Understanding of the fundamental ecology of deep-sea ecosystems remains immature relative to more familiar shallow-water and terrestrial habitats, despite more than two hundred years of scientific investigation. This thesis aims to progress knowledge of deep-sea benthic ecology by the analysis of over three hundred box core samples collected from the Northwest Atlantic continental slope as part of the international NEREIDA programme. Aspects of the ecology of Peracarida (Crustacea) are studied, and this is facilitated by the coupling of a large faunal dataset with extensive environmental information. To further enhance the power of this dataset, phylogenetic and functional characteristics of assemblages are investigated. Using community phylogenetic methodology, it is demonstrated that the peracarid assemblages studied are structured more strongly by variation in environmental parameters than they are by competitive interactions. Analyses demonstrate that the intensity of bottom trawling, seafloor temperature, current speed, food availability, sediment characteristics and physical habitat heterogeneity all influence deep-sea peracarid assemblage biodiversity metrics. Further, the importance of high poriferan biomass for the promotion of peracarid assemblages of high density, biomass, richness and diversity is highlighted. Of relevance to the management of deep-sea ecosystems, the results of this thesis suggest that caution should be exercised when applying species distribution models to data-deficient environments, whilst the location of spatial closures in the NAFO Regulatory Area may not be fully optimal for the protection of all components of diverse benthic assemblages against the impacts of bottom trawling. The importance of deep-sea diversity is demonstrated by the finding of positive biodiversity â ecosystem functioning relationships. However, the form of these relationships is found to be dependent on the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning metrics employed, and a hypothesis for a generalised form of biodiversity â ecosystem functioning relationships is proposed. Finally, this thesis calls for more ambitious deep-sea ecological investigations, and it is hoped that its findings will encourage future research initiatives, helping to further illuminate this enigmatic and fascinating environment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:729072 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Ashford, Oliver Simon |
| Contributors | Grient, Jesse van der ; Horton, Tammy ; Frojan, Christopher Barrio ; Downie, Anna ; Rogers, Alex David ; Kenny, Andrew |
| Publisher | University of Oxford |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:228c4d19-56a8-41e1-a1da-9ca13fe2eef1 |
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