36 research outputs found
Isotopic niche variability in macroconsumers of the East Scotia Ridge (Southern Ocean) hydrothermal vents: What more can we learn from an ellipse?
Is the meiofauna a good indicator for climate change and anthropogenic impacts?
Our planet is changing, and one of the most pressing challenges facing the scientific community revolves around understanding how ecological communities respond to global changes. From coastal to deep-sea ecosystems, ecologists are exploring new areas of research to find model organisms that help predict the future of life on our planet. Among the different categories of organisms, meiofauna offer several advantages for the study of marine benthic ecosystems. This paper reviews the advances in the study of meiofauna with regard to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Four taxonomic groups are valuable for predicting global changes: foraminifers (especially calcareous forms), nematodes, copepods and ostracods. Environmental variables are fundamental in the interpretation of meiofaunal patterns and multistressor experiments are more informative than single stressor ones, revealing complex ecological and biological interactions. Global change has a general negative effect on meiofauna, with important consequences on benthic food webs. However, some meiofaunal species can be favoured by the extreme conditions induced by global change, as they can exhibit remarkable physiological adaptations. This review highlights the need to incorporate studies on taxonomy, genetics and function of meiofaunal taxa into global change impact research
Reproductive biology of the abyssal holothurian <em>Amperima rosea</em>: an opportunistic response to variable flux of surface derived organic matter?
The Amperima Event: Analysis of community change in the abyssal NE Atlantic Ocean [PhD Thesis]
Is long-term change in the abyssal Northeast Atlantic driven by qualitative changes in export flux? Evidence from selective feeding in deep-sea holothurians
In situ observations of predatory feeding behaviour of the galatheid squat lobster Munida sarsi using a remotely operated vehicle
Seasonality and selectivity in the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of deep-sea bathyal holothurians
A review of the uses of work-class ROVs for the benefits of science: Lessons learned from the SERPENT project
The feeding behaviour of a deep-sea holothurian, Stichopus tremulus (Gunnerus) based on in situ observations and experiments using a Remotely Operated Vehicle
Short CommunicationAbyssal scavenging demersal fauna at two areas of contrasting productivity on the Subantarctic Crozet Plateau, southern Indian Ocean
The Crozet Plateau is situated below typical high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (HNLC) waters of the southern Indian Ocean. The area to the east of the Crozet Islands experiences high levels of surface productivity during the austral summer due to natural iron enrichment from terrestrial sources and favourable light conditions. The demersal scavenging fauna at two areas of contrasting productivity, to the east and south of the islands, were investigated using two landers equipped with baited cameras and traps. Five species of scavenging fish were observed along with five groups of invertebrates during a single deployment of the RObust BIOdiversity (ROBIO) lander. Further deployments of the Fish RESPirometry (FRESP) video lander yielded no additional scavenging fish species. A modelled arrival and departure curve for the abyssal grenadier Coryphaenoides armatus suggests a region of low food availability compared to other regions worldwide. The ROBIO-derived abundance estimate for C. armatus of 187 ind. km–2 is comparable with published trawl-derived estimates. Significantly more amphipods were collected to the south of the islands, which was subject to lower organic matter supply. Reasons for this are unknown but may be due to differing current direction/velocities, or increased fish predation at the enriched site. The numerically dominant amphipod species present was Paralicella caperesca, followed by Eurythenes gryllus and Orchomenella gerulicorbis. A further five species were observed in low numbers, some occurring only once. One, Paracallisomasp. nov, was a new species.Keywords: amphipods, Crozet Islands, deep water, marine fish, scavengersAfrican Journal of Marine Science 2013, 35(2): 299–30