Evidence for long-term seamount-induced chlorophyll enhancements

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 29;10(1):12729. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69564-0.

Abstract

Seamounts are ubiquitous global features often characterized by biological hotspots of diversity, biomass, and abundance, though the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood. One controversial explanation suggests seamount-induced chlorophyll enhancements (SICE) subsidize seamount ecosystems. Using a decade of satellite chlorophyll data, we report substantial long-term chlorophyll enhancements around 17% of Pacific seamounts and 45% of shallow (< 100 m) seamounts, with the highest probability of detection at shallow, low-latitude seamounts. SICE is shown to enhance chlorophyll concentrations by up to 56% relative to oceanic conditions, and SICE seamounts have two-fold higher fisheries catch relative to non-enhancing seamounts. Therefore, seamount-induced bottom-up trophic subsidies are not rare, occurring most often at shallow, heavily exploited seamounts, suggesting an important subset of seamounts experience fundamentally different trophic dynamics than previously thought.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquatic Organisms / growth & development
  • Aquatic Organisms / metabolism
  • Biomass
  • Chlorophyll / analysis*
  • Conservation of Natural Resources / methods
  • Ecosystem
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Fisheries
  • Fishes / growth & development*
  • Oceans and Seas
  • Satellite Communications

Substances

  • Chlorophyll