Overview of sediment characteristics for the different Larsen B_Seep replicates and averaged for the seep station.

<p>Note that data on pigment concentrations are missing for replicate 706/5.</p

Calculated delta values (in ‰, ± standard deviation) for the C-13 stable isotopes.

<p>*Delta values are based on two replicate measurements each and are blank corrected.</p

Data on the different MUC deployments at Larsen B_Seep during the Polarstern ANT-XXIII/8 campaign (adapted from [28]).

<p>Data on the different MUC deployments at Larsen B_Seep during the Polarstern ANT-XXIII/8 campaign (adapted from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022240#pone.0022240-Raes2" target="_blank">[28]</a>).</p

Stable isotope analysis.

<p>Stable isotope analysis.</p

nMDS plot.

<p>The plot is based on Bray-Curtis similarities of the Larsen replicates (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022240#pone.0022240-Raes1" target="_blank">[3]</a>; this study) and the reference data of the Weddell Sea <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022240#pone.0022240-Vanhove1" target="_blank">[26]</a> and Drake Passage <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022240#pone.0022240-Ingels1" target="_blank">[24]</a>. Data have been standardised and square-root transformed prior to analysis. The stress value in the upper right corner indicates the goodness-of-fit of the MDS plot.</p

Vertical profiles of nematode densities, <i>Halomonhystera</i> densities and CPE concentration per sediment layer.

<p>Scale bars have been made uniform for comparison. White arrows indicate the position of the sulphidic layer as observed upon sampling <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022240#pone.0022240-Raes2" target="_blank">[28]</a>.</p

Pigment concentrations of the five Larsen A and B stations.

<p>Concentrations are given both for the entire sediment column and the upper cm separately (in µg/g). Bars represent standard errors.</p

Relative abundance of dominant genera at the different Larsen B_Seep replicates (relative abundance >1%).

<p>Relative abundance of dominant genera at the different Larsen B_Seep replicates (relative abundance >1%).</p

Meiofauna composition (in percentages) and densities (in individuals per 10 cm²) of the four Larsen B_Seep replicates.

<p>Meiofauna composition (in percentages) and densities (in individuals per 10 cm²) of the four Larsen B_Seep replicates.</p

Diversity indices (average ± standard deviation) of the different Larsen stations compared to the Kapp Norvegia, Halley Bay (Weddell Sea) and Drake Passage average.

<p>Diversity indices (average ± standard deviation) of the different Larsen stations compared to the Kapp Norvegia, Halley Bay (Weddell Sea) and Drake Passage average.</p