Temporal variations in the vent communities on the East Pacific Rise and Galapagos Spreading Centre: a review of present knowledge
Desbruyères, D. (1998). Temporal variations in the vent communities on the East Pacific Rise and Galapagos Spreading Centre: a review of present knowledge. Cah. Biol. Mar. 39(3-4): 241-244. https://dx.doi.org/10.21411/CBM.A.CC778126
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723; e-ISSN 2262-3094, more
Also appears in:(1998). Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Biology: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 20-24 October 1997. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 39(3-4). Station Biologique de Roscoff: Roscoff. 219-392 pp., more
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| Abstract |
Since the early days of the discovery of vent communities, observations of graveyards of partially dissolved clam shells on the East Pacific Rise (EPR), and of mineralized extinct smokers have given clear indications of the temporal discontinuity of vent environments. Repeated visits to several locations on the EPR and the Galapagos Spreading Centre (GSC) have revealed conspicuous temporal variability in communities. To date, all the published research has focused on the part of the vent communities located within the turbulent zone of mixing between the hydrothermal fluid and seawater where positive temperature anomalies are detected. No information is available on temporal variations within other habitats comprising the same ecosystem such as in hydrothermal plumes, cold polymetallic deposits, hypothesized sub-surface environments, or diffuse methane venting. This paper describes the observed responses of hydrothermal vent communities to venting instability. |
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