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dc.contributor.authorAmon, Diva
dc.contributor.authorGobin, J
dc.contributor.authorVan Dover, CL
dc.contributor.authorLevin, LA
dc.contributor.authorMarsh, L
dc.contributor.authorRaineault, NA
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-18T10:12:31Z
dc.date.available2020-09-18T10:12:31Z
dc.date.issued2017-10-30
dc.date.submitted2020-09-11
dc.identifier.citationAmon, D.J., J. Gobin, C.L. Van Dover, L.A. Levin, L. Marsh, N.A. Raineault, 2017. 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 4:342.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10141/622845
dc.description.abstractExploration 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.en_US
dc.publisherFrontiersen_US
dc.relation.urihttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342/fullen_US
dc.rightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.titleCharacterization of methane-seep communities in a deep-sea area designated for oil and natural gas exploitation off Trinidad and Tobagoen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
dc.identifier.eissn2296-7745
dc.identifier.journalFrontiers in Marine Scienceen_US
dc.identifier.volume4en_US
dc.identifier.startpage342 - 342en_US
pubs.organisational-group/Natural History Museum
pubs.organisational-group/Natural History Museum/Science Group
pubs.organisational-group/Natural History Museum/Science Group/Functional groups
pubs.organisational-group/Natural History Museum/Science Group/Functional groups/Other Support
pubs.organisational-group/Natural History Museum/Science Group/Life Sciences
dc.embargoNot knownen_US
elements.import.authorAmon, DJen_US
elements.import.authorGobin, Jen_US
elements.import.authorVan Dover, CLen_US
elements.import.authorLevin, LAen_US
elements.import.authorMarsh, Len_US
elements.import.authorRaineault, NAen_US
dc.description.nhmCopyright © 2017 Amon, Gobin, Van Dover, Levin, Marsh and Raineault. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.en_US
dc.description.nhmNHM Repository
dc.subject.nhmCaribbeanen_US
dc.subject.nhmstewardshipen_US
dc.subject.nhmEBSAen_US
dc.subject.nhmVMEen_US
dc.subject.nhmE/V Nautilusen_US
dc.subject.nhmCruise ID NA054en_US
dc.subject.nhmanthropogenic impactsen_US
refterms.dateFOA2020-09-18T10:12:31Z


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