The spatial distribution of particulate organic carbon and microorganisms on seamounts of the South West Indian Ridge

摘要

The ecology and biogeochemistry of oceanic seamounts is not very well understood and explored. Pelagic ecosystems above the summits and flanks of seamounts have been observed to show different biological or biogeochemical properties to off-seamount areas, such as enhanced chlorophyll concentrations, a phenomenon referred to as the "seamount effect". In addition, seamount biogeography has been hypothesised to be similar to islands where community structure differences in multiple organisms have been shown to change between seamounts and across frontal systems.