Linking Environmental Forcing and Trophic Supply to Benthic Communities in the Vercelli Seamount Area (Tyrrhenian Sea)

摘要: Seamounts and their influence on the surrounding environment are currently being extensively debated but, surprisingly, scant information is available for Mediterranean area. Furthermore, although deep Tyrrhenian Sea characterised by a complex bottom morphology peculiar hydrodynamic features, which would suggest variable benthic domain, few studies have been carried out there, especially soft-bottom macrofaunal assemblages. In order to fill this gap, structure of meio-and assemblages Vercelli Seamount area (northern – western Mediterranean) were studied in relation environmental features. Sediment was collected with box-corer from seamount summit flanks at two far-field sites spring 2009, analyse metazoan communities, sediment texture sedimentary organic matter. At station, heterogeneity habitat, shallowness site higher trophic supply (water column phytopigments macroalgal detritus, instance) supported very rich community, high abundance, biomass diversity. fact, its features resembled those observed coastal environments next seagrass meadows. flank stations, depth influenced meiofaunal distribution. From point view, low content valuable proteins that found confirmed general oligotrophy Sea, exerted limiting abundance scenario, rather refractory carbohydrates became food source metazoans, increased stations where hydrolytic-enzyme-mediated turnover faster, highlighting lability.