Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic)
The Madeira archipelago has a unique underwater landscape that is characterised by narrow shelves, steep slopes and a large submarine tributary system that boosts primary productivity in oligotrophic waters and thus offers a potential for hotspots of biodiversity. Despite this, there have been limit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.973364/full |
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| author | Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Pål Buhl-Mortensen Erdal Tokat Ana Martins Ana Martins Teresa Silva Teresa Silva Joachim Jakobsen João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode Kirsten Jakobsen João Delgado João Delgado Thibaut Voirand Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito |
| author_facet | Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Pål Buhl-Mortensen Erdal Tokat Ana Martins Ana Martins Teresa Silva Teresa Silva Joachim Jakobsen João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode Kirsten Jakobsen João Delgado João Delgado Thibaut Voirand Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito |
| author_sort | Andreia Braga-Henriques |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Madeira archipelago has a unique underwater landscape that is characterised by narrow shelves, steep slopes and a large submarine tributary system that boosts primary productivity in oligotrophic waters and thus offers a potential for hotspots of biodiversity. Despite this, there have been limited deep-water exploration activities with less than five expeditions since the 1960s. Here, we investigated the seabed on the southern side of the Madeira-Desertas Ridge using a manned submersible along a 3.8 km long transect starting at 366 m depth up the ridge shelf until its top at 73 m. Benthic habitats and community composition were documented with video along a depth gradient from mesophotic to deep sea. Six distinct biotopes were recognised (three deeper, and three shallower than 115 m depth). Our results showed a rich biodiversity with deep biotopes characterised by sponges and non-reef-building corals (e.g., Pachastrella monilifera, Viminella flagellum, Eunicella verrucosa) and shallow biotopes comprising macroalgae and the gorgonian Paramuricea cf. grayi. The pronounced benthic zonation reflects the steep environmental gradient that includes high topographic variation, heterogeneous substrates, and bidirectional regular wave-motion at the shallow mesophotic part. Together with biotic factors, such as low density of sea urchins and presence of predatory fish, this environment with unusual deep light penetration, a mesoscale cyclonic eddy, and deep wave-motion, has allowed the establishment of a mature deep-water kelp population of Laminaria ochroleuca in the plateau (max. >100 individuals p/100 m2). At the same time, a conspicuous coral fauna was observed on a wide range of soft to hard bottoms with several species taking advantage of the favourable hydrodynamic regime and seawater properties together with substratum availability to create coral gardens. These habitats were previously not known from Madeira, and their newfound discovery in the archipelago merit further investigation and protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:03:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8480379946b64774a1258fe9d2be2a90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:03:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-8480379946b64774a1258fe9d2be2a902022-12-22T04:05:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-09-01910.3389/fmars.2022.973364973364Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic)Andreia Braga-Henriques0Andreia Braga-Henriques1Andreia Braga-Henriques2Andreia Braga-Henriques3Pål Buhl-Mortensen4Erdal Tokat5Ana Martins6Ana Martins7Teresa Silva8Teresa Silva9Joachim Jakobsen10João Canning-Clode11João Canning-Clode12João Canning-Clode13Kirsten Jakobsen14João Delgado15João Delgado16Thibaut Voirand17Manuel Biscoito18Manuel Biscoito19Manuel Biscoito20MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), Funchal, PortugalOOM – Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Funchal, PortugalMuseu de História Natural do Funchal, Estação de Biologia Marinha do Funchal, Funchal, PortugalRegional Directorate for Fisheries, Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, Government of the Azores, Horta, PortugalBenthic Communities and Coastal Interactions Research Group, Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, NorwayOKEANOS — Institute of Research in Marine Sciences, Horta, PortugalOKEANOS — Institute of Research in Marine Sciences, Horta, PortugalDOP – Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Horta, PortugalOOM – Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Funchal, PortugalMARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Lisboa, PortugalRebikoff-Niggeler Foundation, Horta, PortugalMARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), Funchal, PortugalOOM – Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal0Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, United StatesRebikoff-Niggeler Foundation, Horta, PortugalOOM – Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal1Regional Directorate for Sea, Direção de Serviços de Monitorização, Estudos e Investigação do Mar (DSEIMar), Regional Government of Madeira, Funchal, Portugal2Telespazio France, GeoInformation Business Unit, Latresne, FranceMARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (ARDITI), Funchal, PortugalOOM – Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Funchal, PortugalMuseu de História Natural do Funchal, Estação de Biologia Marinha do Funchal, Funchal, PortugalThe Madeira archipelago has a unique underwater landscape that is characterised by narrow shelves, steep slopes and a large submarine tributary system that boosts primary productivity in oligotrophic waters and thus offers a potential for hotspots of biodiversity. Despite this, there have been limited deep-water exploration activities with less than five expeditions since the 1960s. Here, we investigated the seabed on the southern side of the Madeira-Desertas Ridge using a manned submersible along a 3.8 km long transect starting at 366 m depth up the ridge shelf until its top at 73 m. Benthic habitats and community composition were documented with video along a depth gradient from mesophotic to deep sea. Six distinct biotopes were recognised (three deeper, and three shallower than 115 m depth). Our results showed a rich biodiversity with deep biotopes characterised by sponges and non-reef-building corals (e.g., Pachastrella monilifera, Viminella flagellum, Eunicella verrucosa) and shallow biotopes comprising macroalgae and the gorgonian Paramuricea cf. grayi. The pronounced benthic zonation reflects the steep environmental gradient that includes high topographic variation, heterogeneous substrates, and bidirectional regular wave-motion at the shallow mesophotic part. Together with biotic factors, such as low density of sea urchins and presence of predatory fish, this environment with unusual deep light penetration, a mesoscale cyclonic eddy, and deep wave-motion, has allowed the establishment of a mature deep-water kelp population of Laminaria ochroleuca in the plateau (max. >100 individuals p/100 m2). At the same time, a conspicuous coral fauna was observed on a wide range of soft to hard bottoms with several species taking advantage of the favourable hydrodynamic regime and seawater properties together with substratum availability to create coral gardens. These habitats were previously not known from Madeira, and their newfound discovery in the archipelago merit further investigation and protection.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.973364/fullVulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs)macroalgaemegabenthic communitiesMacaronesiaimage analysisenvironmental drivers |
| spellingShingle | Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Andreia Braga-Henriques Pål Buhl-Mortensen Erdal Tokat Ana Martins Ana Martins Teresa Silva Teresa Silva Joachim Jakobsen João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode João Canning-Clode Kirsten Jakobsen João Delgado João Delgado Thibaut Voirand Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito Manuel Biscoito Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) Frontiers in Marine Science Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) macroalgae megabenthic communities Macaronesia image analysis environmental drivers |
| title | Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) |
| title_full | Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) |
| title_fullStr | Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) |
| title_short | Benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea: Description of first deep-water kelp forest and coral gardens in the Madeira archipelago (central NE Atlantic) |
| title_sort | benthic community zonation from mesophotic to deep sea description of first deep water kelp forest and coral gardens in the madeira archipelago central ne atlantic |
| topic | Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) macroalgae megabenthic communities Macaronesia image analysis environmental drivers |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.973364/full |
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