Environmental heterogeneity of cold seep by biological trait analysis of marine nematodes at Site F cold seep in South China Sea

Bingzhou Hu; Qi Wang; Jiwen Liu; Lei Xing; Xin Zhang; Yuqing Wang; Xiaoshou Liu

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115932

Environmental heterogeneity of cold seep by biological trait analysis of marine nematodes at Site F cold seep in South China Sea

Mar Pollut Bull. 2024 Jan:198:115932. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115932. Epub 2023 Dec 16.

Authors

Bingzhou Hu¹, Qi Wang¹, Jiwen Liu¹, Lei Xing², Xin Zhang³, Yuqing Wang⁴, Xiaoshou Liu⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Marine Life Sciences and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
² Key Lab of Submarine Geoscience and Prospecting, College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment and Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
⁴ Trier College of Sustainable Technology, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China.
⁵ College of Marine Life Sciences and Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China. Electronic address: liuxs@ouc.edu.cn.

PMID: 38104383
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115932

Abstract

Cold seeps provide high environmental heterogeneity for marine benthos. Site F is one of the active cold seeps in the South China Sea. In this study, free-living marine nematode communities were investigated at Site F and the adjacent deep-sea area. A total of 67 genera and 32 families were identified. The mean density at cold seep sites ranged from 13.6 to 181.8 ind./10 cm², and that at the adjacent deep-sea sites ranged from 36.9 to 301.4 ind./10 cm². At cold seep sites, the most dominant nematode genera were Desmoscolex, Pierrickia, Sabatieria, Halalaimus, and Dorylaimopsis while at deep-sea sites, the most dominant genera were Retrotheristus, Thalassomonhystera, Desmoscolex, Cobbia, and Halalaimus. Deposit feeders of nematodes were dominant at all sites. Results of biological trait analysis showed that there was high environmental heterogeneity for nematodes at Site F. Water depth, sediment organic matter content, and sand proportion had important influences on nematode communities.

Keywords: Biological trait analysis; Cold seep; Marine nematodes; South China Sea.

MeSH terms

Animals
China
Geologic Sediments
Humans
Nematoda*
Water

Substances

Water