Article
Environmental Sciences
Florian Scholz, Jun Cheng, Zhouling Zhang, Paul Vosteen, Christopher Siebert, Martin Frank
Summary: Barium (Ba) isotopes can serve as a tracer for riverine freshwater input to the ocean and marine biogeochemical cycling. This study investigates the processes affecting Ba cycling in Kiel Bight, a fjord in the Baltic Sea. The results show that Ba concentrations and isotope ratios vary with depth and are influenced by mixing of freshwater and seawater, as well as biological processes and sediment-water interactions. These findings have implications for understanding nutrient dynamics and the isotopic balance of Ba in the ocean.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Wenyan Zhang, Andreas Neumann, Ute Daewel, Kai Wirtz, Justus E. E. van Beusekom, Annika Eisele, Mengyao Ma, Corinna Schrum
Summary: The benthic oxygen flux in the German Bight is influenced by a complex interplay of hydrodynamics, bioturbation, and bedform morphodynamics, with macrobenthos playing a dominant role in diffusive flux. Bioturbation contributes significantly to oxygen consumption and distribution of particulate organic carbon in sediments, with different roles in sandy versus muddy seabed environments.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Irina Zhulay, Katrin Iken, Paul E. Renaud, Ksenia Kosobokova, Bodil A. Bluhm
Summary: Pelagic-benthic coupling refers to the connection between surface-water production and seafloor habitats through the exchange of energy, nutrients, and mass. The strength of this coupling was compared between 2005 and 2016 in the poorly studied Arctic Chukchi Borderland, with 2016 being a low-ice year. The results showed weaker coupling in 2016, with higher isotopic niche overlap and shorter isotopic distance between pelagic and benthic food web components.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Stephanie Mangan, Andrew M. Lohrer, Simon F. Thrush, Joanne I. Ellis, Conrad A. Pilditch
Summary: Anthropogenic increases in nutrient delivery have fundamentally altered the biogeochemical cycling in the marine coastal zone, with potential ecological shifts. Long-term enrichment and ecological complexity have limited our ability to effectively manage and prevent these changes.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Signe Hogslund, Henrik Fossing, Jacob Carstensen
Summary: Microphytobenthos (MPB) play a significant role in controlling nutrient fluxes in shallow coastal systems. They can intercept fluxes of ammonium, nitrate, and dissolved silica, both under light and dark conditions. However, phosphate fluxes are only intercepted in light. The impact of MPB on nutrient fluxes varies seasonally, with a larger impact in spring. The relative impact depends on the magnitude of the base fluxes, and it increases with light availability at the seafloor.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Swagata Sinha, Arnab Banerjee, Nabyendu Rakshit, Akkur Raman, Punyasloke Bhadury, Santanu Ray
Summary: Benthic components play a critical role in aquatic ecosystems, specifically in shallow water systems through benthic-pelagic coupling. A food web model incorporating both benthic and pelagic food webs was developed and analyzed for Kakinada Bay ecosystem, India. Perturbation scenarios involving microphytobenthos and suspension feeding invertebrates were used to study the effects on system robustness and integrity. The study provides insights into how benthic components may affect the overall system health and resilience.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vasilis Gerakaris, Ioanna Varkitzi, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, Katerina Kikaki, Patricija Mozetic, Polytimi-Ioli Lardi, Konstantinos Tsiamis, Janja France
Summary: This study explores the coupled responses of benthic and pelagic primary producers to eutrophication pressures on a large scale, based on a large dataset from three Mediterranean sub-basins. The results show that increased nutrient concentrations in both seawater and the water column have negative effects on macroalgal communities. The study also highlights the regulating effect of light availability on the ecological status of seagrass meadows.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Elka T. Porter, Jeffrey C. Cornwell
Summary: Benthic and pelagic processes are closely connected in shallow-water environments, but simulating their coupling in mesocosm experiments is challenging due to difficulties in mimicking realistic water column and bottom turbulence simultaneously. However, studies on benthic-pelagic coupling mesocosm experiments highlight the importance of considering realistic physics in these experiments. Mesocosm approaches that accurately represent both water column and bottom turbulence can provide a better understanding of feedback processes associated with biogeochemical, food web, and habitat shifts. Such experiments can also address gaps in our knowledge regarding nutrient and organic matter fluxes between benthic habitats and the water column.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Louis Terrats, Herve Claustre, Nathan Briggs, Antoine Poteau, Benjamin Briat, Leo Lacour, Florian Ricour, Antoine Mangin, Griet Neukermans
Summary: This study examines the role of the gravitational pump in the Southern Ocean using BioGeoChemical-Argo floats. The results show an increase in sinking-particle flux at 1,000 m with increasing latitude, despite comparable particle concentrations in the productive layer. The variability in deep flux is driven by changes in the transfer efficiency of the flux, related to phytoplanktonic community composition and particle size.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Larissa Fruehe, Verena Dully, Dominik Forster, Nigel B. Keeley, Olivier Laroche, Xavier Pochon, Shawn Robinson, Thomas A. Wilding, Thorsten Stoeck
Summary: The analysis of benthic bacterial community structure has proven to be a powerful method for monitoring aquaculture disturbances in coastal environments. By studying the DNA of samples from various salmon-producing countries, core bacterial taxa have been identified that indicate different levels of aquaculture impact, regardless of specific conditions. This research provides valuable insights into the relationship between bacterial groups and benthic processes, contributing to a better understanding of ecosystem functioning in aquaculture sites.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pasquale Ricci, Roberto Carlucci, Francesca Capezzuto, Angela Carluccio, Giulia Cipriano, Gianfranco D'Onghia, Porzia Maiorano, Letizia Sion, Angelo Tursi, Simone Libralato
Summary: Benthic-pelagic coupling refers to the combination of downward and upward flows of organic matter and nutrients between the pelagic and benthic domains mediated by trophic interactions. This study investigated the spatio-temporal variability of such flows in the Salento and Calabrian areas of the Northern Ionian Sea. The results highlight the important role of deep faunal communities in the BPC, which are influenced by temporal changes driven by the Adriatic-Ionian Bimodal Oscillating Systems (BiOS).
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Panagiotis D. Dimitriou, Ioulia Santi, Manos L. Moraitis, Irini Tsikopoulou, Paraskevi Pitta, Ioannis Karakassis
Summary: The HYPOXIA project investigated the ecological processes of eutrophication and its potential irreversible changes in the eastern Mediterranean marine ecosystems. The project found that nutrient inputs in the water column can quickly lead to the bloom of specific species with high nutrient uptake capabilities. The coastal ecosystems in the region have shown high resilience to eutrophication.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Shuntaro Koizumi, Mohammed Hamdan, Isolde Callisto Puts, Ann-Kristin Bergstrom, Jan Karlsson, Par Bystrom
Summary: Globally, lakes are experiencing warming and browning due to climate change, which significantly affects their biogeochemical properties and all organisms, including invertebrate consumers. This study used a large-scale experimental pond system to investigate the combined effect of warming and increased input of terrestrial and coloured dissolved organic carbon on zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrate biomass and composition during autumn and spring. The results suggest that consumer responses to warming and browning during autumn are mostly taxon-specific and may lead to less overall changes in consumer biomass.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hanieh Saeedi, Dan Warren, Angelika Brandt
Summary: This study examines the composition and richness of benthic communities along the NW Pacific and Arctic Seas, and identifies depth as the main driver of community composition. Silicate, light, and currents are also found to be influential factors. The study emphasizes the need for adaptive conservation efforts that consider the differences among benthic communities in responding to future climate change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sergio Rossi, Lucia Rizzo
Summary: The study assessed the impact of three Mediterranean gorgonians on seston concentration, with Paramuricea clavata showing the greatest impact and Eunicella singularis and Leptogorgia sarmentosa having lesser impacts. The morphology and capture rates of different corals play a role in determining their carbon ingestion.
Article
Oceanography
Evangelos Alevizos, Veerle A. Huvenne, Timm Schoening, Erik Simon-Lledo, Katleen Robert, Daniel O. B. Jones
Summary: By utilizing geophysical observations from autonomous underwater vehicles, this study found that higher nodule occurrence is related to layers with increased sediment thickness, suggesting the importance of local seafloor heterogeneity in nodule formation.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
H. J. T. Hoving, D. Amon, Y. Bodur, M. Haeckel, D. O. B. Jones, P. Neitzel, E. Simon-Lledo, C. R. Smith, J. B. Stauffer, A. K. Sweetman, A. Purser
Summary: This study documents the presence of more than 300 egg cases of the epipelagic cephalopod Argonauta sp. on the seafloor, highlighting a previously undocumented pathway for the transport of inorganic carbon from the upper ocean to the abyssal plain. The study emphasizes the need for in situ observations to better understand carbon fluxes in the deep sea.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Marco Bernardi, Brett Hosking, Chiara Petrioli, Brian J. Bett, Daniel Jones, Veerle A. Huvenne, Rachel Marlow, Maaten Furlong, Steve McPhail, Andrea Munafo
Summary: This paper presents a freely available dataset for testing control, navigation, sensor processing algorithms, and other tasks. The dataset combines AUV navigation data, sidescan sonar, multibeam echosounder data, and seafloor camera image data, providing a detailed characterization of surveys conducted by NOC in 2015. This dataset is of great significance for scientific research and technological development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBOTICS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Imants G. Priede, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Tomasz Niedzielski, Andrey V. Gebruk, Daniel O. B. Jones, Ana Colaco
Summary: This study examines the main drivers that may increase biomass and biodiversity of non-chemosynthetic benthic megafauna in the lower bathyal of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The findings suggest that primary production in surface waters is not significantly different between the MAR and abyssal regions, but the quantity of organic matter reaching the sea floor is higher on the MAR due to shorter vertical transport distance. Depth variation, substrate heterogeneity, and the presence of a biogeographic overlap zone also contribute to increased biodiversity. However, more intensive biological sampling is urgently needed in the proposed mining areas south of the Azores.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mario Lebrato, Juan-Carlos Molinero, Justin G. Mychek-Londer, Elena Mateo Gonzalez, Daniel O. B. Jones
Summary: This study assessed the impacts of sinking jellyfish carbon deposits on benthic communities after intense jellyfish blooms. The results showed that jellyfish carbon deposition can affect benthic megafaunal species abundance and diversity, with peak biomass corresponding to reduced abundance and diversity. Additionally, single-species aggregations triggered dominance events at specific depth strata.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
P. P. E. Weaver, J. Aguzzi, R. E. Boschen-Rose, A. Colaco, H. de Stigter, S. Gollner, M. Haeckel, C. Hauton, R. Helmons, D. O. B. Jones, H. Lily, N. C. Mestre, C. Mohn, L. Thomsen
Summary: Deep-sea mining, particularly the mining of polymetallic nodules, is likely to have both positive aspects such as increasing metal supply for battery production, and negative aspects such as large-scale environmental impacts. This article discusses the potential impacts of sediment plumes generated by mining vehicles near the seabed, as well as methods for measuring and comparing different mining vehicles. The findings of this study will assist the International Seabed Authority in regulating deep-sea mining activities and promoting the use of best available technology and environmental practices.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Erik Simon-Lledo, Brian J. J. Bett, Noelie M. A. Benoist, Henk-Jan Hoving, Dmitry Aleynik, Tammy Horton, Daniel O. B. Jones
Editorial Material
Microbiology
James Prosser
Summary: This article introduces a series of articles on important questions, hypotheses, and theories in microbial ecology. It highlights the significance of asking questions and proposing hypotheses as scientists, and emphasizes the importance of scientific aims. The current global issues surrounding climate crisis, pandemics, and antibiotic resistance underscore the urgent need for a deeper understanding of microbial ecology and the importance of effectively communicating the definition, power, and limitations of science to a wider audience.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
M. Emilia Bravo, Miriam I. Brandt, Jesse M. A. van der Grient, Thomas G. Dahlgren, Patricia Esquete, Sabine Gollner, Daniel O. B. Jones, Lisa A. Levin, Craig R. McClain, Bhavani E. Narayanaswamy, Tracey Sutton, Lissette Victorero, Erik E. Cordes
Summary: The deep ocean is a complex ecosystem consisting of various community and habitat types that provide multiple services for humans. With the ongoing industrialization of the deep sea, it is important to develop standardized and robust methods and metrics to monitor the baseline conditions and potential impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services due to human activities and climate change. This review highlights the use of state-of-the-art technologies and strategies, particularly in offshore-energy industries, for obtaining reliable metrics of deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystem function, and emphasizes the importance of including ecosystem services in monitoring approaches and sharing baseline data across sectors to improve deep ocean management capacity globally.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Muriel Rabone, Joris H. Wiethase, Erik Simon-Lledo, Aidan M. Emery, Daniel O. B. Jones, Thomas G. Dahlgren, Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras, Helena Wiklund, Tammy Horton, Adrian G. Glover
Summary: The global demand for metals such as cobalt and nickel has led to a growing interest in deepsea habitats with mineral resources. The Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the central and eastern Pacific is the main region of activity, regulated by the International Seabed Authority. In order to effectively manage the environmental impact of potential deep-sea mining activities, it is crucial to have baseline biodiversity knowledge of the region.
Article
Oceanography
Alejandra Mejia-Saenz, Erik Simon-Lledo, Louis S. Partridge, Joana R. Xavier, Daniel O. B. Jones
Summary: Abyssal polymetallic nodule fields are unique deep-sea habitats. The presence of hard substratum, such as nodules and rocks, promotes the occurrence of diverse abyssal assemblages. The contribution of rocks to habitat heterogeneity has been largely overlooked, but our study shows that they play an important role in enhancing biodiversity and habitat complexity within nodule fields.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eva C. D. Stewart, Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras, Sergi Taboada, Helena Wiklund, Ascensao Ravara, Ellen Pape, Bart De Smet, Lenka Neal, Marina R. R. Cunha, Daniel O. B. Jones, Craig R. R. Smith, Adrian G. G. Glover, Thomas G. G. Dahlgren
Summary: This study used a DNA taxonomy approach to investigate regional-scale patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity and genetic connectivity of the dominant macrofaunal group (annelids) in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. The results showed that species diversity of polychaetes in the CCZ is high relative to other deep-sea regions, and environmental filtering may play a significant role in regulating spatial patterns of biodiversity in this area.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Erik Simon-Lledo, Diva J. Amon, Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras, Daphne Cuvelier, Jennifer M. Durden, Sofia P. Ramalho, Katja Uhlenkott, Pedro Martinez Arbizu, Noelie Benoist, Jonathan Copley, Thomas G. Dahlgren, Adrian G. Glover, Bethany Fleming, Tammy Horton, Se-Jong Ju, Alejandra Mejia-Saenz, Kirsty McQuaid, Ellen Pape, Chailinn Park, Craig R. Smith, Daniel O. B. Jones
Summary: Analyzing seabed imagery data and megafaunal specimens, the authors of this study have identified two distinct biogeographical provinces in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone abyssal plain. They found that taxa dependent on calcium carbonate structures are restricted to depths above 4,300-4,880 m. These findings suggest the importance of geochemical and climatic factors in shaping deep-sea biodiversity over large spatial scales.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Henk-Jan Hoving, Antje Boetius, Katherine Dunlop, Jens Greinert, Matthias Haeckel, Daniel O. B. Jones, Erik Simon-Lledo, Yann Marcon, Tanja Stratmann, Inken Suck, Andrew K. Sweetman, Autun Purser
Summary: This study observed, quantified, and mapped a mass deposition event of gelatinous zooplankton carcasses (pyrosomes) in a physically disturbed region of the Peru Basin. The study found that physical seafloor disturbance affects the distribution of organic matter in the abyssal plain and may alter benthic community structure.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Mathematical & Computational Biology
M. Rabone, T. Horton, D. O. B. Jones, E. Simon-Lledo, A. G. Glover
Summary: There is an urgent need for high-quality biodiversity data, especially in the deep ocean where knowledge gaps persist. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) manages seabed areas undergoing intensive mining exploration, such as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). The launch of the ISA's DeepData database has the potential to support biological research and environmental policy development, but data quality issues compromise its FAIRness. Despite improvements, further development is needed to fully achieve FAIRness and integrate with global systems.
DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
Pernille Tonnesen, Shane Gero
Summary: Studying the behavior of deep-sea animals is challenging, but animal-borne camera tags may help understand predator-prey interactions. Research showed that camera-associated white light may affect foraging behavior, but has minimal long-term fitness impact on sperm whales. However, this impact should be considered and monitored for longer camera tag deployments.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2024)
Article
Oceanography
Sarah N. de Mendonca, Anna Metaxas
Summary: Ecological processes impact spatial patterns in abundance and distribution of megafauna. This study used spatial statistics to identify significant megafaunal patterns in the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area. The patterns varied among taxa and were related to geological factors. The study highlights the importance of considering fine-scale patterns and provides insights for ecological research, monitoring, and conservation in deep-sea ecosystems.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2024)
