Benthic O<sub>2</sub> uptake by coral gardens at the Condor seamount (Azores)



Rovelli, Lorenzo, Carreiro-Silva, Marina, Attard, Karl M, Rakka, Maria, Dominguez-Carrio, Carlos, Bilan, Meri, Blackbird, Sabena ORCID: 0000-0003-0942-6836, Morato, Telmo, Wolff, George A ORCID: 0000-0002-9380-1039 and Glud, Ronnie N
(2022) Benthic O<sub>2</sub> uptake by coral gardens at the Condor seamount (Azores). MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, 688. pp. 19-31.

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Abstract

<jats:p>Using the non-invasive aquatic eddy covariance technique, we provide the first oxygen (O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>) uptake rates from within coral gardens at the Condor seamount (Azores). To explore some of the key drivers of the benthic O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> demand, we obtained benthic images, quantified local hydrodynamics, and estimated phototrophic biomass and deposition dynamics with a long-term moored sediment trap. The coral gardens were dominated by the octocorals <jats:italic>Viminella flagellum</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Dentomuricea</jats:italic> aff. <jats:italic>meteor</jats:italic>. Daily rates of O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake within 3 targeted coral garden sites (203 to 206 m depth) ranged from 10.0 ± 0.88 to 18.8 ± 2.0 mmol m<jats:sup>-2</jats:sup> d<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup> (mean ± SE) and were up to 10 times higher than 2 local sandy reference sites within the seamount summit area. The overall mean O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake rate for the garden (13.4 mmol m<jats:sup>-2</jats:sup> d<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup>) was twice the global mean for sedimentary habitats at comparable depths. Combined with parallel <jats:italic>ex situ</jats:italic> incubations, the results suggest that the octocorals might contribute just ~5% of the observed O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> uptake rates. Deposition of particulate organic matter (POM) assessed by the sediment trap accounted for less than 10% of the O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> demand of the coral garden, implying a substantial POM supply circumventing the deployed traps. Our results expand the database for carbon turnover rates in cold-water coral habitats by including the first estimates from these largely understudied coral gardens.</jats:p>

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Aquatic eddy covariance, Cold-water corals, Condor seamount, Community oxygen uptake, Viminella flagellum, Dentomuricea aff. meteor
Divisions: Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 23 Mar 2022 10:52
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 09:07
DOI: 10.3354/meps14021
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3151272