D6.2 Report on Biodiversity Indicators, Trends
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DEEPFISHMAN Management And Monitoring Of Deep-sea Fisheries And Stocks Project number: 227390 Small or medium scale focused research action Topic: FP7-KBBE-2008-1-4-02 (Deepsea fisheries management) DELIVERABLE D 6.2 Title: Report on biodiversity indicators, trends monitoring and evaluation of information pertinence for deep-water fish and invertebrates Due date of deliverable: M 24 (April 2011) Actual submission date: M 27 (July 2011 st Start date of the project: April 1 , 2009 Duration : 36 months Organization Name of lead coordinator: Ifremer Dissemination Level: PP (Restricted to programme participants) Date: 27 July 2011 1 2 CHAPTER 1 Data Review on the Distribution and Extent of Deep-Sea Macrobenthic Communities: Trends in Biomass and Abundance from the North East Atlantic Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review Data Review on the Distribution and Extent of Deep- Sea Macrobenthic Communities: Trends in Biomass and Abundance from the North East Atlantic. Prepared by A. Kenny and C. Barrio CEFAS 1 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review March, 2011 Table of Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................ 3 Materials and Methods .......................................................................................................... 3 Results & Discussion ............................................................................................................... 7 References ............................................................................................................................ 11 Appendix 1. (to be provided) ............................................................................................... 12 2 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review Data Review on the Distribution and Extent of Deep- Sea Macrobenthic Communities: Trends in Biomass and Abundance from the North East Atlantic. Introduction In a brief review of deep-sea ecology undertaken as part of the Deepfishman project (Kenny and Barrio, 2010) the importance of major physiographic habitat features was highlighted in defining broad scale trends in deep sea benthic community structure. In particular, it was noted that large mega-habitats defined as; i. continental slope, ii. seamounts, iii. hydrothermal vents (and other chemosynthetic primary producing habitats), iv. canyons, and v. trenches, were amongst the most important types of physiographic features in the deep-sea. It was also noted that within each of these features significant variations in benthic invertebrate diversity, biomass and abundance occur, largely attributed to variations in substrate type, local hydrodynamic processes and the supply of energy in the form of nutrients and organic carbon. Whilst a significant body of literature and information has been acquired on local deep sea diversity, trophic conditions and topographic characteristics from specific projects such as HERMES and the Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network (AFEN), there is still a need to synthesise the collective published knowledge to better understand and to define the general processes determining benthic diversity and function in the deep sea. In particular, there is a need to understand how these processes relate to populations of deep-sea commercial fish species. Only through a fundamental understanding of such processes can we ensure that the most appropriate management measures are identified and applied. In essence, a redefinition of the criteria for the identification and definition of “eco-regions” of the deep-sea environment is required. The aim of this study was to collate quantitative data on the status (diversity, biomass, abundance) of the main taxonomic groups of macrobenthic invertebrates in areas confined to the North East Atlantic deep-sea region (in depths >400m). Materials and Methods We used published literature as the primary source of data to compile a meta-data table of deep sea ecosystem observations. In total 56 scientific papers were reviewed (see Appendix 1), but of these only 6 of these contained data which could be directly compared between studies (or cases). However, of these 6 papers, several different studies were documented and therefore in total 17 separate mega-habitat cases were directly comparable, namely; Hughes and Gage (2004; 1 spur/ridge, 1 basin and 1 abyssal plain), Gage (2001; 1 abyssal plain), Henry and Roberts (2007; 1 carbonate mound), Bett (2001; 2 continental slope), Heip et al. (2001; 1 shelf break, 1 slope and 1 abyssal plain), Duineveld et al. (2000; 3 canyon and 3 spur) and finally the OECD (1989, 1 abyssal plain). All cases were 3 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review included in a meta-data table for analysis, (Table1), with each case representing a large mega-habitat feature such as a canyon or continental slope etc. The approximate geographic locations of all these studies (used in this analysis) is presented in Figure 1. One of the problems we observed, which limited the amount of data we could include in this analysis, was the diverse way in which deep sea benthic samples are processed. Some researchers would describe only the mega-epifauna, whereas others would use different sieve sizes to sort different fractions of fauna from sediment samples. In addition, in all cases the identification of species was incomplete and hence comparisons between the studies in terms of species richness and diversity was not possible. The consistent identification and recording of species in the deep sea is clearly a problem and guidance (including taxonomic keys) on deep sea taxonomy suitable for routine comparative assessment studies, is urgently needed. Figure 1. Approximate location of reported studies in the literature used in this analysis The meta-data presented in Table 1 was further reduced to provide two matrices of cases vs. variables each being slightly different in their dimensions (Table 2 and Table 3). Each data matrix was then analysed using Principal Components Analysis to examine similarities between cases (i.e. mega-habitat types) in terms of their variable attributes (e.g. total biomass, abundance, latitude, depth etc.). The data in both matrices were first transformed using; log (X + 1) and then standardised by applying: Where is the mean of the variable values is the variable value and is the standard deviation of variable values. All cases were assigned to their appropriate large mega-habitat type. 4 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review 5 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review Table 1. Meta-data values extracted from a review of 56 published papers from which 6 papers provided sufficiently directly comparable data covering a total of 17 cases of large mega-habitats. Column header code: C = Case Table 2. Matrix used for PCA comprising 13 cases representing 6 different mega-habitat features and 4 Table 3. Matrix used for PCA comprising 8 cases representing 5 different mega-habitat ecosystem level variables. Column header codes: S = continental slope, AP = abyssal plain, C = canyon. features and 7 ecosystem level variables. 6 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review Results & Discussion A total of 6 different large mega-habitat features were included in this analysis, although not all types were represented in equal numbers, namely; i. deep sea basin (1), ii. shelf break (1), iii. continental slope (3), iv. deep sea spurs (3), v. canyons (3) and vi. abyssal plain (3). The univariate plot of total macrobenthic biomass against depth using the reduced case matrix (which excludes canyons – see Table 3) reveals a reasonably significant trend with depth (see Figure 2). In general, biomass declines with increasing depth (which has been well documented), with some of the lowest values of biomass observed in the abyssal plain which occur at depths between 3,500 m and 4,000 m. The highest values of biomass were observed in 2 of the continental slope cases and one case of a deep sea basin, all occurring between 750 m and 1,500 m in depth. There is also an indication that biomass initially rises from the shelf break (at approximately 500 m) down to depths of about 1,500 m, but this may simply be an artefact of the small data set. There is also some indication that biomass varies according to mega-habitat type, in addition to depth. For example, by examining the relationship between biomass and depth for the complete matrix (Table 2) it is apparent that it is a combination of depth and mega-habitat feature which determine levels of biomass. Figure 2. Biomass plotted against depth with cases labelled according to their mega-habitat type. (note this data corresponds to Table 2 and excludes a number of cases of spur and all cases of canyon. Figure 3, at first reveals no obvious trend between total biomass and depth, but if mega-habitat type is also considered a pattern of variation is revealed. For example, all cases of canyon have relatively high macrobenthic biomass, despite being among the deepest habitats sampled. This is also true for the cases of spur studied, e.g. of the 4 cases studied, 2 have high biomass values, again despite the spur cases being among the deepest habitats studied. It appears that beyond a depth of about 2000 m (accepting that this is 7 Deep-Sea Benthic Data Review only a small data set) the best predictor of total biomass appears to be the type of mega- habitat feature despite the depth varying between 2,500m and 4,500 m for all the canyon, spur and abyssal plain cases. This is perhaps not so surprising since the pathway which directly couples the relatively rich supply of organic carbon in