Consideration of the oasis analogy for chemosynthetic communities at Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon vents

The analogy between desert oasis and deep-sea chemosynthetic community arose from the biomass contrast between vents and the relatively depauperate background benthic fauna. Fully developed, the analogy helps pose questions about interactions with the background fauna with respect to resources, colonization, and persistence. The chemosynthetic sites of the Gulf of Mexico provide an opportunity to consider possible interactions between vent and nonvent fauna over a 3000-m depth range. It is postulated that deep chemosynthetic communities require the operation of geochemical transporting and concentrating processes to overcome low levels of in situ methane and sulfide production. Clathrate reservoirs may serve these functions. A few chemosynthetic species at the Gulf of Mexico upper slope sites are related to shallow-water sulfide species, but it can be speculated that the dominant chemosynthetic fauna may have originated in a wide spread deep sulfide biome of the Cretaceous. Generic endemism of consumers is low in Gulf of Mexico sites, suggesting a high level of colonization from the surrounding benthos. Chemosynthetic communities may avoid excessive colonization by predators in spite of the apparent food limitation of the surrounding benthos due to toxicity or an evolutionary mechanism selecting against specialized predators. The abundance of large predators is related to the composition of the surrounding benthos and is high at the Gulf of Mexico upper slope sites. Exclusion of chemosyntheic communities from shallower depths may be due to excessive predation by generalists.     

Benthic foraminifera living in Gulf of Mexico bathyal and abyssal sediments: Community analysis and comparison to metazoan meiofaunal biomass and density

Benthic foraminiferal biomass, density, and species composition were determined at 10 sites in the Gulf of Mexico. During June 2001 and 2002, sediment samples were collected with a GoMex box corer. A 7.5-cm diameter subcore was taken from a box core collected at each site and sliced into 1-cm or 2-cm sections to a depth of 2 or 3 cm; the >63-μm fraction was examined shipboard for benthic foraminifera. Individual foraminifers were extracted for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) using a luciferin–luciferase assay, which indicated the total ATP content per specimen; that data was converted to organic carbon. Foraminiferal biomass and density varied substantially (2–53 mg C m⁻²; 3600–44,500 individuals m⁻², respectively) and inconsistently with water depth: although two 1000-m deep sites were geographically separated by only 75 km, the foraminiferal biomass at one site was relatively low (9 mg C m⁻²) while the other site had the highest foraminiferal biomass (53 mg C m⁻²). Although most samples from Sigsbee Plain (>3000 m) had low biomass, one Sigsbee site had >20 mg foraminiferal C m⁻². The foraminiferal community from all sites (i.e. bathyal and abyssal locales) was dominated by agglutinated, rather than calcareous or tectinous, species. Foraminiferal density never exceeded that of metazoan meiofauna at any site. Foraminiferal biomass, however, exceeded metazoan meiofaunal biomass at 5 of the 10 sites, indicating that foraminifera constitute a major component of the Gulf's deep-water meiofaunal biomass.     

Mineral assemblages occurring around hydrocarbon vents in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Magnesian calcites are the most abundant authigenic minerals associated with hydrocarbon vents at 25 sites, in water depths ranging from 100 to 600 m in the Green Canyon area and about 2200 m in the Alaminos Canyon area on the Continental Slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The most frequently encountered magnesian calcites have 10–15 mol% MgCO₃ and the apparent structural disorder revealed by XRD peak widths increases with Mg substitution. There are no systematic variations in Mg content with respect to water depth or geographic location. The calcite saturation state of the precipitating fluid is primarily determined by the nature of the fluids escaping from the vents, not the ambient seawater.     

Benthic foraminifer communities of the Persian Gulf

Eighteen types of benthic foraminifer communities inhabiting depths of 0–200 m are described for the Persian Gulf including the analysis of 269 sampling sites. The species area is mostly localized by the geographical position and bathymetrical features, including the water masses advection, the upwelling, the river discharge, and the concentrations of CaCo₃ and C_org in the bottom sediments.     

Beggiatoa in microbial mats at hydrocarbon vents in the Gulf of Mexico and Warm Mineral Springs,Florida

Microbial mats were collected from a variety of sites near hydrocarbon vents along the slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico and, for comparison, from Warm Mineral Springs, Florida, USA. A predominant microorganism in each of the mats was the giant bacterium,Beggiatoa. Diameters of the bacterial filaments ranged from about 6 µm to approximately 200 µm. The latter organisms are the largest prokaryotic organisms yet found. All filaments over about 10 µm in diameter contained a large central vacuole, producing a cell with the cytoplasm as a cylindrical tube underlying the cytoplasmic membrane. Sulfur globules were confined to this peripheral layer. Push cores often contained pyrite tubules whose appearance is suggestive of aBeggiatoa origin. Determinations of ¹³C inBeggiatoa mats from vents along the Louisiana slope yielded values in the range of –26.6 to –27.9 (PDB), suggesting an unusually high degree of isotope fractionation (–24.9) relative to the carbon source in the ambient seawater, which is typical of sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophs. The presence of S^O (elemental sulfur) within cells ofBeggiatoa resulting from oxidation of H₂S supports the importance of bacterial sulfate reduction processes in the underlying vents for the sustenance of theBeggiatoa mats.     

Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon seep communities: VI. Patterns in community structure and habitat

Communities of chemosynthetic fauna that depend on seeping oil and gas have been found in the Gulf of Mexico at approximately 45 sites between 88°W and 95°W and between the 350 and 2,200 m isobaths. Investigations suggest that the number of sites and the range of occurrence will increase with additional exploration. The dominant fauna consist of species within four groups: tube worms, seep mussels, epibenthic clams, and infaunal clams. These species co-occur to some degree, but tend to form assemblages dominated by a single group. Community development is closely coupled to the geological and geochemical processes of seepage.     

Barite chimneys on the Gulf of Mexico slope: Initial report on their petrography and geochemistry

Barite chimneys associated with hydrocarbonrich fluid venting were recently documented and sampled on the Gulf of Mexico slope offshore Louisiana at 510–520 m water depth. The chimneys are dominated by barite associated with minor amounts of pyrite, iron oxide, Mg calcite, and detrital silicates. The barite displays distinct string-like and dendritic-like morphologies assembled from rosette-shaped crystals that are typically 20–40 µm in diameter. The chimneys exhibit macroscopic growth layers 1–5 mm thick, which alternate between dark gray and light yellow colors. The dark layers are dominated by string barites associated with disseminated pyrite, while the light layers are dominated by dendritic barites with little or no pyrite. The barites are anomalously enriched in Sr (average 15.5 mol% and maximum 30 mol%) and Ca (average 2.8 mol% and maximum 4.6 mol%), and exhibit rhythmic, paired, microscopic light and dark bands. The exact origin of the barites and their mode of deposition has not yet been elucidated, but they are likely to be related to the hydrocarbon-rich fluids venting on the seabed.     

Benthic foraminifera communities of the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean)

Eleven communities of benthic foraminifera were distinguished on the basis of the results of a qualitative analysis of the structure the population at 94 stations at sea depths down to 4180 m in the Andaman Sea. The habitats of the communities are formed under the influence of the environmental factors, which are determined by the latitudinal and bathymetric zonality of the basin, the water masses, the currents, the upwellings, the coastal runoff, and the contents of calcium carbonate and oxygen in the near-bottom waters and organic carbon in the sediments.     

Influence of the hydrothermal vents on the distribution of benthic foraminifera from the Guaymas Basin,Mexico

The distribution and composition of four benthic foraminifera assemblages from the Guaymas Basin are depicted through Q- and R-mode Factor Analysis. One of these assemblages is distributed near hydrothermal vents,* another developed away from the influence of the vents, and the other two assemblages are found in the subbottom sediments.Biostratigraphic analysis of five cores collected within the hydrothermal region suggest that the foraminiferal remains have been affected by aselective dissolution process. Only small species, such asBulimina spinosa andBolivina sp 2, have been preserved in the subbottom sediments which have been influenced by the hydrothermal activity.     

Macrobenthic infaunal communities associated with deep‐sea hydrocarbon seeps in the northern Gulf of Mexico

There are thousands of seeps in the deep ocean worldwide; however, many questions remain about their contributions to global biodiversity and the surrounding deep‐sea environment. In addition to being globally distributed, seeps provide several benefits to humans such as unique habitats, organisms with novel genes, and carbon regulation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are unique seep macrobenthic assemblages, by comparing seep and nonseep environments, different seep habitats, and seeps at different depths and locations. Infaunal community composition, diversity, and abundance were examined between seep and nonseep background environments and among three seep habitats (i.e., microbial mats, tubeworms, and soft‐bottom seeps). Abundances were higher at seep sites compared to background areas. Abundance and diversity also differed among microbial mat, tubeworm, and soft‐bottom seep habitats. Although seeps contained different macrobenthic assemblages than nonseep areas, infaunal communities were also generally unique for each seep. Variability was 75% greater within communities near seeps compared to communities in background areas. Thus, high variability in community structure characterized seep communities rather than specific taxa. The lack of similarity among seep sites supports the idea that there are no specific infauna that can be used as indicators of seepage throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico, at least at higher taxonomic levels.     

Impact of oil and gas vents and slicks on petroleum exploration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico

Active petroleum vents and slicks have been identified in the deep water of the northern Gulf of Mexico using numerous techniques. The occurrence and distribution of these petroleum vents are strongly influenced by the local geological framework—especially the presence of vertical migration pathways into shallow sediments. Oil and gas vents may be more useful for establishing the existence of petroleum generation on a regional scale and for evaluating the gross properties of oil migrating in the subsurface than for appraising the exploration value of individual prospects. Knowledge about petroleum venting in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico has proven to be an important element of the successful exploration activities there.     

Benthic foraminifera from the deep-water Niger delta (Gulf of Guinea): Assessing present-day and past activity of hydrate pockmarks

We present ecological and isotopic (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) data on benthic foraminifera sampled from 4 deep-sea stations in a pockmark field from the deep-water Niger delta (Gulf of Guinea, Equatorial Atlantic Ocean). In addition, a series of sedimentological and (bio)geochemical data are shown to back up foraminiferal observations. All stations are located within 1.2 km of each other, so prevailing oceanographic conditions can be assumed to be similar at each site. Two of the sites (GMMC-01 and GMMC-02) are located in a pockmark (named “pockmark A”) where current methane seepages were recorded by ROV observations. A third station (GMMC-03) is located in the topographic depression interpreted as a collapsed pockmark (named “pockmark B”). The fourth site (GMMC-04) is a reference station, without evidence of past or present seepages. Our observations show that degraded organic matter with low bio-availability is present at all stations with a preferential burial of organic compounds in topographic depressions (GMMC-03 station). Authigenic aragonite is abundant in surface sediments at stations GMMC-01 and -02. Its precipitation is likely related to high rates of methane oxidation during past seep events in episodically active pockmark A. In contrast, the absence of anaerobic methanotrophic Archaea (ANME) during the sampling period (November 2011) suggests that only moderate sulphide and methane oxidation take place close to the sediment–water interface. Compared to the reference site GMMC-04, living foraminifera at the collapsed and episodically active pockmarks show minor changes in terms of diversity, standing stocks and faunal composition. However, the δ¹³C signal of living and dead (but well-preserved) foraminiferal species (Ceratobulimina contraria, Melonis barleeanus, Uvigerina peregrina) is depleted in the episodically active pockmark A compared to the other stations. Overgrowth of authigenic carbonate on altered foraminifera generates an important shift to lower δ¹³C values. Dead faunas carry a complex time-averaged message, integrating taphonomic gains and losses related to the temporal variability of gas emission. They reveal major faunal differences that may be useful to detect gas hydrate seepages in different pockmark stages.     

High-frequency near-bottom acoustic reflection signatures of hydrocarbon seeps on the Northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope

 Acoustic reflection signatures of four hydro-carbon seeps were classified using near-bottom 25-kHz echosounder profiles. Echo patterns were compared with ground-truth data obtained by submersible observations and shallow coring. Six echo types were distinguished: strong reflections from (1) exposed or (2) buried hard substrates, such as authigenic carbonate or gas hydrate; acoustic scattering in (3) unlayered or (4) layered sediments owing to gas, shells, or disseminated carbonates; (5) attenuation caused by gas; and (6) undisturbed sediments. Echo type distributions suggest that high spatial variability indicates a younger, vigorous seep, whereas extensive hard substrate implies an older, encrusted seep. Received: 29 May 1998 / Revision received: 7 October 1998     

High-frequency near-bottom acoustic reflection signatures of hydrocarbon seeps on the Northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope

Acoustic reflection signatures of four hydro-carbon seeps were classified using near-bottom 25-kHz echosounder profiles. Echo patterns were compared with ground-truth data obtained by submersible observations and shallow coring. Six echo types were distinguished: strong reflections from (1)?exposed or (2)?buried hard substrates, such as authigenic carbonate or gas hydrate; acoustic scattering in (3)?unlayered or (4)?layered sediments owing to gas, shells, or disseminated carbonates; (5)?attenuation caused by gas; and (6)?undisturbed sediments. Echo type distributions suggest that high spatial variability indicates a younger, vigorous seep, whereas extensive hard substrate implies an older, encrusted seep.     

Benthic foraminifera of the Holocene transgressive west-central Florida inner shelf: paleoenvironmental implications

The sedimentology, stratigraphic position, and benthic foraminiferal biostratigraphy of early- to mid-Holocene deposits from the west-central Florida shelf suggest that barrier islands developed along this coast as early as 8.3 ka, in an environment that was more arid than today. Predominant foraminifera of three paralic sedimentary facies deposited between 5.3 and 8.3 ka include miliolids, Elphidium spp., and Ammonia spp., all of which are common in back-barrier environments. Foraminiferal assemblages also suggest that early back-barrier sediments were deposited in a hypersaline environment, similar to that of the arid Laguna Madre of the western Gulf of Mexico. Modern back-barrier foraminifera in the Tampa Bay region are indicative of the humid subtropical climate of today. Thus, the climate of west-central Florida at approximately 8 ka was more arid than today, which is consistent with recent studies showing that climate in the Gulf of Mexico was dryer and cooler during this time period.     

Population structure of the mussel “Bathymodiolus” childressi from Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon seeps

Hydrocarbon and brine seeps in the deep regions of the northern and western Gulf of Mexico often support populations of the bathymodiolin mussel, “Bathymodiolus” childressi. In this study, we use two mitochondrial and six nuclear DNA markers to investigate relationships within the metapopulation of “B.” childressi in the Gulf of Mexico from Mississippi Canyon to Alaminos Canyon over a range of 527–2222 m in depth and approximately 550 km in distance. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and size polymorphism analysis of the markers suggest that populations are not genetically differentiated. F_ST values were not significantly different from zero. The presence of a panmictic population of “B.” childressi over such a broad range of depth suggests that this species may be quite different from most members of the Gulf of Mexico seep chemosynthetic communities.     

Cold seeps of the deep Gulf of Mexico: Community structure and biogeographic comparisons to Atlantic equatorial belt seep communities

Quantitative collections of tubeworm- and mussel-associated communities were obtained from 3 cold seep sites in the deep Gulf of Mexico: in Atwater Valley at 1890 m depth, in Alaminos Canyon at 2200 m depth, and from the Florida Escarpment at 3300 m depth. A total of 50 taxa of macro- and megafauna were collected including 2 species of siboglinid tubeworms and 3 species of bathymodiolin mussels. In general, the highest degree of similarity was between communities collected from the same site. Most of the dominant families at the well-characterized upper Louisiana slope seep sites of the Gulf of Mexico were present at the deep sites as well; however, there was little overlap at the species level between the upper and lower slope communities. One major difference in community structure between the upper and lower slope seeps was the dominance of the ophiuroid Ophioctenella acies in the deeper communities. The transition between upper and lower slope communities appears to occur between 1300 and 1700 m based on the number of shared species with the Barbados seeps at either end of this depth range. Seep communities of the deep Gulf of Mexico were more similar to the Barbados Accretionary Prism seep communities than they were to either the upper slope Gulf of Mexico or Blake Ridge communities based on numbers of shared species and Bray–Curtis similarity values among sites. The presence of shared species among these sites suggests that there is ongoing or recent exchange among these areas. An analysis of bathymodioline mussel phylogeography that includes new collections from the west coast of Africa is presented. This analysis also suggests recent exchange across the Atlantic equatorial belt from the Gulf of Mexico to the seeps of the West Nigerian margin.     

Shallow sediment deformation styles in north-western Campeche Knolls,Gulf of Mexico and their controls on the occurrence of hydrocarbon seepage

During German R/V Meteor M67/2 expedition to Campeche Knolls, southern Gulf of Mexico, a set of 2D high resolution seismic data was acquired to study the near-surface sediment structure and its relationship with hydrocarbon seepages in this salt province. The comprehensive survey covered 20 individual bathymetric highs or ridges and identified three principle structural types: Passive Type, Chaopopte Type, and Asymmetric Flap Type. The first type is the result of passive diapirism, whereas the latter two were initialized by a regional compressional event in the Miocene, but are later differently modified by salt tectonism. Chapopote Type structures appear as symmetrical domes, with uplifted coarse-grained Miocene sediments in their cores and rather thin syn-kinematic sediments covering the crests. Asymmetric Flap Type structures are also first folded as domes or ridges, but one flap later subsided together with salt evacuation, resulting in single uplifted monoclines. With the coarse-grained pre-kinematic sediments as reservoir units, both structural types can focus and accumulate hydrocarbons. The geometries of the structures suggest that hydrocarbons are accumulated in the center of the Chapopote Type structures and in the subsided flaps of the Asymmetric Flap Type structures. Hydrocarbon leakage from these thinly sealed reservoirs is regarded as the principle mechanism for the seepage in the study area, and accordingly the most seepage-prone positions are above these reservoirs. The seep locations suggested by analysis of sea-surface oil slick images of SAR satellite data are also examined in this study. These independently derived seep locations confirm the seepage-prone positions to be above the shallow buried reservoirs. This study suggest that the shallow sediment structures control the distribution of the hydrocarbon seeps of the north-western Campeche Knolls, although the hydrocarbons are sourced from the greater depth.     

Time series video analysis of bubble release processes at natural hydrocarbon seeps in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

This research quantifies the rate and volume of oil and gas released from two natural seep sites in the Gulf of Mexico: lease blocks GC600 (1200 m depth) and MC118 (850 m depth). Our objectives were to determine variability in release rates and bubble size at five individual vents and to investigate the effects of tidal fluctuations on bubble release. Observations with autonomous video cameras captured the formation of individual bubbles as they were released through partially exposed deposits of gas hydrate. Image processing techniques determined bubble type (oily, gaseous, and mixed: oily and gaseous), size distribution, release rate, and temporal variations (observation intervals ranged from 3 h to 26 d). A semi-automatic bubble counting algorithm was developed to analyze bubble count and release rates from video data. This method is suitable for discrete vents with small bubble streams commonly seen at seeps and is adaptable to multiple in situ set-ups. Two vents at GC600 (Birthday Candles 1 and Birthday Candles 2) were analyzed. They released oily bubbles with an average diameter of 5.0 mm at a rate of 4.7 bubbles s⁻¹, and 1.3 bubbles s⁻¹, respectively. Approximately 1 km away, within the GC600 seep site, two more vents (Mega Plume 1 and Mega Plume 2) were analyzed. These vents released a mixture of oily and gaseous bubbles with an average diameter of 3.9 mm at a rate of 49 bubbles s⁻¹, and 81 bubbles s⁻¹, respectively. The fifth vent at MC118 (Rudyville) released gaseous bubbles with an average diameter of 3.0 mm at a rate of 127 bubbles s⁻¹. Pressure records at Mega Plume and Rudyville showed a diurnal tidal cycle (24.5 h). Rudyville was the only vent that demonstrated any positive correlation (ρ = 0.60) to the 24.5 h diurnal tidal cycle. However, these observations were not conclusive regarding tidal effects on bubble release.