Biogeography and community structure of abyssal scavenging Amphipoda (Crustacea) in the Pacific Ocean
<p>In 2015, we collected more than 60 000 scavenging amphipod specimens during two expeditions to the Clarion–Clipperton fracture zone (CCZ) in the Northeast (NE) Pacific and to the DISturbance and re-COLonisation (DisCOL) experimental area (DEA), a simulated mining impact disturban...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.biogeosciences.net/17/2731/2020/bg-17-2731-2020.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>In 2015, we collected more than 60 000 scavenging amphipod specimens
during two expeditions to the Clarion–Clipperton fracture zone (CCZ) in the
Northeast (NE) Pacific and to the DISturbance and re-COLonisation (DisCOL)
experimental area (DEA), a simulated mining impact disturbance proxy in the
Peru Basin in the Southeast (SE) Pacific. Here, we compare biodiversity patterns
of the larger specimens (<span class="inline-formula">>15</span> mm) within and between these two
oceanic basins. Eight scavenging amphipod species are shared between these
two areas, thus indicating connectivity. Overall diversity was lower in the
DEA (Simpson index, <span class="inline-formula"><i>D</i></span> <span class="inline-formula">=</span> 0.62), when compared to the CCZ (<span class="inline-formula"><i>D</i>=0.73</span>), and
particularly low at the disturbance site in the DEA and the site
geographically closest to it. Local differences within each basin were
observed too. The community compositions of the two basins differ, as
evidenced by a non-metric dimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of beta
biodiversity. Finally, a single species, <i>Abyssorchomene gerulicorbis</i> (Schulenberger and Barnard, 1976),
dominates the DEA with 60 % of all individuals.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |