Dataset Information

Diversity, habitat endemicity and trophic ecology of the fauna of Loki's Castle vent field on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.

ABSTRACT: Loki's Castle Vent Field (LCVF, 2300 m) was discovered in 2008 and represents the first black-smoker vent field discovered on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR). However, a comprehensive faunal inventory of the LCVF has not yet been published, hindering the inclusion of the Arctic in biogeographic analyses of vent fauna. There is an urgent need to understand the diversity, spatial distribution and ecosystem function of the biological communities along the AMOR, which will inform environmental impact assesments of future deep-sea mining activities in the region. Therefore, our aim with this paper is to provide a comprehensive inventory of the fauna at LCVF and present a first insight into the food web of the vent community. The fauna of LCVF has a high degree of novelty, with five new species previously described and another ten new species awaiting formal description. Most of the new species from LCVF are either hydrothermal vent specialists or have been reported from other chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. The highest taxon richness is found in the diffuse venting areas and may be promoted by the biogenic habitat generated by the foundation species Sclerolinum contortum. The isotopic signatures of the vent community of LCVF show a clear influence of chemosynthetic primary production on the foodweb. Considering the novel and specialised fauna documented in this paper, hydrothermal vents on the AMOR should be regarded as vulnerable marine ecosystems and protective measures must therefore be implemented, especially considering the potential threat from resource exploration and exploitation activities in the near future.

SUBMITTER: Eilertsen MH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10761849 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Diversity, habitat endemicity and trophic ecology of the fauna of Loki's Castle vent field on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.

Eilertsen Mari Heggernes MH Kongsrud Jon Anders JA Tandberg Anne Helene Solberg AHS Alvestad Tom T Budaeva Nataliya N Martell Luis L Ramalho Sofia P SP Falkenhaug Tone T Huys Rony R Oug Eivind E Bakken Torkild T Høisæter Tore T Rauch Cessa C Carvalho Francisca C FC Savchenko Alexandra S AS Ulvatn Tone T Kongshavn Katrine K Berntsen Cassandra Mari CM Olsen Bernt Rydland BR Pedersen Rolf Birger RB

Scientific reports 20240102 1

Loki's Castle Vent Field (LCVF, 2300 m) was discovered in 2008 and represents the first black-smoker vent field discovered on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR). However, a comprehensive faunal inventory of the LCVF has not yet been published, hindering the inclusion of the Arctic in biogeographic analyses of vent fauna. There is an urgent need to understand the diversity, spatial distribution and ecosystem function of the biological communities along the AMOR, which will inform environmental imp ...[more]

PMID: 38167527

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Dataset Information

Diversity, habitat endemicity and trophic ecology of the fauna of Loki's Castle vent field on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.

Publications

Diversity, habitat endemicity and trophic ecology of the fauna of Loki's Castle vent field on the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.

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