Dataset Information

Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:There is growing interest in mining polymetallic nodules from the abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Despite being the focus of environmental studies for decades, the benthic megafauna of the CCZ remain poorly known. In order to predict and manage the environmental impacts of mining in the CCZ, baseline knowledge of the megafauna is essential. The ABYSSLINE Project has conducted benthic biological baseline surveys in the UK Seabed Resources Ltd polymetallic-nodule exploration contract area (UK-1). Prior to these research cruises in 2013 and 2015, no biological studies had been done in this area of the eastern CCZ. NEW INFORMATION:Using a Remotely Operated Vehicle and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, the megafauna within the UKSRL exploration contract area (UK-1) and at a site ~250 km east of the UK-1 area were surveyed, allowing us to make the first estimates of megafaunal morphospecies richness from the imagery collected. Here, we present an atlas of the abyssal echinoderm megafauna observed and collected during the ABYSSLINE cruises to the UK-1 polymetallic-nodule exploration contract area in the CCZ. There appear to be at least 62 distinct morphospecies (13 Asteroidea, 5 Crinoidea, 9 Echinoidea, 29 Holothuroidea and 6 Ophiuroidea) identified mostly by imagery but also using molecular barcoding for a limited number of animals that were collected. This atlas will aid the synthesis of megafaunal presence/absence data collected by contractors, scientists and other stakeholders undertaking work in the CCZ, ultimately helping to decipher the biogeography of the megafauna in this threatened habitat.

SUBMITTER: Amon DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515089 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata.

Amon Diva J DJ Ziegler Amanda F AF Kremenetskaia Antonina A Mah Christopher L CL Mooi Rich R O'Hara Tim T Pawson David L DL Roux Michel M Smith Craig R CR

Biodiversity data journal 20170511 5

<h4>Background</h4>There is growing interest in mining polymetallic nodules from the abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Despite being the focus of environmental studies for decades, the benthic megafauna of the CCZ remain poorly known. In order to predict and manage the environmental impacts of mining in the CCZ, baseline knowledge of the megafauna is essential. The ABYSSLINE Project has conducted benthic biological baseline surveys in the UK Seabed Resources Lt ...[more]

PMID: 28765722

Similar Datasets

Project description: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 over-estimating 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.

Project description:The potential for imminent polymetallic nodule mining in the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) has attracted considerable scientific and public attention. This concern stems from both the extremely large seafloor areas that may be impacted by mining, and the very limited knowledge of the fauna and ecology of this region. The environmental factors regulating seafloor ecology are still very poorly understood. In this study, we focus on megafaunal ecology in the proposed conservation zone 'Area of Particular Environmental Interest 6' (study area centred 17°16'N, 122°55'W). We employ bathymetric data to objectively define three landscape types in the area (a level bottom Flat, an elevated Ridge, a depressed Trough; water depth 3950-4250 m) that are characteristic of the wider CCZ. We use direct seabed sampling to characterise the sedimentary environment in each landscape, detecting no statistically significant differences in particle size distributions or organic matter content. Additional seafloor characteristics and data on both the metazoan and xenophyophore components of the megafauna were derived by extensive photographic survey from an autonomous underwater vehicle. Image data revealed that there were statistically significant differences in seafloor cover by nodules and in the occurrence of other hard substrata habitat between landscapes. Statistically significant differences in megafauna standing stock, functional structuring, diversity, and faunal composition were detected between landscapes. The Flat and Ridge areas exhibited a significantly higher standing stock and a distinct assemblage composition compared to the Trough. Geomorphological variations, presumably regulating local bottom water flows and the occurrence of nodule and xenophyophore test substrata, between study areas may be the mechanism driving these assemblage differences. We also used these data to assess the influence of sampling unit size on the estimation of ecological parameters. We discuss these results in the contexts of regional benthic ecology and the appropriate management of potential mining activities in the CCZ and elsewhere in the deep ocean.

Project description:Vertebrates are currently going extinct at an alarming rate, largely because of habitat loss, global warming, infectious diseases, and human introductions. Island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to invasive species and other ecological disturbances. Properly documenting historic and current species distributions is critical for quantifying extinction events. Museum specimens, field notes, and other archived materials from historical expeditions are essential for documenting recent changes in biodiversity. The Islas Revillagigedo are a remote group of four islands, 700-1100 km off the western coast of mainland México. The islands are home to many endemic plants and animals recognized at the specific- and subspecific-levels, several of which are currently threatened or have already gone extinct. Here, we recount the initial discovery of an endemic snake Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha unaocularus Tanner on Isla Clarión, the later dismissal of its existence, its absence from decades of field surveys, our recent rediscovery, and recognition of it as a distinct species. We collected two novel complete mitochondrial (mt) DNA genomes and up to 2800 base-pairs of mtDNA from several other individuals, aligned these with previously published mt-genome data from samples throughout the range of Hypsiglena, and conducted phylogenetic analyses to infer the biogeographic origin and taxonomic status of this population. We found the Isla Clarión population to be most closely related to populations in the Sonora-Sinaloa state border area of mainland México and Isla Santa Catalina, in the Gulf of California. Based on genetics, morphology, and geographic distributions, we also recognize these two other lineages as distinct species. Our study shows the importance of museum specimens, field notes, and careful surveys to accurately document biodiversity and brings these island endemics (Clarión and Santa Catalina nightsnakes) and mainland population near the Sonora-Sinaloa state border to the attention of conservation biologists currently monitoring biodiversity in these fragile subtropical ecosystems.

Dataset Information

Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata.

Publications

Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure