M3.5 Deepwater biogenic beds

M3. Deep sea floors biome

M3

Profile summary

Full profile at https://global-ecosystems.org/explore/groups/M3.5

Brief description

Relatively complex three-dimensional structures are formed by slow-growing, filter-feeders like sponges, corals and bivalves. Without light, they rely on currents and fallout from upper ocean layers for energy and also nutrients. However, their structural complexity provides habitats for a great diversity of dependent species including symbionts, microbial biofilms and associated grazers, and filter-feeding epifauna. Mobile predators like crabs and benthic demersal fish contribute to diverse communities.

Key features

Benthic sessile suspension feeders that crate structurally complex 3D habitat, supporting high biodiversity.

Overview of distribution

Aphotic biogenic structures from benthic fauna.

Map description

The distribution of deepwater biogenic beds was based on the ‘mountains’ and ‘hills’ classes within the abyssal geomorphic unit of of Harris et al. (2014b). These were mapped in yellow as minor occurrences to acknowledges considerable uncertainties in the distribution of biogenic beds within these geomorphic units. Occurrences were converted to 30 arc second spatial resolution..

Map code and version: M3.5.web.orig v1.0. DOI

Version history

Profile versions

  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): E Ramirez-Llodra; UC Fernandez-Arcaya; S Rossi; DA Keith.1
  • v2.01 (NA): NA.
  • v2.0 (2020-05-28): E Ramirez-Llodra; UC Fernandez-Arcaya; S Rossi; DA Keith.
  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): E Ramirez-Llodra; UC Fernandez-Arcaya; DA Keith.

Available maps

Read more details about the current map versions here.

  • Indicative Map (code: M3.5.IM.orig, version v1.0)
  • Web navigation (code: M3.5.web.orig, version v1.0)

Read more details about older or alternative versions of maps for this functional group.

  • Web navigation: in preparation (code: M3.5.WM.nwx, version v1.0)

References

Main references

References used in the different versions of the profiles.

  • Buhl‐Mortensen L, Vanreusel A, Gooday AJ et al. (2010) Biological structures as a source of habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity on the deep ocean margins Marine Ecology 31: 21-50 DOI:10.1111/j.1439-0485.2010.00359.x
  • Rossi S, Isla E, Bosch-Belmar M, Galli G, Gori A et al. (2019) Changes of energy fluxes in the marine animal forest of the Anthropocene: factors shaping the future seascape ICES Journal of Marine Sciences 76, 2008-2019
  • Rossi S, Bramanti L, Gori, A, Orejas C (2017) Marine Animal Forests: The ecology of benthic biodiversity Hotspots Springer, Berlin

Map references

References used in the different versions of the maps (current and discarded).

  • Harris PT, Macmillan-Lawler M, Rupp J, Baker EK (2014) Geomorphology of the oceans. Marine Geology 352: 4-24. 10.1016/j.margeo.2014.01.011

Footnotes

  1. This is the current version available at official site.↩︎