Science Area
At the Hotspot scale, COMARGE will benefit from deep-sea cruises within the framework of national and international initiatives, such as the integrated European-funded program HERMES. In association with other CoML field projects (ChEss, CenSeam), COMARGE’s intent is to study the interaction between hotspots and the larger margin ecosystem. The main targeted habitats are:
Deep corals Cold-water reefs can be several kilometers long and form carbonate reefs that provide distinct habitats for various communities such as sponges, clams, soft corals, echinoderms and crustaceans. Deep-corals locally enhanced the biodiversity of continental margin and may influence the surrounding benthic communities
|
Patches of deep-sea corals on the North-Eastern Atlantic margin at 2000 m depth (Caracole cruise, Atalante/ROV Victor, © Ifremer)
|
The Napoli mud volcano in Eastern Mediterranean Sea,2000 m depth (Nautinil cruise, Atalante/Nautile, © Ifremer) |
Cold seeps Cold seep ecosystems have been recently discovered in a variety of geological settings. The presence of these unique ecosystems in regions of low animal density highlights the crucial role of local resource enrichment on benthic community composition and productivity
|
Canyons Canyons contain complex ecosystems including hard substrata and mobile sediments on the canyon floor. Many endemic species may inhabit canyons. We do know that there is considerable inter-canyon variability in dominant species which may be related to particular environmental characteristic of each individual canyon. What is not know is the influence of canyons on the biodiversity of the wider continental slope. |
A 3D diagram of the Zaire deep-sea fan (Zaingo project, © Ifremer) |
Shrimp and rattail fishes at the lower boundary of an Oxygen Minimum Zone on Volcano 7 off Mexico, 900 m (courtesy: L. Levin, Scripps) |
Oxygen Minimum Zones OMZs are formed beneath highly productive, upwelled waters by degradation of organic matter. Where these low oxygen regions intercept the continental seabed, faunal densities and diversity are reduced and the taxonomic composition is modified. At the edge of OMZs, faunal densities are enhanced.
|
