Potential contribution of surface-dwelling Sargassum algae to deep-sea ecosystems in the southern North Atlantic

Deep-sea ecosystems, limited by their inability to use primary production as a source of carbon, rely on other sources to maintain life. Sedimentation of organic carbon into the deep sea has been previously studied, however, the high biomass of sedimented Sargassum algae discovered during the VEMA Transit expedition in 2014/2015 to the southern North Atlantic, and its potential as a regular carbon input, has been an underestimated phenomenon. To determine the potential for this carbon flux, a literature survey of previous studies that estimated the abundance of surface water Sargassum was conducted. We compared these estimates with quantitative analyses of sedimented Sargassum appearing on photos taken with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) directly above the abyssal sediment during the expedition. Organismal communities associated to Sargassum fluitans from surface waters were investigated and Sargassum samples collected from surface waters and the deep sea were biochemically analyzed (fatty acids, stable isotopes, C:N ratios) to determine degradation potential and the trophic significance within deep-sea communities. The estimated Sargassum biomass (fresh weight) in the deep sea (0.07 − 3.75 g/m2) was several times higher than that estimated from surface waters in the North Atlantic (0.024 – 0.84 g/m2). Biochemical analysis showed degradation of Sargassum occurring during sedimentation or in the deep sea, however, fatty acid and stable isotope analysis did not indicate direct trophic interactions between the algae and benthic organisms. Thus, it is assumed that components of the deep-sea microbial food web form an important link between the macroalgae and larger benthic organisms. Evaluation of the epifauna showed a diverse nano- micro-, meio, and macrofauna on surface Sargassum and maybe transported across the Atlantic, but we had no evidence for a vertical exchange of fauna components. The large-scale sedimentation of Sargassum forms an important trophic link between surface and benthic production and has to be further considered in the future as a regular carbon input to the deep-sea floor in the North Atlantic

New phagotrophic euglenids from deep sea and surface waters of the Atlantic Ocean (Keelungia nitschei, Petalomonas acorensis, Ploeotia costaversata)

New phagotrophic euglenoid species from marine surface waters and the deep sea were isolated and described by light and scanning electron microscopy and 18S rDNA sequencing: Keelungia nitschei, Petalomonas acorensis and Ploeotia costaversata. The morphological characteristics of Keelungia nitschei agree with Keelungia pulex besides the slightly truncated anterior front of the cell of our strain. Phylogenetic analysis indicated low sequence similarity between K. nitschei and K. pulex (87.3%). Ploeotia costaversata clustered within the Ploeotia costata Glade with a sequence similarity of 96.1% to P costata strain Tam. Ultrastructural characteristics of our strain revealed helically twisted strips towards both poles of the protoplast. 18S rDNA phylogenies showed that Petalornonas acorensis is related to the Glade of Petalornonas cantuscygni/Scytornonas saepesedens with the highest sequence similarity of 81.2% to P cantuscygni. Six pellicle strips are visible, while two of them reach only the middle of the cell and four (two longitudinal, two helically twisted) join at the posterior front of the cell. Pressure experiments showed that the deep-sea strain K. nitschei was better adapted to high hydrostatic pressures (up to 500 bar) at 4 degrees C than the two surface water strains. All three strains increased the database (18S rDNA) of the underrepresented group of phagotrophic euglenids. (C) 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

Methodological Studies on Estimates of Abundance and Diversity of Heterotrophic Flagellates from the Deep-Sea Floor

Extreme environmental conditions in the deep sea hamper access to protist communities. In combination with the potentially highly diverse species composition, it demands a wide range of methods to be applied at the same time to guarantee a high resolution of quantitative and qualitative studies of deep-sea heterotrophic flagellates (HF). Within this study, we present a possible combination of several culture-independent and culture-dependent methods available for investigating benthic deep-sea HF communities. Besides live-counting and fixation of HF, we refer to cultivation methods and molecular surveys using next generation sequencing. Laboratory ecological experiments under deep-sea conditions (high pressure, low temperature) could allow the approval of the potential deep-sea origin of sampled HF. The combination of different methods offers a unique possibility to receive detailed information on nanofaunal life in the deep sea. Specific fixation techniques to preserve samples directly at the sampling depth must be applied in further studies to reflect the real biodiversity of the largest habitat on earth