Species Composition and Biodiversity in Mussel Bed Communities of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

9811410 Van Dover该项目利用与贻贝床有关的动物群研究深海热液喷口的生物多样性和汇聚模式，以便在不同的空间、时间和背景尺度上进行比较，包括：i)在一个喷口区域内，ii)每年在一个喷口区域内，为期三年，iii)在一个脊段上不同年龄的喷口区域之间，iv)在单个海脊系统上具有不同扩展速率的区段之间，以及v)在不同海洋盆地的海脊系统之间。在喷口生态学和深海生态学的讨论中，这些尺度上的生物多样性对比反复出现，但到目前为止，还没有定量的信息来进行比较。这项研究将基于正在进行的大西洋中脊Lucky Strike贻贝床和阿拉斯加中南部海岸潮间带贻贝床的生物多样性比较。一项密集的实地考察计划旨在对东太平洋海隆和中大西洋海脊上的各种贻贝栖息地进行采样。这些实地项目主要被设想为其他科学家开发的项目的附加项目。所有的巡航和采样都涉及到使用阿尔文号。用于比较生物多样性研究的潜水地点有望包括东太平洋隆起上的11个北纬、9N和17个点(即两个“快速”和“超快”的扩散段)和中大西洋海脊上的梅内兹·格温、幸运打击和蛇坑。海洋扩张中心的喷口生态系统提供了全球范围内分散的集合种群的极端例子。这些群落的多样性和趋同格局将为区域尺度上对群落结构的控制提供基本的见解。

9811410 Van DoverThis project addresses pattems of biodiversity and convergence at deep-sea hydrothermal vents using fauna associated with mussel beds for comparisons at various spatial, temporal and contextual scales, including: i) within a vent field, ii) annually at a single vent field over three years, iii) among vent fields of different ages on a ridge segment, iv) among segments of different spreading rates on a single ridge system, and v) between ridge systems in different ocean basins. Biodiversity contrasts at these scales repeatedly arise in discussions of vent ecology and deep-sea ecology, but to date there is no quantitative information to allow comparisons.This research will develop from an ongoing comparison of biodiversity at Lucky Strike mussel beds on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and an intertidal mussel bed on the south central Alaskan coast. An intensive field program is designed to sample a variety of mussel bed sites on the East Pacific Rise and Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The field programs are envisioned primarily as add-ons to programs developed by other scientists. All cruises and sampling involve the use of the Alvin. Dive sites for comparative biodiversity studies are hoped to include 11 N, 9N and 17S on the East Pacific Rise (i.e., two "fast' and "superfast" spreading segments) and Menez Gwen, Lucky Strike, and Snake Pit on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.Vent ecosystems on oceanic spreading centers provide extreme examples of fragmented metapopulations on a global scale. Patterns of diversity and convergence in these communities will provide fundamental insights into regional-scale control of community structure.