans is well underway, yet the environmental impacts of this decommissioning practice remain unknown. Similar impacts will be associated with the eventual removal of offshore wind turbines. We conducted a global survey of environmental experts to guide best decommissioning practices in the North Sea, a region with a substantial removal burden. In contrast to current regulations, 94.7% of experts (36 out of 38) agreed that a more flexible case-by-case approach to decommissioning could benefit the North Sea environment. Partial removal options were considered to deliver better environmental outcomes than complete removal for platforms, but both approaches were equally supported for wind turbines. Key considerations identified for decommissioning were biodiversity enhancement, provision of reef habitat, and protection from bottom trawling, all of which are negatively affected by complete removal. We provide recommendations to guide the revision of offshore decommissioning policy, including a temporary suspension of obligatory removal.
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3. |
- Bribiesca-Contreras, G., et al.
(author)
-
Benthic megafauna of the western Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean
- 2022
-
In: Zookeys. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 1313-2989 .- 1313-2970. ; :1113, s. 1-110
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a growing interest in the exploitation of deep-sea mineral deposits, particularly on the abyssal seafloor of the central Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which is rich in polymetallic nodules. In order to effectively manage potential exploitation activities, a thorough understanding of the biodiversity, community structure, species ranges, connectivity, and ecosystem functions across a range of scales is needed. The benthic megafauna plays an important role in the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems and represents an important component of the biodiversity. While megafaunal surveys using video and still images have provided insight into CCZ biodiversity, the collection of faunal samples is needed to confirm are very rarely carried out. Using a Remotely Operated Vehicle, 55 specimens of benthic megafauna were-collected from seamounts and abyssal plains in three Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI 1, APEI 4, and APEI 7) at 3100-5100 m depth in the western CCZ. Using both morphological and molecular evidence, 48 different morphotypes belonging to five phyla were found, only nine referrable to known species, and 39 species potentially new to science. This work highlights the need for detailed taxonomic studies incorporating genetic data, not only within the CCZ, but in other bathyal, abyssal, and hadal regions, as representative genetic reference libraries that could facilitate the generation of species inventories.
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4. |
- Christopoulos, Arthur, et al.
(author)
-
THE CONCISE GUIDE TO PHARMACOLOGY 2021/22: G protein-coupled receptors.
- 2021
-
In: British journal of pharmacology. - : Wiley. - 1476-5381 .- 0007-1188. ; 178 Suppl 1
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2021/22 is the fifth in this series of biennial publications. The Concise Guide provides concise overviews, mostly in tabular format, of the key properties of nearly 1900 human drug targets with an emphasis on selective pharmacology (where available), plus links to the open access knowledgebase source of drug targets and their ligands (www.guidetopharmacology.org), which provides more detailed views of target and ligand properties. Although the Concise Guide constitutes over 500 pages, the material presented is substantially reduced compared to information and links presented on the website. It provides a permanent, citable, point-in-time record that will survive database updates. The full contents of this section can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/bph.15538. G protein-coupled receptors are one of the six major pharmacological targets into which the Guide is divided, with the others being: ion channels, nuclear hormone receptors, catalytic receptors, enzymes and transporters. These are presented with nomenclature guidance and summary information on the best available pharmacological tools, alongside key references and suggestions for further reading. The landscape format of the Concise Guide is designed to facilitate comparison of related targets from material contemporary to mid-2021, and supersedes data presented in the 2019/20, 2017/18, 2015/16 and 2013/14 Concise Guides and previous Guides to Receptors and Channels. It is produced in close conjunction with the Nomenclature and Standards Committee of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (NC-IUPHAR), therefore, providing official IUPHAR classification and nomenclature for human drug targets, where appropriate.
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5. |
- Neal, L., et al.
(author)
-
Abyssal fauna of polymetallic nodule exploration areas, eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Amphinomidae and Euphrosinidae (Annelida, Amphinomida)
- 2022
-
In: ZooKeys. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 1313-2989 .- 1313-2970. ; :1137, s. 33-74
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This is a contribution in a series of taxonomic publications on benthic fauna of polymetallic nodule fields in the eastern abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). The material was collected during environmental surveys targeting exploration contract areas 'UK-1', 'OMS' and 'NORI-D', as well as an Area of Particular Environmental Interest, 'APEI-6'. The annelid families Amphinomidae and Euphrosinidae are investi-gated here. Taxonomic data are presented for six species from 41 CCZ-collected specimens as identified by a combination of morphological and genetic approaches; of the six species, three are here described as new, one species is likely to be new but in too poor condition to be formalised and the two others likely belong to known species. Description of three new species Euphrosinella georgievae sp. nov., Euphrosinopsis ahearni sp. nov., and Euphrosinopsis halli sp. nov. increases the number of formally described new annelid species from the targeted areas to 21 and CCZ-wide to 52. Molecular data suggest that four of the species reported here are known from CCZ only, but within CCZ they have a wide distribution. In contrast, the species identified as Bathychloeia cf. sibogae Horst, 1910 was found to have a wide distribution within the Pacific based on both morphological and molecular data, using comparative material from the abyssal South Pacific. Bathychloeia cf. balloniformis Boggemann, 2009 was found to be restricted to APEI-6 based on DNA data available from CCZ specimens only, but morphological data from other locations suggest potentially a wide abyssal distribution. The genus Euphrosinopsis was previously known only from Antarc-tic waters, and Euphrosinella georgievae sp. nov. was recovered as a sister taxon to the Antarctic specimens of Euphrosinella cf. cirratoformis in our molecular phylogenetic analysis, strengthening the hypothesised link between the deep-sea and Antarctic benthic fauna.
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6. |
- Rabone, M., et al.
(author)
-
Access to Marine Genetic Resources (MGR): Raising Awareness of Best-Practice Through a New Agreement for Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)
- 2019
-
In: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745. ; 6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Better scientific knowledge of the poorly-known deep sea and areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) is key to its conservation, an urgent need in light of increasing environmental pressures. Access to marine genetic resources (MGR) for the biodiversity research community is essential to allow these environments to be better characterised. Negotiations have commenced under the auspices of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to develop a new treaty to further the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in ABNJ. It is timely to consider the relevant issues with the development of the treaty underway. Currently uncertainties surround the legal definition of MGR and scope of related benefit-sharing, against a background of regional and global governance gaps in ABNJ. These complications are mirrored in science, with recent major advances in the field of genomics, but variability in handling of the resulting increasing volumes of data. Here, we attempt to define the concept of MGR from a scientific perspective, review current practices for the generation of and access to MGR from ABNJ in the context of relevant regulations, and illustrate the utility of best-practice with a case study. We contribute recommendations with a view to strengthen best-practice in accessibility of MGR, including: funder recognition of the central importance of taxonomy/biodiversity research; support of museums/collections for long-term sample curation; open access to data; usage and further development of globally recognised data standards and platforms; publishing of datasets via open-access, quality controlled and standardised data systems and open access journals; commitment to best-practice workflows; a global registry of cruises; and lastly development of a clearing house to further centralised access to the above. We argue that commitment to best-practice would allow greater sharing of MGR for research and extensive secondary use including conservation and environmental monitoring, and provide an exemplar for access and benefit-sharing (ABS) to inform the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) process.
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7. |
- Taboada, S., et al.
(author)
-
Implications of population connectivity studies for the design of marine protected areas in the deep sea: An example of a demosponge from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone
- 2018
-
In: Molecular Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0962-1083 .- 1365-294X. ; 27:23, s. 4657-4679
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The abyssal demosponge Plenaster craigi inhabits the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the northeast Pacific, a region with abundant seafloor polymetallic nodules with potential mining interest. Since P. craigi is a very abundant encrusting sponge on nodules, understanding its genetic diversity and connectivity could provide important insights into extinction risks and design of marine protected areas. Our main aim was to assess the effectiveness of the Area of Particular Environmental Interest 6 (APEI-6) as a potential genetic reservoir for three adjacent mining exploration contract areas (UK-1A, UK-1B and OMS-1A). As in many other sponges, COI showed extremely low variability even for samples similar to 900 km apart. Conversely, the 168 individuals of P. craigi, genotyped for 11 microsatellite markers, provided strong genetic structure at large geographical scales not explained by isolation by distance (IBD). Interestingly, we detected molecular affinities between samples from APEI-6 and UK-1A, despite being separated similar to 800 km. Although our migration analysis inferred very little progeny dispersal of individuals between areas, the major differentiation of OMS-1A from the other areas might be explained by the occurrence of predominantly northeasterly transport predicted by the HYCOM hydrodynamic model. Our study suggests that although APEI-6 does serve a conservation role, with species connectivity to the exploration areas, it is on its own inadequate as a propagule source for P. craigi for the entire eastern portion of the CCZ. Our new data suggest that an APEI located to the east and/or the south of the UK-1, OMS-1, BGR, TOML and NORI areas would be highly valuable.
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8. |
- Wiklund, Helena, 1965, et al.
(author)
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Checklist of newly-vouchered annelid taxa from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean, based on morphology and genetic delimitation
- 2023
-
In: Biodiversity Data Journal. - 1314-2836. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background We present a checklist of annelids from recent United Kingdom Seabed Resources (UKSR) expeditions (Abyssal Baseline -ABYSSLINE project) to the eastern abyssal Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) polymetallic nodule fields, based on DNA species delimitation, including imagery of voucher specimens, Darwin Core (DwC) data and links to vouchered specimen material and new GenBank sequence records. This paper includes genetic and imagery data for 129 species of annelids from 339 records and is restricted to & COPY; Wiklund H et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. material that is, in general, in too poor a condition to describe formally at this time, but likely contains many species new to science. We make these data available both to aid future taxonomic studies in the CCZ that will be able to link back to these genetic data and specimens and to better underpin ongoing ecological studies of potential deep-sea mining impacts using the principles of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusuable) data and specimens that will be available for all. New information We include genetic, imagery and all associated metadata in Darwin Core format for 129 species of annelids from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, eastern abyssal Pacific, with 339 records.
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9. |
- Anderung, C., et al.
(author)
-
A Swedish subfossil find of a bowhead whale from the late Pleistocene: shore displacement, paleoecology in south-west Sweden and the identity of the Swedenborg whale (Balaena swedenborgii Liljeborg, 1867)
- 2014
-
In: Historical Biology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0891-2963 .- 1029-2381. ; 26:1, s. 58-68
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Swedenborg whale Balaena swedenborgii Liljeborg, 1867, is a baleen whale species believed to have existed in the North Sea from the period when the inland ice melted around 13,000 before present (BP) until about 8000 years ago. The first bones attributed to this species were found in Sweden in 1705. When whale remains were discovered on the Swedish west coast during the extension work of a motorway extension, it was speculated that this could be a specimen of the extinct Swedenborg whale. The bones were found 72m above the present-day sea level embedded in glacial mud. Shelly remains of marine organisms were present in the deposit surrounding the whale-fall, and sediments with the associated specimens were therefore collected for further analyses. We applied radiocarbon dating, thin sectioning, morphological analyses, ancient DNA typing and analyses of the associated shelly assemblage in an interdisciplinary effort to understand the circumstances of this fossil whale-fall. Our results show that the whale is not the putative species B. swedenborgii, but a bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus. The results also indicate that the whale must have been rapidly covered by glacial sediments, highlighting the speed of the deglacial process in the area.
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10. |
- Bekkevold, D., et al.
(author)
-
Environmental correlates of population differentiation in Atlantic herring
- 2005
-
In: Evolution. - 0014-3820. ; 59:12, s. 2656-2668
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The marine environment is characterized by few physical barriers, and pelagic fishes commonly show high migratory potential and low, albeit in some cases statistically significant, levels of genetic divergence in neutral genetic marker analyses. However, it is not clear whether low levels of differentiation reflect spatially separated populations experiencing gene flow or shallow population histories coupled with limited random genetic drift in large, demographically isolated populations undergoing independent evolutionary processes. Using information for nine microsatellite loci in a total of 1951 fish, we analyzed genetic differentiation among Atlantic herring from eleven spawning locations distributed along a longitudinal gradient from the North Sea to the Western Baltic. Overall genetic differentiation was low (theta = 0.008) but statistically significant. The area is characterized by a dramatic shift in hydrography from the highly saline and temperature stable North Sea to the brackish Baltic Sea, where temperatures show high annual variation. We used two different methods, a novel computational geometric approach and partial Mantel correlation analysis coupled with detailed environmental information from spawning locations to show that patterns of reproductive isolation covaried with salinity differences among spawning locations, independent of their geographical distance. We show that reproductive isolation can be maintained in marine fish populations exhibiting substantial mixing during larval and adult life stages. Analyses incorporating genetic, spatial, and environmental parameters indicated that isolating mechanisms are associated with the specific salinity conditions on spawning locations.
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11. |
- Bribiesca-Contreras, Guadalupe, et al.
(author)
-
Biogeography and Connectivity Across Habitat Types and Geographical Scales in Pacific Abyssal Scavenging Amphipods
- 2021
-
In: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745. ; 8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, there has been a resurgent interest in the exploration of deep-sea mineral deposits, particularly polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific. Accurate environmental impact assessment is critical to the effective management of a new industry and depends on a sound understanding of species taxonomy, biogeography, and connectivity across a range of scales. Connectivity is a particularly important parameter in determining ecosystem resilience, as it helps to define the ability of a system to recover post-impact. Scavenging amphipods in the superfamilies Alicelloidea Lowry and De Broyer, 2008 and Lysianassoidea Dana, 1849 contribute to a unique and abundant scavenging community in abyssal ecosystems. They are relatively easy to sample and in recent years have become the target of several molecular and taxonomic studies, but are poorly studied in the CCZ. Here, a molecular approach is used to identify and delimit species, and to investigate evolutionary relationships of scavenging amphipods from both abyssal plain and deep (>3000 m) seamount habitats in three APEIs (Areas of Particular Environmental Interest, i.e., designated conservation areas) in the western CCZ. A total of 17 different morphospecies of scavenging amphipods were identified, which include at least 30 genetic species delimited by a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode gene. The scavenging communities sampled in the western CCZ included the most common species (Abyssorchomene gerulicorbis (Shulenberger and Barnard, 1976), A. chevreuxi (Stebbing, 1906), Paralicella caperesca Shulenberger and Barnard, 1976, and P. tenuipes Chevreux, 1908) reported for other ocean basins. Only four morphospecies, representing five genetic species, were shared between APEIs 1, 4, and 7. The two abyssal plain sites at APEIs 4 and 7 were dominated by two and three of the most common scavenging species, respectively, while the APEI 1 seamount site was dominated by two species potentially new to science that appeared to be endemic to the site. The presence of common species in all sites and high genetic diversity, yet little geographic structuring, indicate connectivity over evolutionary time scales between the areas, which span about 1500 km. Similar to recent studies, the differences in amphipod assemblages found between the seamount and abyssal sites suggest that ecological conditions on seamounts generate distinct community compositions.
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12. |
- Dahlgren, Thomas G., 1963, et al.
(author)
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A shallow-water whale-fall experiment in the north Atlantic
- 2006
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In: Cahiers De Biologie Marine. - 0007-9723. ; 47:4, s. 385-389
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study of hydrothermal vent and seep fauna is associated with great costs due to the deep and distant locations. Whale-falls, which are thought to have habitat conditions which overlap seep ecosystems, may be used as a model system to explore questions such as the evolution of dispersal strategies and interactions between hosts and their symbiont microbes. Our discovery of whale-fall fauna at a whale carcass sunk at shelf depth in a Swedish fjord contrasts the apparent lack of specialized organisms from shallow water seep environments. Representatives of a whale-fall fauna found at the Swedish study site include bacterial mat feeding dorvilleid annelids and the whale-bone eating pogonophoran worm Osedax mucofloris Glover et al., 2005. We are maintaining whale-fall fauna alive in aquaria, and initial results from these studies suggest that O. mucofloris has a continuous reproduction life-history strategy.
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13. |
- Dahlgren, Thomas G., 1963, et al.
(author)
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Fauna of whale falls: systematics and ecology of a new polychaete (Annelida : Chrysopetalidae) from the deep Pacific Ocean
- 2004
-
In: Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0967-0637. ; 51:12, s. 1873-1887
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Vigtorniella flokati, a new species of polychaete worm associated with decaying whale remains, is described. Three separate V. flokati populations were sampled using submersibles: two associated with implanted gray whale carcasses in the San Diego Trough (1240 m depth) and the Santa Cruz Basin (1670 m) off California, and one from sperm whale and balaeanopterid bones implanted on the slope of Oahu, Hawaii at 1000 m. Extraordinarily large numbers of live specimens were observed and videotaped in situ using submersibles in the San Diego Trough and the Santa Cruz Basin. The populations on the carcass implanted for 4 months in San Diego Trough, and on the bones implanted for 2 years off Oahu, were composed only of small sized individuals (including juveniles). V. flokati most closely resembles the poorly known V. zaikai Kiseleva, 1992, described from the Black Sea. Forty-six morphological characters were used in a phylogenetic analysis of selected nereidiform polychaetes. The resulting most-parsimonious trees indicate sister taxon status between V. flokati and V. zaikai, and that this clade is sister to the putatively ancient polychaete clade Chrysopetalidae. Whale falls, which are intense point sources of organic enrichment at the deep-sea floor, pass through three successional stages. V flokati appears to colonize the middle, "enrichment opportunist" stage, inhabiting organic-rich bones and sediments similar to4-24 months after carcass arrival. V. flokati exhibits remarkable behavior, clinging posteriorly to whale bones or nearby sediments to form a writhing carpet at densities exceeding 8000 m(-2). Its extraordinary abundance on whale falls, and apparent absence from other habitats, suggests it to be a whale-fall specialist. The precise feeding mechanism of the worm remains unknown, but we hypothesize that it may utilize dissolved organic carbon derived from the organic-rich setting of whale falls. The widespread occurrence of V. flokati on ephemeral, food-rich habitat islands in the Pacific suggests life-history strategies analogous to those for hydrothermal-vent and cold-seep species. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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14. |
- Dahlgren, Thomas G., 1963, et al.
(author)
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First record of Antarctic whale-fall species.
- 2009
-
In: 4th International Symposium on Chemosynthesis-Based Ecosystems (4th CBE). Okinawa June 28 - July 3 2009..
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)
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15. |
- Danise, S., et al.
(author)
-
Molluscs from a shallow-water whale-fall and their affinities with adjacent benthic communities on the Swedish west coast
- 2014
-
In: Marine Biology Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1745-1000 .- 1745-1019. ; 10:1, s. 3-16
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We conducted a species-level study of molluscs associated with a 5-m long carcass of a minke whale at a depth of 125 m in the Kosterfjord (North Sea, Sweden). The whale-fall community was quantitatively compared with the community commonly living in the surrounding soft-bottom sediments. Five years after the deployment of the dead whale at the sea floor, the sediments around the carcass were dominated by the bivalve Thyasira sarsi, which is known to contain endosymbiotic sulphur-oxidizing bacteria, while background sediments were dominated by another thyasirid, T. equalis, less dependent on chemosynthesis for its nutrition. The Kosterfjord samples were further compared at the species level with mollusc abundance data derived from the literature, including samples from different marine settings of the west coast of Sweden (active methane seep, fjords, coastal and open marine environments). The results show high similarity between the Kosterfjord whale-fall community and the community that developed in one of the Swedish fjords (Gullmar Fjord) during hypoxic conditions. This study indicates that at shallow-water whale-falls, the sulphophilic stage of the ecological succession is characterized by generalist chemosynthetic bivalves commonly living in organic-rich, sulphidic environments.
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16. |
- Drennan, Regan, et al.
(author)
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Annelid Fauna of the Prince Gustav Channel, a Previously Ice-Covered Seaway on the Northeastern Antarctic Peninsula
- 2021
-
In: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745. ; 7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Prince Gustav Channel is a narrow seaway located in the western Weddell Sea on the northeastern-most tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The channel is notable for both its deep (>1200 m) basins, and a dynamic glacial history that most recently includes the break-up of the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf, which covered the southern portion of the channel until its collapse in 1995. However, the channel remains mostly unsampled, with very little known about its benthic biology. We present a preliminary account of the benthic annelid fauna of the Prince Gustav Channel in addition to samples from Duse Bay, a sheltered, glacier-influenced embayment in the northwestern portion of the channel. Samples were collected using an Agassiz Trawl, targeting megafaunal and large macrofaunal sized animals at depths ranging between 200–1200 m; the seafloor and associated fauna were also documented in situ using a Shallow Underwater Camera System (SUCS). Sample sites varied in terms of depth, substrate type, and current regime, and communities were locally variable across sites in terms of richness, abundance, and both taxonomic and functional composition. The most diverse family included the motile predator/scavenger Polynoidae, with 105 individuals in at least 12 morphospecies, primarily from a single site. This study provides first insights into diverse and spatially heterogeneous benthic communities in a dynamic habitat with continuing glacial influence, filling sampling gaps in a poorly studied region of the Southern Ocean at direct risk from climate change. These specimens will also be utilized in future molecular investigations, both in terms of describing the genetic biodiversity of this site and as part of wider phylogeographic and population genetic analyses assessing the connectivity, evolutionary origins, and demographic history of annelid fauna in the region.
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17. |
- Drennan, Regan, et al.
(author)
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Neanthes goodayi sp. nov. (Annelida, Nereididae), a remarkable new annelid species living inside deep-sea polymetallic nodules
- 2021
-
In: European Journal of Taxonomy. - : Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle. - 2118-9773. ; 760, s. 160-185
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A new species of abyssal Neanthes Kinberg, 1865, N. goodayi sp. nov., is described from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the central Pacific Ocean, a region targeted for seabed mineral exploration for polymetallic nodules. It is a relatively large animal found living inside polymetallic nodules and in xenophyophores (giant Foraminifera) growing on nodules, highlighting the importance of the mineral resource itself as a distinct microhabitat. Neanthes goodayi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners primarily by its distinctive, enlarged anterior pair of eyes in addition to characters of the head, pharynx and parapodia. Widespread, abundant, and easily recognisable, N. goodayi sp. nov. is also considered to be a suitable candidate as a potential indicator taxon for future monitoring of the impacts of seabed mining.
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18. |
- Eriksson, Mats O.G., et al.
(author)
-
Breeding success of the Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica inside and outside bird sanctuaries in Lakes Fegen and Sottern
- 2005
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In: ORNIS SVECICA. ; 15, s. 212-219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We compared the breeding success of Black-throated Divers Gavia arctica inside and outside bird sanctuaries with restricted public access during the incubation period in Lake Fegen-Svansjöarna and Lake Sottern, South Sweden. Both lakes held populations of approximately 15–20 pairs. At Fegen-Svansjöarna, average breeding success was 0.51 large chicks per pair and year inside and 0.27 outside the sanctuaries (field surveys in 1983–1984 and 1997–2000). The difference was not statistically significant, however, and in two out of the six study years breeding success was higher outside the bird sanctuaries. At Sottern, breeding success was 0.39 and 0.25 large chicks per pair and year inside and outside the bird sanctuary, but breeding success was higher inside the sanctuary only in four out of nine years, 1997–2005. The results from the two lakes together indicated an overall positive effect (P = 0.08). We recommend keeping a constant water-level during incubation to be the primary measure to enhance breeding success. Sanctuaries with limited access may be an additional benefit at lakes highly frequented for out-door recreation.
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19. |
- Glover, Adrian G, et al.
(author)
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Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration claim, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata.
- 2016
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In: Biodiversity data journal. - 1314-2828. ; 4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present data from a DNA taxonomy register of the abyssal benthic Echinodermata collected as part of the Abyssal Baseline (ABYSSLINE) environmental survey cruise 'AB01' to the UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) polymetallic-nodule exploration claim 'UK-1' in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific Ocean abyssal plain. Morphological and genetic data are presented for 17 species (4 Asteroidea, 4 Crinoidea, 2 Holothuroidea and 7 Ophiuroidea) identified by a combination of morphological and genetic data. No taxa matched previously published genetic sequences, but 8 taxa could be assigned to previously-described species based on morphology, although here we have used a precautionary approach in taxon assignments to avoid over-estimating species ranges. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a region undergoing intense exploration for potential deep-sea mineral extraction. We present these data to facilitate future taxonomic and environmental impact study by making both data and voucher materials available through curated and accessible biological collections.
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20. |
- Glover, A. G., et al.
(author)
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Bone-eating worms from the Antarctic: the contrasting fate of whale and wood remains on the Southern Ocean seafloor
- 2013
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In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 280:1768
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the results from the first experimental study of the fate of whale and wood remains on the Antarctic seafloor. Using a baited free-vehicle lander design, we show that whale-falls in the Antarctic are heavily infested by at least two new species of bone-eating worm, Osedax antarcticus sp. nov. and Osedax deceptionensis sp. nov. In stark contrast, wood remains are remarkably well preserved with the absence of typical wood-eating fauna such as the xylophagainid bivalves. The combined whale-fall and wood-fall experiment provides support to the hypothesis that the Antarctic circumpolar current is a barrier to the larvae of deep-water species that are broadly distributed in other ocean basins. Since humans first started exploring the Antarctic, wood has been deposited on the seafloor in the form of shipwrecks and waste; our data suggest that this anthropogenic wood may be exceptionally well preserved. Alongside the new species descriptions, we conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of Osedax, suggesting the clade is most closely related to the frenulate tubeworms, not the vestimentiferans as previous reported.
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21. |
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22. |
- Glover, A. G., et al.
(author)
-
Managing a sustainable deep-sea 'blue economy' requires knowledge of what actually lives there
- 2018
-
In: eLife. - 2050-084X. ; 7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ensuring that the wealth of resources contained in our oceans are managed and developed in a sustainable manner is a priority for the emerging 'blue economy'. However, modern ecosystem-based management approaches do not translate well to regions where we know almost nothing about the individual species found in the ecosystem. Here, we propose a new taxon-focused approach to deep-sea conservation that includes regulatory oversight to set targets for the delivery of taxonomic data. For example, a five-year plan to deliver taxonomic and genomic knowledge on a thousand species in regions of the ocean earmarked for industrial activity is an achievable target. High-throughput, integrative taxonomy can, therefore, provide the data that is needed to monitor various ecosystem services (such as the natural history, connectivity, value and function of species) and to help break the regulatory deadlock of high-seas conservation. © 2018, Glover et al.
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23. |
- Glover, A. G., et al.
(author)
-
Morphology, reproductive biology and genetic structure of the whale-fall and hydrothermal vent specialist, Bathykurila guaymasensis Pettibone, 1989 (Annelida : Polynoidae)
- 2005
-
In: Marine Ecology-an Evolutionary Perspective. - : Wiley. - 0173-9565. ; 26:3-4, s. 223-234
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We examined the reproductive biology and genetic structure of the polychaete Bathykurila guaymasensis (Annelida: Polynoidae), a species recorded from both whale-falls and hydrothermal vents. The habitat of B. guaymasensis is quite different from other vent polynoids, being apparently a specialist feeder oil Beggiatoa mat, rather than living commensally with mussels or on the sides of hot vent chimneys. Specimens were collected from whale-fall sites in the Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Basins, Southern California at depths of 12001600 in, and investigated using a combined morphological and molecular approach. The species exhibits marked sexual dimorphism, asynchronous gametogenesis, evidence for internal fertilization and lecithotrophic larval development - all characters shared with other hydrothermal vent polynoids. Two distinct, sympatrically distributed haplotype groups of B. guaymasensis were identified using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences, indicating that there may be two species within the nominal designation B. guaymasensis. Broad sharing of haplotypes between the two whale-fill sites suggests high dispersal rates among basins along the California margin.
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24. |
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25. |
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26. |
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27. |
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28. |
- Glover, A. G., et al.
(author)
-
World-wide whale worms? A new species of Osedax from the shallow north Atlantic
- 2005
-
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 272:1581, s. 2587-2592
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe a new species of the remarkable whalebone-eating siboglinid worm genus, Osedax, from a whale carcass in the shallow north Atlantic, west of Sweden. Previously only recorded from deep-sea (1500-3000 m) whale-falls in the northeast Pacific, this is the first species of Osedax known from a shelf-depth whale-fall, and the first from the Atlantic Ocean. The new species, Osedax mucofloris sp. n., is abundant on the bones of an experimentally implanted Minke whale carcass (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) at 125 m depth in the shallow North Sea. O. mucofloris can be cultured on bones maintained in aquaria. The presence of O. mucofloris in the shallow North Sea and northeast Pacific suggests global distribution on whale-falls for the Osedax clade. Molecular evidence from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1. (CO1) and 18S rRNA sequences suggests that O. mucofloris has high dispersal rates, and provides support for the idea of whale-falls acting as 'stepping-stones' for the global dispersal of siboglinid annelids over ecological and evolutionary time.
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29. |
- Glover, AG, et al.
(author)
-
The London Workshop on the Biogeography and Connectivity of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone
- 2016
-
In: Research Ideas and Outcomes. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 2367-7163. ; 2
-
Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background Recent years have seen a rapid increase in survey and sampling expeditions to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) abyssal plain, a vast area of the central Pacific that is currently being actively explored for deep-sea minerals (ISA, 2016). Critical to the development of evidence-based environmental policy in the CCZ are data on the biogeography and connectivity of species at a CCZ-regional level. New information The London Workshop on the Biogeography and Connectivity of the CCZ was convened to support the integration and synthesis of data from European Union (EU) CCZ projects, supported by the EU Managing Impacts of Deep-Sea Resource Exploitation (MIDAS) and EU Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans) projects. The London Workshop had three clear goals: (1) To explore, review and synthesise the latest molecular biogeography and connectivity data from across recent CCZ cruises from both contractor and academia-funded projects; (2) To develop complementary and collaborative institutional and program-based academic publication plans to avoid duplication of effort and ensure maximum collaborative impact; (3) To plan a joint synthetic data publication highlighting key results from a range of planned molecular biogeography/connectivity publications. 32 participants attended the workshop at the Natural History Museum in London from 10-12 May 2016. Presentations and discussions are summarised in this report covering (1) overviews of current CCZ environmental projects, (2) policy and industry perspectives, (3) synthesis of DNA taxonomy and biogeography studies, (4) summaries of the latest population genetic studies, (5) summaries of the latest broader morphological context, (6) an overview of publication and proposal plans to maximise collaborative opportunities and finally a series of workshop recommendations.
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30. |
- Hake, M., et al.
(author)
-
The impact of water level fluctuation on the breeding success of the Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica in South-west Sweden
- 2005
-
In: Ornis Fennica. - 0030-5685. ; 82:1, s. 1-12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We evaluated the impact of water level fluctuation on the breeding success of the Black-throated Diver in South-west Sweden by using results from a one-year study of 43 lakes (49 pairs) in 1996 and surveys of a population of 16-22 pairs at the lake system Fegen-Svansjoarna in 1997-2000. At this lake system, the water level is regulated (for hydropower production) with a maximum amplitude of 1.75 m. In 1997 2000, an attempt was made to maintain a stable water level during the period 1 May-15 June. Flooding was the most important cause of breeding failure at the 43 lakes, whereas no failure could be related to this factor at Fegen-Svansjoarna. In the 43 lakes, the change in median water level during incubation was +6 cm for five flooded nests, compared to -5 cm for 14 hatched clutches and -6 cm for 13 clutches that failed because of other or unknown causes. The mean breeding success at Fegen-Svansjoarna was on the same level as for South-west Sweden in general during 1997-2000 (0.44 and 0.38 chicks per pair and year, respectively), but was higher than for the four years before the attempt to keep the water level stable (0.22 chicks). We conclude that flooding is a main cause of nesting failure, that rainfall is the main factor behind the water level fluctuations, and that the regulation of the water level for hydropower production may have an additional negative impact on some takes. Control of the water level during the incubation period may help to reduce the risk of failure caused by flooding, and Our results support previous recommendations to allow for a rise of only a few centimetres or a lowering of a maximum of 20-30 cm during the incubation period.
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31. |
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32. |
- Jones, Daniel O.B., et al.
(author)
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Environment, ecology, and potential effectiveness of an area protected from deep-sea mining (Clarion Clipperton Zone, abyssal Pacific)
- 2021
-
In: Progress in Oceanography. - : Elsevier BV. - 0079-6611. ; 197:September-October 2021
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To protect the range of habitats, species, and ecosystem functions in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a region of interest for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining in the Pacific, nine Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) have been designated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The APEIs are remote, rarely visited and poorly understood. Here we present and synthesise all available observations made at APEI-6, the most north eastern APEI in the network, and assess its representativity of mining contract areas in the eastern CCZ. The two studied regions of APEI-6 have a variable morphology, typical of the CCZ, with hills, plains and occasional seamounts. The seafloor is predominantly covered by fine-grained sediments, and includes small but abundant polymetallic nodules, as well as exposed bedrock. The oceanographic parameters investigated appear broadly similar across the region although some differences in deep-water mass separation were evident between APEI-6 and some contract areas. Sediment biogeochemistry is broadly similar across the area in the parameters investigated, except for oxygen penetration depth, which reached >2 m at the study sites within APEI-6, deeper than that found at UK1 and GSR contract areas. The ecology of study sites in APEI-6 differs from that reported from UK1 and TOML-D contract areas, with differences in community composition of microbes, macrofauna, xenophyophores and metazoan megafauna. Some species were shared between areas although connectivity appears limited. We show that, from the available information, APEI-6 is partially representative of the exploration areas to the south yet is distinctly different in several key characteristics. As a result, additional APEIs may be warranted and caution may need to be taken in relying on the APEI network alone for conservation, with other management activities required to help mitigate the impacts of mining in the CCZ.
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33. |
- Lim, S. C., et al.
(author)
-
A new genus and species of abyssal sponge commonly encrusting polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, East Pacific Ocean
- 2017
-
In: Systematics and Biodiversity. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1477-2000 .- 1478-0933. ; 15:6, s. 507-519
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the East Pacific is a vast region targeted for deep-sea mineral exploration, for which there are almost no published taxonomic data. Here we describe Plenaster craigi gen. nov. sp. nov. from depths of similar to 4000 m in the eastern CCZ polymetallic nodule province. Despite over 40 years of intense exploration in the area, we reveal that P. craigi sp. nov. is the most abundant sponge and the most common metazoan encrusting on nodules in our study area at the eastern CCZ. It has a mean abundance of 15.3 +/- 8.9 individuals per m 2 across 11 stations in a 30 x 30 km study site nested within the Singapore exploration area. The white encrusting sponge is filled with spheroxyasters with occasional styles protruding the surface. Plenaster craigi sp. nov. is morphologically similar to genera from three different families in two orders: Timea (Timeidae; Tethyida); Hemiasterella and Leptosastra (Hemiasterellidae; Tethyida); and Paratimea (Stelligeridae; Axinellida). However, based on the molecular (COI and 28S) phylogenetic trees generated in this study, P. craigi sp. nov. was located in the Order Axinellida and appeared to be distant to Timea, Hemiasterella, Leptosastra, and Paratimea. We propose a new genus for our material to be placed provisionally in the family Stelligeridae, as it is the only family in the order Axinellida whose members possess euasters. This provisional placement may change when sequences of the type specimens of these genera and advanced phylogenetic reconstruction methods become available in the future. However, we have shown clearly that Plenaster gen. nov. is unique and distinct from all currently known taxa. Plenaster craigi sp. nov. being an abundant metazoan encrusting on nodule and easily identified filter-feeding animal is a potentially indicator species for future mining impacts in the eastern CCZ, and possibly across the entire CCZ.
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34. |
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35. |
- Mariani, S., et al.
(author)
-
North Sea herring population structure revealed by microsatellite analysis
- 2005
-
In: Marine Ecology-Progress Series. - 0171-8630. ; 303, s. 245-257
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Atlantic herring Clupea harengus has played a pivotal role in the formulation of ideas relating to population structuring in marine fishes, yet considerable uncertainty remains as to the extent to which phenotypic and genetic differentiation coincide in such a highly mobile species. In this study, we examined genetic population structure across the major herring spawning aggregations in the North Sea and adjacent waters over 2 years, 2002 and 2003. We analysed 1660 spawning individuals across 9 microsatellite loci. Data were analysed using several approaches, taking into account the effect of location, year-class and sex, as well as pooling all individuals together, making no assumption as to the number of populations present in the data set. The results suggest the presence of a genetically homogeneous unit off Northern Scotland, and a temporally stable pattern of isolation by distance determined predominantly by the divergence of the English Channel samples and, in 2003, by the Norwegian spring spawners. Our data suggest that the current view of North Sea herring as a unit-stock might be adequate, but confirm the considerable degree of demographic independence of the herring populations in the English Channel. Despite major recent population collapses, genetic data indicated no evidence of bottlenecks affecting the genetic diversity of extant North Sea herring populations. Finally, despite evidence of weak population structuring, we discuss the risks of underestimating population differentiation in marine fish of large population sizes, and with reference to herring population history and dynamics, we attempt to reconcile the existing theories on herring population structure.
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36. |
- Neal, Lenka, et al.
(author)
-
Abyssal fauna of polymetallic nodule exploration areas, eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Annelida: Spionidae and Poecilochaetidae
- 2022
-
In: MARINE BIODIVERSITY. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1867-1616 .- 1867-1624. ; 52:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper represents a continuation of taxonomic publications on the benthic fauna of polymetallic nodule fields in the eastern Clarion-lipperton Zone (CCZ) using material collected during baseline environmental survey work targeting two exploration contract areas ("UK-1" and "OMS") and one Area of Particular Environmental Interest, "APEI-6." Families Poecilochaetidae Hannerz, 1956 and Spionidae Grube, 1850 of the annelid suborder Spioniformia were studied here. Taxonomic data are presented for 25 species from 98 records as identified by a combination of morphological and genetic approaches. Although sub-optimal morphological condition can prevent new species being formally described, it is essential that morphological, molecular, and voucher data are made available for future surveys. Descriptions of two new species-Poecilochaetus brenkei sp. nov. and Laonice shulseae sp. nov.-increase the number of formally described new annelid species from the areas targeted in this study to 15 and CCZ-wide to 46. We also discuss the commonly reported "cosmopolitan" deep-sea spionid Aurospio dibranchiata Maciolek, 1981, which we show represents several genetically distinct species (three of these from CCZ area alone) but without reliable morphological characters to separate them. Molecular data provide evidence that 15 out of 25 species reported here have a wide distribution within the eastern CCZ and that Aurospio sp. "NHM_2186" and the known species Prionospio amarsupiata Neal & Altamira in Paterson et al. 2016 may be cosmopolitan. Lastly, the molecular data provide insights into relationships within Spioniformia, suggesting that both Poecilochaetidae and Trochochaetidae belong within Spionidae.
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37. |
- Neal, Lenka, et al.
(author)
-
Taxonomy, phylogeny, and biodiversity of Lumbrineridae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Central Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
- 2023
-
In: ZooKeys. - 1313-2989. ; 1172, s. 61-100
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The DNA taxonomy of six species of the annelid family Lumbrineridae collected from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Central Pacific, an area of potential mining interest for polymetallic nodules, is presented. Lumbrinerids are an ecologically important and understudied annelid family within the deep sea, with many species still undescribed. This study aims to document the taxonomy and biodiversity of the CCZ using specimens collected from the UK-1, OMS, and NORI-D exploration contract areas and Areas of Particular Environmental Interest. Species were identified through a combination of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis. We present informal species descriptions associated with voucher specimens, accessible through the Natural History Museum (London) collections, to improve future taxonomic and biodiversity studies of this region. Five taxa in this study had no morphological or genetic matches within the literature and therefore are possibly new to science, but their suboptimal morphological preservation prevented the formalisation of new species. The most abundant taxon Lumbrineridescf.laubieri (NHM_0020) was compared with the holotype of Lumbrinerideslaubieri Miura, 1980 from the deep Northeast Atlantic. Currently no reliable morphological characters separating the Pacific and Atlantic specimens have been found and molecular data from the Atlantic specimens was not available.
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38. |
- Rabone, Muriel, et al.
(author)
-
How many metazoan species live in the world’s largest mineral exploration region?
- 2023
-
In: Current Biology. - 0960-9822 .- 1879-0445. ; 33:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The global surge in demand for metals such as cobalt and nickel has created unprecedented interest in deep- sea habitats with mineral resources. The largest area of activity is a 6 million km2 region known as the Clarion- Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the central and eastern Pacific, regulated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Baseline biodiversity knowledge of the region is crucial to effective management of environmental impact from potential deep-sea mining activities, but until recently this has been almost completely lacking. The rapid growth in taxonomic outputs and data availability for the region over the last decade has allowed us to conduct the first comprehensive synthesis of CCZ benthic metazoan biodiversity for all faunal size classes. Here we present the CCZ Checklist, a biodiversity inventory of benthic metazoa vital to future assessments of environmental impacts. An estimated 92% of species identified from the CCZ are new to science (436 named species from a total of 5,578 recorded). This is likely to be an overestimate owing to synonyms in the data but is supported by analysis of recent taxonomic studies suggesting that 88% of species sampled in the region are undescribed. Species richness estimators place total CCZ metazoan benthic diversity at 6,233 (+/82 SE) species for Chao1, and 7,620 (+/132 SE) species for Chao2, most likely representing lower bounds of diver- sity in the region. Although uncertainty in estimates is high, regional syntheses become increasingly possible as comparable datasets accumulate. These will be vital to understanding ecological processes and risks of biodiversity loss.
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39. |
- Ruzzante, D. E., et al.
(author)
-
Biocomplexity in a highly migratory pelagic marine fish, Atlantic herring
- 2006
-
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 273:1593, s. 1459-1464
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The existence of biologically differentiated populations has been credited with a major role in conferring sustainability and in buffering overall productivity of anadromous fish population complexes where evidence for spatial structure is uncontroversial. Here, we describe evidence of correlated genetic and life history (spawning season linked to spawning location) differentiation in an abundant and highly migratory pelagic fish, Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus, in the North Sea (NS) and adjacent areas. The existence of genetically and phenotypically diverse stocks in this region despite intense seasonal mixing strongly implicates natal homing in this species. Based on information from genetic markers and otolith morphology, we estimate the proportional contribution by NS, Skagerrak (SKG) and Kattegat and western Baltic (WBS) fish to mixed aggregations targeted by the NS fishery. We use these estimates to identify spatial and temporal differences in life history (migratory behaviour) and habitat use among genetically differentiated migratory populations that mix seasonally. Our study suggests the existence of more complex patterns of intraspecific diversity than was previously recognized. Sustainability may be compromised if such complex patterns are reduced through generalized management (e.g. area closures) that overlooks population differences in spatial use throughout the life cycle.
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40. |
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41. |
- Simon-Lledó, Erik, et al.
(author)
-
Carbonate compensation depth drives abyssal biogeography in the northeast Pacific.
- 2023
-
In: Nature ecology & evolution. - 2397-334X. ; 7, s. 1388-97
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abyssal seafloor communities cover more than 60% of Earth's surface. Despite their great size, abyssal plains extend across modest environmental gradients compared to other marine ecosystems. However, little is known about the patterns and processes regulating biodiversity or potentially delimiting biogeographical boundaries at regional scales in the abyss. Improved macroecological understanding of remote abyssal environments is urgent as threats of widespread anthropogenic disturbance grow in the deep ocean. Here, we use a new, basin-scale dataset to show the existence of clear regional zonation in abyssal communities across the 5,000km span of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (northeast Pacific), an area targeted for deep-sea mining. We found two pronounced biogeographic provinces, deep and shallow-abyssal, separated by a transition zone between 4,300 and 4,800m depth. Surprisingly, species richness was maintained across this boundary by phylum-level taxonomic replacements. These regional transitions are probably related to calcium carbonate saturation boundaries as taxa dependent on calcium carbonate structures, such as shelled molluscs, appear restricted to the shallower province. Our results suggest geochemical and climatic forcing on distributions of abyssal populations over large spatial scales and provide a potential paradigm for deep-sea macroecology, opening a new basis for regional-scale biodiversity research and conservation strategies in Earth's largest biome.
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42. |
- Stewart, Eva C.D., et al.
(author)
-
Biodiversity, biogeography, and connectivity of polychaetes in the world's largest marine minerals exploration frontier
- 2023
-
In: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 29:6, s. 727-47
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: The abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), Pacific Ocean, is an area of commercial importance owing to the growing interest in mining high-grade polymetallic nodules at the seafloor for battery metals. Research into the spatial patterns of faunal diversity, composition, and population connectivity is needed to better understand the ecological impacts of potential resource extraction. Here, a DNA taxonomy approach is used to investigate regional-scale patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity, and genetic connectivity, of the dominant macrofaunal group (annelids) across a 6 million km2 region of the abyssal seafloor. Location: The abyssal seafloor (3932–5055 m depth) of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, equatorial Pacific Ocean. Methods: We used a combination of new and published barcode data to study 1866 polychaete specimens using molecular species delimitation. Both phylogenetic and taxonomic alpha and beta diversity metrics were used to analyse spatial patterns of biodiversity. Connectivity analyses were based on haplotype distributions for a subset of the studied taxa. Results: DNA taxonomy identified 291–314 polychaete species from the COI and 16S datasets respectively. Taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity between sites were relatively high and mostly explained by lineage turnover. Over half of pairwise comparisons were more phylogenetically distinct than expected based on their taxonomic diversity. Connectivity analyses in abundant, broadly distributed taxa suggest an absence of genetic structuring driven by geographical location. Main Conclusions: Species diversity in abyssal Pacific polychaetes is high relative to other deep-sea regions. Results suggest that environmental filtering, where the environment selects against certain species, may play a significant role in regulating spatial patterns of biodiversity in the CCZ. A core group of widespread species have diverse haplotypes but are well connected over broad distances. Our data suggest that the high environmental and faunal heterogeneity of the CCZ should be considered in future policy decisions.
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43. |
- Taboada, Sergi, et al.
(author)
-
Mitochondrial genome and polymorphic microsatellite markers from the abyssal sponge Plenaster craigi Lim & Wiklund, 2017: tools for understanding the impact of deep-sea mining
- 2018
-
In: Marine Biodiversity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1867-1616 .- 1867-1624. ; 48:1, s. 621-630
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2017, The Author(s). The abyssal demosponge Plenaster craigi is endemic to the Clarion - Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the NE Pacific, a region with abundant seafloor polymetallic nodules and of potential interest for mining. Plenaster craigi encrusts on these nodules and is an abundant component of the ecosystem. To assess the impact of mining operations, it is crucial to understand the genetics of this species, because its genetic diversity and connectivity across the area may be representative of other nodule-encrusting invertebrate epifauna. Here we describe and characterize 14 polymorphic microsatellite markers from this keystone species using Illumina MiSeq, tested for 75 individuals from three different areas across the CCZ, including an Area of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI-6) and two areas within the adjacent UK1 mining exploration area. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 30 (13.33 average alleles for all loci across areas). Observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.909–0.048 and from 0.954–0.255, respectively. Several loci displayed significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, which appears to be common in other sponge studies. The microsatellite loci described here will be used to assess the genetic structure and connectivity on populations of the sponge across the CCZ, which will be invaluable for monitoring the impact of mining operations on its habitat. Also, we provide the annotated mitochondrial genome of P. craigi, compare its arrangement with other closely related species, and discuss the phylogenetic framework for the sponge after Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses using nucleotide and amino acid sequences data sets separately.
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44. |
- Thomassen Hestetun, Jon, et al.
(author)
-
Significant taxon sampling gaps in DNA databases limit the operational use of marine macrofauna metabarcoding
- 2020
-
In: Marine Biodiversity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1867-1616 .- 1867-1624. ; 50
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Significant effort is spent on monitoring of benthic ecosystems through government funding or indirectly as a cost of business, and metabarcoding of environmental DNA samples has been suggested as a possible complement or alternative to current morphological methods to assess biodiversity. In metabarcoding, a public sequence database is typically used to match barcodes to species identity, but these databases are naturally incomplete. The North Sea oil and gas industry conducts large-scale environmental monitoring programs in one of the most heavily sampled marine areas worldwide and could therefore be consid- ered a “best-case scenario” for macrofaunal metabarcoding. As a test case, we investigated the database coverage of two common metabarcoding markers, mitochondrial COI and the ribosomal rRNA 18S gene, for a complete list of 1802 macrofauna taxa reported from the North Sea monitoring region IV. For COI, species level barcode coverage was 50.4% in GenBank and 42.4% for public sequences in BOLD. For 18S, species level coverage was 36.4% in GenBank and 27.1% in SILVA. To see whether rare species were underrepresented, we investigated the most commonly reported species as a separate dataset but found only minor coverage increases. We conclude that compared to global figures, barcode coverage is high for this area, but that a significant effort remains to fill barcode databases to levels that would make metabarcoding operational as a taxonomic tool, including for the most common macrofaunal taxa.
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45. |
- Verna, C, et al.
(author)
-
High symbiont diversity in the bone-eating worm Osedax mucofloris from shallow whale-falls in the North Atlantic
- 2010
-
In: Environmental Microbiology. - 1462-2912. ; 12:8, s. 2355-2370
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Osedax worms are whale-fall specialists that infiltrate whale bones with their root tissues. These are filled with endosymbiotic bacteria hypothesized to provide their hosts with nutrition by extracting organic compounds from the whale bones. We investigated the diversity and distribution of symbiotic bacteria in Osedax mucofloris from shallow-water whale-falls in the North Atlantic using comparative 16S rRNA sequence analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We observed a higher diversity of endosymbionts than previously described from other Osedax species. Endosymbiont sequences fell into eight phylogenetically distinct clusters (with 91.4–98.9% similarity between clusters), and considerable microdiversity within clusters (99.5–99.7% similarity) was observed. Statistical tests revealed a highly significant effect of the host individual on endosymbiont diversity and distribution, with 68% of the variability between clusters and 40% of the variability within clusters explained by this effect. FISH analyses showed that most host individuals were dominated by endosymbionts from a single cluster, with endosymbionts from less abundant clusters generally confined to peripheral root tissues. The observed diversity and distribution patterns indicate that the endosymbionts are transmitted horizontally from the environment with repeated infection events occurring as the host root tissues grow into the whale bones.
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46. |
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47. |
- Washburn, Travis, et al.
(author)
-
Patterns of macrofaunal biodiversity across the Clarion-Clipperton Zone: an area targeted for seabed mining
- 2021
-
In: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Macrofauna are an abundant and diverse component of abyssal benthic communities and are likely to be heavily impacted by polymetallic nodule mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). In 2012, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) used available benthic biodiversity data and environmental proxies to establish nine no-mining areas, called Areas of Particular Environmental Interest (APEIs) in the CCZ. The APEIs were intended as a representative system of protected areas to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem function across the region from mining impacts. Since 2012, a number of research programs have collected additional ecological baseline data from the CCZ. We assemble and analyze macrofaunal biodiversity data sets from eight studies, focusing on three dominant taxa (Polychaeta, Tanaidacea, and Isopoda), and encompassing 477 box-core samples to address the following questions: (1) How do macrofaunal abundance, biodiversity, and community structure vary across the CCZ, and what are the potential ecological drivers? (2) How representative are APEIs of the nearest contractor areas? (3) How broadly do macrofaunal species range across the CCZ region? and (4) What scientific gaps hinder our understanding of macrofaunal biodiversity and biogeography in the CCZ? Our analyses led us to hypothesize that sampling efficiencies vary across macrofaunal data sets from the CCZ, making quantitative comparisons between studies challenging. Nonetheless, we found that macrofaunal abundance and diversity varied substantially across the CCZ, likely due in part to variations in particulate organic carbon (POC) flux and nodule abundance. Most macrofaunal species were collected only as singletons or doubletons, with additional species still accumulating rapidly at all sites, and with most collected species appearing to be new to science. Thus, macrofaunal diversity remains poorly sampled and described across the CCZ, especially within APEIs, where a total of nine box cores have been taken across three APEIs. Some common macrofaunal species ranged over 600–3000 km, while other locally abundant species were collected across ≤ 200 km. The vast majority of macrofaunal species are rare, have been collected only at single sites, and may have restricted ranges. Major impediments to understanding baseline conditions of macrofaunal biodiversity across the CCZ include: (1) limited taxonomic description and/or barcoding of the diverse macrofauna, (2) inadequate sampling in most of the CCZ, especially within APEIs, and (3) lack of consistent sampling protocols and efficiencies.
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48. |
- Wiklund, Helena, 1965, et al.
(author)
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Abyssal fauna of polymetallic nodule exploration areas, eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Annelida: Capitellidae, Opheliidae, Scalibregmatidae, and Travisiidae
- 2019
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In: Zookeys. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 1313-2989 .- 1313-2970. ; :883, s. 1-82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present DNA taxonomy of abyssal polychaete worms from the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific Ocean, using material collected as part of the Abyssal Baseline (ABYSSLINE) environmental survey cruises 'AB01' and 'AB02' to the UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) polymetallic nodule exploration contract area 'UK-1', the Ocean Mineral Singapore exploration contract area 'OMS-1' and an Area of Particular Environmental Interest, 'APEI-6'. This is the fourth paper in a series to provide regional taxonomic data with previous papers reporting on Cnidaria, Echinodermata and Mollusca. Taxonomic data are presented for 23 species from 85 records within four polychaete families: Capitellidae, Opheliidae, Scalibregmatidae and Travisiidae, identified by a combination of morphological and genetic data, including molecular phylogenetic analyses. Two taxa (genetically separated from one another) morphologically matched the same known cosmopolitan species, Ophelina abranchiata that has a type locality in a different ocean basin and depth from where no genetic data was available. These two species were assigned the open nomenclature 'cf.' as a precautionary approach in taxon assignments to avoid overestimating species ranges. Twelve (12) taxa are here described as new species, Ammotrypanella keenani sp. nov., Ammotrypanella kersteni sp. nov., Ophelina curli sp. nov., Ophelina ganae sp. nov., Ophelina juhazi sp. nov., Ophelina martinezarbizui sp. nov., Ophelina meyerae sp. nov., Ophelina nunnallyi sp. nov., Oligobregma brasierae sp. nov., Oligobregma tani sp. nov., Oligobregma whaleyi sp. nov. and Travisia zieglerae sp. nov. For the remaining nine taxa, we have determined them to be potentially new species, for which we make the raw data, imagery and vouchers available for future taxonomic study. The CCZ is a region undergoing intense exploration for potential deep-sea mineral extraction from polymetallic nodules. We present these data to facilitate future taxonomic and environmental impact study by making both data and voucher materials available through curated and accessible biological collections.
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49. |
- Wiklund, H., et al.
(author)
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Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration area, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Mollusca
- 2017
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In: Zookeys. - : Pensoft Publishers. - 1313-2989 .- 1313-2970. ; :707, s. 1-46
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the first DNA taxonomy publication on abyssal Mollusca from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific ocean, using material collected as part of the Abyssal Baseline (ABYSSLINE) environmental survey cruise 'AB01' to the UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) polymetallic-nodule exploration area 'UK-1' in the eastern CCZ. This is the third paper in a series to provide regional taxonomic data for a region that is undergoing intense deep-sea mineral exploration for high-grade polymetallic nodules. Taxonomic data are presented for 21 species from 42 records identified by a combination of morphological and genetic data, including molecular phylogenetic analyses. These included 3 heterodont bivalves, 5 protobranch bivalves, 4 pteriomorph bivalves, 1 caudofoveate, 1 monoplacophoran, 1 polyplacophoran, 4 scaphopods and 2 solenogastres. Gastropoda were recovered but will be the subject of a future study. Seven taxa matched published morphological descriptions for species with deep Pacific type localities, and our sequences provide the first genetic data for these taxa. One taxon morphologically matched a known cosmopolitan species but with a type locality in a different ocean basin and was assigned the open nomenclature 'cf' as a precautionary approach in taxon assignments to avoid over-estimating species ranges. One taxon is here described as a new species, Ledella knudseni sp.n. For the remaining 12 taxa, we have determined them to be potentially new species, for which we make the raw data, imagery and vouchers available for future taxonomic study. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a region undergoing intense exploration for potential deep-sea mineral extraction. We present these data to facilitate future taxonomic and environmental impact study by making both data and voucher materials available through curated and accessible biological collections.
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50. |
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