Atlas of the Mediterranean Seamounts and Seamount-like Structures
ULISSE 44 N JANUA S.LUCIA
SPINOLA OCCHIALI
ARAGÓ CALYPSO HILLS 42 CIALDI FELIBRES HILLS 42 TIBERINO ETRUSCHI LA RENAIXENÇA HILLS ALBANO MONTURIOL S.FELIÙ SMS DAUNO VERCELLI SALVÁ BRUTUS
SPARTACUS CASSINIS EBRO BARONIE-K MARUSSI SECCHI-ADRIANO FARFALLE ALBATROS-CICERONE CRESQUES BERTRAN SELLI VENUS MORROT DE LA CIUTADELLA GORTANI SELE MONTE DELLA RONDINE TACITO SÓLLER ALABE DE MARCHI SIRENE SARDINIA D’ANCONA FLAVIO GIOIA AMENDOLARA 40 SALLUSTIO 40 MAGNAGHI POSEIDONE ROSSANO APHRODITI VAVILOV TIBULLO DIAMANTE MORROT CORNAGLIA V.EMANUELE CARIATI DE SA DRAGONERA MAJOR ISSEL PALINURO-STRABO OVIDIO VILADESTERS CATULLO GLAVKI ORAZIO MARSILI-PLINIO GLABRO ENOTRIO MANSEL JOHNSTON STONY SPONGE QUIRRA ENEA TITO LIVIO VIRGILIO ALCIONE AUGUSTO SES OLIVES GARIBALDI-GLAUCO LAMETINO 1 BROUKER JAUME 1 CORNACYA LAMETINO 2 COLOM TRAIANO LUCREZIO STOKES XABIA-IBIZA VESPASIANO LITERI SINAYA VALLSECA SISIFO EMILE BAUDOT GIULIO CESARE-CAESAR DREPANO ENARETE CASONI FONTSERÈ ICHNUSA IRA NAVTILOS CABO DE LA NAO AUSIÀS MARCH ANCHISE BELL GUYOT POMPEO PROMETEO MARTORELL ACESTE-TIBERIO EOLO FORMENTERA SOLUNTO ALKYONI FERRER SCUSO SAN VITO LOS MARTINES ALÍ BEI FINALE DON JUAN RESGUI RIBA SENTINELLE (SKERKI) BALIKÇI EL38 PLANAZO BIDDLECOMBE SILVIA 38 PLIS PLAS KEITH SECO DE PALOS ESTAFETTE HECATE ADVENTURE TALBOT TETIDE 170 km ÁGUILAS GALATEA PANTELLERIA ANFITRITE EMPEDOCLE PINNE ANTEO 2 KHAYR-AL-DIN CIMOTOE ANTEO 3 ABUBACER FOERSTNER NAMELESS PNT. E MADREPORE ANTEO 1 AVENZOAR PNT. CB CHELLA CABO DE GATA ANGELINA ALFEO SABINAR PNT. SW AVEMPACE-ALGARROBO MAIMONIDES RIDGE BANNOCK KOLUMBO DJIBOUTI-HERRADURA POLLUX BILIM ADRA-AVERROES MAIMONIDES BIRSA PNT. SE HERRADURA-DJIBOUTI LINOSA III AL-MANSOUR A EL SEGOVIANO DJIBOUTI VILLE ALBORÁN LINOSA I LINOSA II HÉSPERIDES HÉRCULES EL IDRISSI YUSUF KARPAS CATIFAS-W. VICTOR HENSEN 1 36 M. DEL CARMEN IBN-BATOUTA CABLIERS ALIDADE ALFIL ANAXAGORAS GŰZELYURT GRANADA CABLIERS-E. KAŞ MARGALEF FRANCESC PAGÈS CABLIERS FONKAL TRES ANAMUR-KORMAKITI EUROFLEET PROVENÇAUX ANAXIMENES XAUEN FORCAS ANAXIMANDER LARNAKA TOFIÑO MALTA VICTOR HENSEN 2 PETIT BOURI FINIKE TOFIÑO LATAKIA MEDINA FLORENCE TURGUT REIS MEDINA-MALTA RIDGE EAST MEDITERRANEAN RIDGE
Vercelli Seamount: PTOLEMY DANAOS-2007 HECATAEUS KNOLL BANNOCK A) Sperm whales, Physeter catodon, 20 August 2013. HECATAEUS RISE ARCHIMEDES B) Callogorgia verticillata, peak. MELITA EPICHARMOS C) Laminaria rodriguezii, pinnacle. CONRAD 34 Courtesy M. Bo. WEST MEDITERRANEAN RIDGE HERODOTUS-CYRENE BATTOS ERATOSTHENES
AKHDAR TYRRHENIAN SEA
B ATLAS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEAMOUNTS AND SEAMOUNT–LIKE STRUCTURES
STRUCTURE: Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whales Balaenoptera( physalus) close to the Vercelli Seamount was checked during The Vercelli Seamount, an isolated rocky peak penetrating the euphotic zone, a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the plays an important aggregating role, hosting rich coralligenous megabenthic Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Vercelli Seamount communities as revealed by Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) surveys (Bo et Sciara, 1996), as well as striped dolphins (Stenella al., 2011). The shallowest part of the pinnacle hosts a dense canopy of the kelp coeruleoalba) according to the results of the Location: 41.10792°N – 10.90581°E Laminaria rodriguezii. The southern side biocoenosis is mainly dominated by the “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the octocorals Paramuricea clavata and Eunicella cavolinii, while the northern side Peak depth (m): 60-70 Base depth (m): 1000-1010 Tyrrhenian Sea. Gionha Project” (Pavan et al., 2011). is colonized by active filter-feeding organisms such as sponges with numerous SARDINIA CHANNEL, STRAIT OF SICILY, IONIAN SEA, ADRIATIC SEA A group of 10 sperm whales (Physeter catodon) was colonies of the ascidian Diazona violacea, and the polychaete Sabella pavonina observed on the top of the Vercelli Seamounts’ pin- (Bo et al., 2011). The observed differences between the communities recorded nacle during the ROV operations (Bo, pers. comm., on the two flanks of the pinnacle, both in term of composition and trophic 2009) . strategy, were put in relation to local current conditions (Bo et al., 2011) and were A visual sampling carried out by Ferry ships on successively found in accordance with the trophic data (Misic et al., 2012; Covazzi the route between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci DESCRIPTION: Harriague et al., 2014). The upwelling hydrodynamic regime suggested for the has identified a high density area of cetaceans in southern flank explains the greater abundance of passive filter-feeders such as the stretch of sea between Tiberino, Cialdi, Vercelli octocorals with respect to the northern flank. On the other hand, the downwelling Seamounts and on the ridge between Etruschi and Seamounts and Banks of the Sardinia Channel-Sicily Strait – Ionian Sea – Adriatic Sea: general map. Geology regime of organic matter on the northern flank and a higher sedimentation level, Atlas of the Mediterranean Seamounts Baronie. In particular, the Cuvier’s beaked whales possibly favoured by a lower inclination of the slope, explain the dominance of (Ziphiius cavirostris) has been spotted close to the active suspension feeders (Bo et al., 2011). The ROV data obtained in the deepest Vercelli Seamount (Marini et al., 1996). 6W - 4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 The Vercelli Seamount is the most important10 structure of a complex SW-NE 12 depth range (100-500 m depth) revealed the presence of other14 interesting deep 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34E The preliminary results of field research con- Dauno biocoenoses: on the wide detritic plane surrounding the peak, a continuous belt ducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of oriented system of ridges arising from a bottom of about 2000 m in the northern of the crinoid Leptometra phalangium (with densities of up to 43 specimens July and August 2013 in the scope of the project m-2) was observed down to 140-150 m depth (Bo et al., 2010). This suspension and Seamount-like Structures PROMETEOS show the presence of the striped dol- Tyrrhenian Sea. It consists of a granite intrusion episode dated back to 7.2 Ma feeders biocoenosis is clearly supported by the organic material sinking from phins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Risso’s dolphins the euphotic coralligenous community. At 150 m water depth the crinoid facies (Grampus griseus) close to the Vercelli Seamount (Barberi et al., 1978, 1989; Zhuleva, 1988). The Vercelli Seamount owns 20° steep abruptly stops and is substituted by a detritus-feeding assemblage, mainly (Fiori et al., 2015). composed by cidarid sea urchins. On the edge of the detritic bottom (around walls (Gallignani, 1973; Zhuleva, 1988). At around 200-250 m water depth, flat 180-200 m depth) a wide belt of dead Dendrophyllia cornigera was recorded, Maurizio Würtz and Marzia Rovere (Editors) with sparse living colonies. The dead calyxes of this species were frequently Amendolara 40 Rossano terraces, formed during the last episode of low stand of the sea level, are present covered by the blue sponge Hamacantha (Vomerula) falcula. From 200 to 500 m depth, the rocks, covered by a thick black crust of iron-manganese oxide, are Cariati and are buried below organogenic coarse and medium sand. The walls then characterised by a very poor megabenthic biocoenosis, mainly composed by tubes of serpulids and rare encrusting sponges. A clear decline in the standing start again to be gently sloping (1°-3°) up to about 100 m water depth, where an crop of the biocoenoses was observed (Bo, pers. observ.). The Vercelli Seamount represents a good model for the benthic zonation of Mediterranean seamounts elongated pinnacle reaches 60 m water depth (Zhuleva, 1988). The pinnacle has with summit penetrating in the euphotic zone. The Vercelli Seamount is not heavily exploited by professional fishing. an asymmetric shape, with a steeper SW flank (17°) with respect to the NE one Nevertheless, some abandoned nets and lines were observed along the ROV Resgui track (Bo et al., 2011). Environments characterized by high biodiversity should Sentinelle (Skerki) 38 (11°) (Gallignani, 1973). The hydrothermal activity of the seamount is responsible be worthy of protection by international conservation programs as already sug- Biddlecombe Silvia gested for others deep diversity oases of the Mediterranean Sea. Keith Hecate Estafette Adventure for the iron-manganese crusts (up to 2 cm thick) found on the deep granites Talbot Tetide Anfitrite Empedocle (Zhuleva, 1988). Pantelleria Galatea Anteo 2 Foerstner Cimotoe Pinne Anteo 3 Nameless Alfeo Pnt CB Pnt E Anteo 1 The mesoscale oceanography of the Tyrrhenian Sea is characterized by a major Pnt SW Angelina Madrepore Bannock bank cyclonic circulation along its boundary, while in the interior several gyre structures Birsa Pnt SE Linosa III Linosa I Linosa II 36 can be observed. The Vercelli Seamount is located within a transitional area Alfil V.Hensen Fonkal between two gyres: cyclonic in the north and anticyclonic in the south (Artale Malta smt Bouri V.Hensen 2 et al., 1994). These gyres are usually considered wind-driven (Nair et al., 1994), 179
Medina but recent investigations have revealed the relevant role played by topography Medina-Malte rdg (Budillon et al., 2009; Vetrano et al., 2010). The northern gyre allows the inflow of Melita Archimedes Bannock smt Epicharmos north-western waters, partially coming from the Algerian-Provencal sub-basin. Conrad 34 It is characterized by seasonal variability although it is recognizable all year Battos Herodotus-Cyrene round. It generates vertical mixing of surface and intermediate waters, leading ATLAS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEAMOUNTS AND SEAMOUNT–LIKE STRUCTURES Akhdar C to a general increase in inorganic nutrient concentrations and the stimulation of primary production in the euphotic zone (Morel and André, 1991; Nair et al., 1994). References Amblas D., Canals M., Urgeles R., Lastras G., Liquete C., Hughes- Clarke J.E., Casamor J.L. and A.M. Calafat, 2006. Morphogenetic Acosta J., 2005. El Promontorio Balear: morfología submarina y re- mesoscale analysis of the northeastern Iberian margin, NW Medi- The southern zone, instead, seems to be mainly characterized by horizontal water cubrimiento sedimentario. Tesis Doctoral, Universidad de Barce- terranean Basin. Mar. Geol., 234, 3-20. 32 movements, generating a convergence zone and leading to strict oligotrophic lona. Ballesteros M., 2000. Estudio morfológico y estructural basado en conditions (Povero et al., 1990; Astraldi and Gasparini, 1994). Acosta J., Muñoz A., Herranz P., Palomo C., Ballesteros M., Vaquero datos geofísicos del área submarina situada al E de las Islas M. and E. Uchupi, 2001a. Geodynamics of the Emile Baudot Es- Pityusas (Mar Balear). Tesis de Licenciatura, Universidad Com- Due to its morphology and its position with respect to the main hydrological carpment the Balearic Promontory, Western Mediterranean. Mar. plutense de Madrid. Pet. Geol., 128, 349-369. structures, the Vercelli Seamount exerts its influence on a number of Ballesteros M., Muñoz A., Acosta J., Palomo C., Herranz P. and E. Acosta J., Muñoz A., Herranz P., Palomo C., Ballesteros M., Vaquero Uchupi, 2002. Distribución y análisis estadístico de los volcanes Conservation in the Mediterranean : environmental features, although a clear “seamount effect” was not found, due to M. and E. Uchupi, 2001b. Pockmarks in the Eivissa Channel the submarinos del Mar Balear a partir de datos obtenidos mediante western end of the Balearic Promontory (western Mediterranean) ecosondas multihaz. Resúmenes 3ª Asamblea Hispano-Portu- 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 the complex hydrodynamic features of the area (Misic et al., 2012). In particular, revealed by multibeam mapping. Geo-Mar. Lett., 21, 123-130. guesa de Geodesia y Geofísica, 478-480.
Barone, A.M. and W.B.F. Ryan, 1987. Morphology from subaerial ero- at the seamount summit, an accumulation of autotrophic biomass and semi-labile Acosta J., Canals M., Carbó A., Muñoz A., Urgeles R., Muñoz-Martín sion of a Mediterranean seamount. Mar. Geol., , 159-172. 180 km A. and E. Uchupi, 2004. Sea floor morphology and Plio-Quater- 74 17 km organic matter was found, together with a fast turnover of labile organic matter. The nary sedimentary cover of the Mallorca Channel, Balearic Islands, Bo M., Bava S., Canese S., Angiolillo M., Cattaneo-Vietti R., and G. Disambiguation western Mediterranean. Mar. Geol., 206, 165-179. heterogeneity of the habitat, the shallowness of the Seamount’s peak, the higher Bavestrello, 2014. Fishing impact on deep Mediterranean rocky habitats as revealed by ROV investigation. Biol. Cons., 171, 167- In early studies, the Sardinia Channel, the sea region comprised between Sardinia and Sicily and bordered to the south by the northern Acosta J., Canals M., López-Martinez J., Muñoz A., Herranz P., Urge- 176. trophic supply and the availability of the organic matter support a very rich mega les R., Palomo C. and J.L. Casamor, 2002. The Balearic Promon- Tunisian continental shelf, has been termed Sardinia Valley. The Tunisian Plateau was identified as a broad sector of the northern Tunisian tory geomorphology (western Mediterranean): morphostructure INTERNATIONAL UNION Canals M., Serra J. and O. Riba, 1982. Toponimia de la Mar Cata- upper slope/shelf around Cape Bon (Gennesseaux and Stanley, 1983). and macrofaunal community (Bo et al., 2011; Covazzi Harriague et al., in press). and active processes. Geomorphology, 49, 177-204. FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE lano-Balear (con un glosario de términos genéricos). Boll. Soc. Fluxes of organic matter were observed downstream (NW side), in the surface- Hist. Nat. Balears, 26, 169-194. In Budillon et al. (2009), the Tunisia Plateau corresponds with a small sector of the northern Tunisian continental shelf, close to the Galite Acosta J., Ancochea E., Canals M., Huertas M.J. and E. Uchupi, Developed by an international group of experts, IUCN-MED subsurface layer as well as with depth along the seamount flank, thus extending 2004. Early Pleistocene volcanism in the Emile Baudot Seamount, Carracedo J.C., 1994. The Canary Islands: an example of structural Island. The term Tunisian Plateau actually corresponds to another marine region in Spalding et al. (2007), from which it has been adopted Balearic Promontory (western Mediterranean Sea). Mar. Geol., control on the growth of large oceanic-islands volcanoes. J. Vol- Parque Tecnológico de Andalucia 207 (1-4), 247-257. in http://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=21898, where it is identified with the Gulf of Sidra (Sirte), between Tunisia and the effect of the seamount for at least 25 km far from the summit (Misic et al., canol. Geotherm. Res., 60, 225-241. Marie Curie, 22 Lybia. 2012). Changes of the organic matter availability to consumption were observed, Acosta J., Fontán A., Muñoz A., Muñoz-Martín A., Rivera J. and E. Dewey J.F., Helman M.L., Turco E., Hutton D.H.W. and S.D. Knott, 29590 - Campanillas (Malaga), Spain Uchupi, 2013. The morpho-tectonic setting of the Southeast 1989. Kinematics of the western Mediterranean. In: Coward M.P., [email protected] Moreover at http://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=4095, citing the IHO-IOC GEBCO Gazetteer of Undersea Feature especially with depth due to the mixing with sedimentary materials, moreover, margin of Iberia and the adjacent oceanic Algero-Balearic Ba- Dietrich D. and R.G. Park (eds.), Alpine Tectonics, Geol. Soc. Lon- sin. Mar. Pet. Geol., 45, 17-41. Supplementary video related to don Spec. Publ., 45, pp. 265-283. Tel +34 95 202 84 30 Names (2002-10-01), the Tunisian Plateau is decribed as part of the Strait of Sicily. the organic matter turnover features suggested also an upstream flux around the this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpet- Fax +34 95 202 81 45 geo.2013.04.005. Faugères J.C., Stow D.A.V., Imbert P. and A. Viana, 1999. Seismic Since the term Tunisia Plateau is also used for Tunisian terrestrial territories, we will stick to the term Sardinia Channel, considering this one seamount (Misic et al., 2012). Also temperature and salinity distributions suggest features diagnostic of contourite drifts. Mar. Geol., 162, 1-38. www.iucn.org/mediterranean Acosta J.Y., Martínez J.R., Recio A.M., Reynes C.L. and E.E. Jimé- the most reliable definition. a divergence region in the North and a convergence region in the South of the nez, 2012. Mapa topobatimétrico en relieve del margen continen- Giaconia F., Booth-Rea G., Ranero C.R., Gràcia E., Vendrell M.G., tal del sureste español. Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Lo Iacono C. and the TOPOMED survey-party, 2012. Messinian 28 pp. to Quaternary shortening structures in the Palomares margin: a first new tool for decision-making with extensive Notwithstanding, we will use the term Tunisian Plateau (sensu Gennesseaux and Stanley, 1983) for the Estafette, Resgui and Sentinelle Banks. Seamount. These characteristics are confirmed by the corresponding dissolved preliminary results from the TOPOMED-GASSIS seismic survey (Algero-Balearic basin, Western Mediterranean). Geo-Temas, 13 Aguilar R., 2007. On-board Diary: Ausias March Seamount. http:// oxygen and nutrient distributions (MEDATLAS, 2002). (CD anexo), 1591-1594. oceana.org/en/eu/our-work/expeditions/on-board-the-oceana- Core support to the IUCN Centre for ranger/the-expeditions/mediterranean-2007/diary/ausias-march- 189 Gueguen E., Doglioni C. and M. Fernandez, 1998. On the post-25 seamount Mediterranean Cooperation is provided by: Ma geodynamic evolution of the western Mediterranean. Tectono- physics, 298, 259-269. Aguilar R., Correa M.L., Calcinai B., Pastor X., de La Torriente A., and S. García, 2011. First records of Asbestopluma hypogea Vacelet IEO-IHM-ROA, 1999. Zona Económica Exclusiva. Mapa Geomagné- and Boury-Esnault, 1996 (Porifera, Demospongiae Cladorhizidae) tico, Hoja M-14. Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Departamento on seamounts and in bathyal settings of the Mediterranean Sea. de Geología y Geofísica Marina, Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca Zootaxa, 2925, 33-40. y Alimentación, Madrid.
178 Aguilar R., Pastor X., García S. and P. Marín, 2013. Importance of Lastras G., Canals M., Urgeles R., Hughes-Clarke J.E. and J. Acosta, seamount-like features for conserving mediterranean marine habi- 2004. Shallow slides and pockmark swarms in the Eivissa Chan- references and upgradable, on line. tats and threatened species. OCEANA, Madrid, Spain. 47 pp. nel, western Mediterranean Sea. Sedimentol., 51, 837-850.
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Würtz, M. & M. Rovere (eds) (2015). ISBN: 978-2-8317-1750-0 Atlas of the Mediterranean Seamounts and Seamount-like DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2015.07.en Structures. Gland, Switzerland and Málaga, Spain: IUCN. 276 pp. https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/45816