Evidence of seasonal reproduction in the Atlantic vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, and an apparent link with the timing of photosynthetic primary production

Author:

Dixon D.R.,Lowe D.M.,Miller P.I.,Villemin G.R.,Colaço A.,Serrão-Santos R.,Dixon L.R.J

Abstract

Here we present evidence of seasonal reproduction in the deep-sea vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, a dominant member of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) hydrothermal fauna in the Azores region. This is the first time that seasonal reproduction has been suggested for any deep-sea vent organism. This discovery was made possible by the use of novel, acoustically-retrievable cages, which allowed us to extend the frequency and temporal range of sampling that was previously limited to the summer months. The main spawning peak, at the Menez Gwen vent field (840 m) occurs in late December–January and shows a correlation with a winter–spring bloom in primary production in the euphotic zone. Our results suggest that this surface-derived material may act as both a food source for the dispersing mussel larvae and as a reproductive cue/supplementary nutritional source for the adult mussels. Further evidence of a dependence on photosynthetic inputs comes from the relationship between particulate feeding levels, which themselves correlate with the phytoplankton peak, and the amounts of storage tissue in the mantle, which ultimately gets converted into gonad. Thus, the pattern and energetics of reproduction in the Atlantic vent mussel B. azoricus closely resembles that found in the coastal mussel Mytilus edulis, which has been described as an adaptation for optimizing the timing of reproduction against a background of seasonally-varying food availability. This discovery emphasizes the complexity of the nutritional pathways found in some deep-sea chemosynthetic environments and highlights the need for more time-series studies.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Subject

Aquatic Science

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3