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Title:
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Macrobenthic community structure and total sediment respiration at cold hydrocarbon seeps in the northern Gulf of Mexico |
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Author:
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Nunnally, Clifton Charles |
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Description:
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Cold seeps are areas of high biomass in the deep -sea , the impacts of these food -rich environments upon the sediment community is unknown in the Gulf of Mexico . The structure and function of benthic communities was investigated at food -rich and food -limited sites on the northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope . Cold seeps were richer in macrofauna densities and total sediment respiration , but were poorer in biomass and taxa diversity than normal slope communities . Decreased diversity is seen at most chemosynthetic communities and suggests a competition for resources . The spatial extent of these results at seeps is unknown and may be a localized , bioenhancement effect caused by seeping fluids . |
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URI:
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http : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /1155
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Date:
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2013-03-12 |