Chemosynthetic Ecosystems Study. Final Report. Volume 3. Appendices

摘要

Volume III presents ancillary materials from the findings of a three yearinvestigation of the geology, chemistry and biology of chemosynthetic ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. These dense assemblages of tube worms, mussels and/or clams are primarily dependent upon chemical conditions generated by natural oil and gas seeps. Hydrocarbon seeps produce a variety of distinctive geological features including carbonate rock, mud volcanoes and hydrate mounds, which tend to be localized to areas less than 1 km. The interaction of the sediment bacteria with the hydrocarbons in the seafloor yields a highly specialized chemical environment featuring high levels of hydrogen sulfide and degraded oils. The biological community is supported by chemoautotrophic bacteria that live symbiotically with tube worms, mussels and clams.