Larval Dispersal Between Hydrothermal Vent Habitats.
Abstract
Hydrothermal vents are isolated, impermanent habitats that support unique biotic assemblages. The processes by which these communities establish themselves and maintain species identity across geographic gaps are currently unknown. Planktonic vent larvae can be dispersed by buoyant plumes of hot hydrothermal fluid that rise from vents and entrain near bottom water, carrying it several hundred meters above the seafloor before spreading laterally. A standard plume model describes vent plumes well, and predicts that up to 97% of the larvae produced by a vent community will be entrained. Gastropod larvae found in the plume can be identified as specific vent species by scanning electron microscopy. Species level larval identification is a vital step in defining the overall distribution patterns and dispersal pathways of vent larvae. The potential importance of physical flow patterns, geological structure, and biological constraints were compared using a spatially explicit type of mathematical model, called cellular automata. The results of the model simulations suggest that dispersal in plume flow is vital to long term persistence of vent populations, and that fecundity and larval mortality interact with habitat spacing and vent lifespan to influence the stability of the overall population.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA325960
Entities
People
- Stacy L. Kim
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology