Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago
Exploration of the deep ocean (>200 m) is taking on added importance as human development encroaches. Despite increasing oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation, the deep ocean of Trinidad and Tobago is almost entirely unknown. The only scientific team to image the deep seafloor with...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342/full |
| _version_ | 1819097365576941568 |
|---|---|
| author | Diva J. Amon Judith Gobin Cindy L. Van Dover Lisa A. Levin Leigh Marsh Nicole A. Raineault |
| author_facet | Diva J. Amon Judith Gobin Cindy L. Van Dover Lisa A. Levin Leigh Marsh Nicole A. Raineault |
| author_sort | Diva J. Amon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exploration of the deep ocean (>200 m) is taking on added importance as human development encroaches. Despite increasing oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation, the deep ocean of Trinidad and Tobago is almost entirely unknown. The only scientific team to image the deep seafloor within the Trinidad and Tobago Exclusive Economic Zone was from IFREMER in the 1980s. That exploration led to the discovery of the El Pilar methane seeps and associated chemosynthetic communities on the accretionary prism to the east of Trinidad and Tobago. In 2014, the E/V Nautilus, in collaboration with local scientists, visited two previously sampled as well as two unexplored areas of the El Pilar site between 998 and 1,629 m depth using remotely operated vehicles. Eighty-three megafaunal morphospecies from extensive chemosynthetic communities surrounding active methane seepage were observed at four sites. These communities were dominated by megafaunal invertebrates including mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi), shrimp (Alvinocaris cf. muricola), Lamellibrachia sp. 2 tubeworms, and Pachycara caribbaeum. Adjacent to areas of active seepage was an ecotone of suspension feeders including Haplosclerida sponges, stylasterids and Neovermilia serpulids on authigenic carbonates. Beyond this were large Bathymodiolus shell middens. Finally there was either a zone of sparse octocorals and other non-chemosynthetic species likely benefiting from the carbonate substratum and enriched production within the seep habitat, or sedimented inactive areas. This paper highlights these ecologically significant areas and increases the knowledge of the biodiversity of the Trinidad and Tobago deep ocean. Because methane seepage and chemosynthetic communities are related to the presence of extractable oil and gas resources, development of best practices for the conservation of biodiversity in Trinidad and Tobago waters within the context of energy extraction is critical. Potential impacts on benthic communities during oil and gas activities will likely be long lasting and include physical disturbance during drilling among others. Recommendations for the stewardship of these widespread habitats include: (1) seeking international cooperation; (2) holding wider stakeholder discussions; (3) adopting stringent environmental regulations; and (4) increasing deep-sea research to gather crucial baseline data in order to conduct appropriate marine spatial planning with the creation of marine protected areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:13:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-03885c14aa2d4b8db9fc308eb701e7df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:13:56Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-03885c14aa2d4b8db9fc308eb701e7df2022-12-21T18:45:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452017-10-01410.3389/fmars.2017.00342303482Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and TobagoDiva J. Amon0Judith Gobin1Cindy L. Van Dover2Lisa A. Levin3Leigh Marsh4Nicole A. Raineault5Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, United KingdomDepartment of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and TobagoDivision of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, United StatesIntegrative Oceanography Division, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United StatesOcean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United KingdomOcean Exploration Trust, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, United StatesExploration of the deep ocean (>200 m) is taking on added importance as human development encroaches. Despite increasing oil and natural gas exploration and exploitation, the deep ocean of Trinidad and Tobago is almost entirely unknown. The only scientific team to image the deep seafloor within the Trinidad and Tobago Exclusive Economic Zone was from IFREMER in the 1980s. That exploration led to the discovery of the El Pilar methane seeps and associated chemosynthetic communities on the accretionary prism to the east of Trinidad and Tobago. In 2014, the E/V Nautilus, in collaboration with local scientists, visited two previously sampled as well as two unexplored areas of the El Pilar site between 998 and 1,629 m depth using remotely operated vehicles. Eighty-three megafaunal morphospecies from extensive chemosynthetic communities surrounding active methane seepage were observed at four sites. These communities were dominated by megafaunal invertebrates including mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi), shrimp (Alvinocaris cf. muricola), Lamellibrachia sp. 2 tubeworms, and Pachycara caribbaeum. Adjacent to areas of active seepage was an ecotone of suspension feeders including Haplosclerida sponges, stylasterids and Neovermilia serpulids on authigenic carbonates. Beyond this were large Bathymodiolus shell middens. Finally there was either a zone of sparse octocorals and other non-chemosynthetic species likely benefiting from the carbonate substratum and enriched production within the seep habitat, or sedimented inactive areas. This paper highlights these ecologically significant areas and increases the knowledge of the biodiversity of the Trinidad and Tobago deep ocean. Because methane seepage and chemosynthetic communities are related to the presence of extractable oil and gas resources, development of best practices for the conservation of biodiversity in Trinidad and Tobago waters within the context of energy extraction is critical. Potential impacts on benthic communities during oil and gas activities will likely be long lasting and include physical disturbance during drilling among others. Recommendations for the stewardship of these widespread habitats include: (1) seeking international cooperation; (2) holding wider stakeholder discussions; (3) adopting stringent environmental regulations; and (4) increasing deep-sea research to gather crucial baseline data in order to conduct appropriate marine spatial planning with the creation of marine protected areas.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342/fullCaribbeanstewardshipEBSAVMEE/V NautilusCruise ID NA054 |
| spellingShingle | Diva J. Amon Judith Gobin Cindy L. Van Dover Lisa A. Levin Leigh Marsh Nicole A. Raineault Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago Frontiers in Marine Science Caribbean stewardship EBSA VME E/V Nautilus Cruise ID NA054 |
| title | Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_full | Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_short | Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago |
| title_sort | characterization of methane seep communities in a deep sea area designated for oil and natural gas exploitation off trinidad and tobago |
| topic | Caribbean stewardship EBSA VME E/V Nautilus Cruise ID NA054 |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT divajamon characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago AT judithgobin characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago AT cindylvandover characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago AT lisaalevin characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago AT leighmarsh characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago AT nicolearaineault characterizationofmethaneseepcommunitiesinadeepseaareadesignatedforoilandnaturalgasexploitationofftrinidadandtobago |