| Contributors | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Van Dover, Cindy | Duke University | Principal Investigator |
| Copley, Nancy | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO) | BCO-DMO Data Manager |
Related Dataset: AT29-04: Alvin dive event log: http://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/615127
Sampling was performed by HOV Alvin in the Western Atlantic Margin of the US (WAM)area using the following methods:
- Grab - using the claw of either port or starboard manipulator to pick up the sample
- Push core - used to collect sediment core samples, or invertebrates residing in the sediment
- Slurp - use of a vacuum system to collect sample from the seafloor or water column
BCO-DMO Processing:
- added conventional header with dataset name, PI name, version date, reference information
- renamed parameters to BCO-DMO standard
- replaced blank cells with nd or 0 (flags)
- replaced commas with : or ;
- replaced blanks with underscores; removed trailing blanks
- replaced '?' with 'maybe'
- replaced '<' with lt_; replaced '>' with 'gt_'
- sorted by taxon_1, taxon_2, species, dive_id, sample_id
| File |
|---|
AT2904_sample_log.csv (Comma Separated Values (.csv), 113.69 KB) MD5:ad6ce4f40ce7291509db293e251790c7 Primary data file for dataset ID 615510 |
| Parameter | Description | Units |
| taxon_1 | higher taxonomic group | unitless |
| taxon_2 | genus; or if unknown then the common name or closest taxonomic unit | unitless |
| species | species; or if unknown then morphotype ID/note | unitless |
| dive_id | unique ID for each HOV Jason dive | unitless |
| specimen | unique ID assigned to each specimen taken during the cruise (an individual or bulk/group) | unitless |
| container | unique ID assigned to each sample container; may contain an entire specimen or a subsample of a specimen | unitless |
| voucher_flag | x indicates that the container contains voucher material | unitless |
| tissue | indicates sources of specimen material/tissue placed in the container | unitless |
| fixative | material or method used to initially stabilize material in the container prior to ethanol preservation. The exception is frozen material which does not get transferred to ethanol | unitless |
| photo_flag | x indicates that a photo of the specimen was taken prior to fixation | unitless |
| comments | free text comments | unitless |
| Dataset-specific Instrument Name | |
| Generic Instrument Name | Alvin Slurp Sampler |
| Generic Instrument Description | Small and large capacity vacuum pump samplers. May have single or multiple chambers. See http://www.whoi.edu/main/alvin/subsystems/optional-scientific-samplers |
| Dataset-specific Instrument Name | |
| Generic Instrument Name | Alvin tube core |
| Generic Instrument Description | A plastic tube, about 40 cm (16 inches) long, is pushed into the sediment by Alvin's manipulator arm to collect a sediment core. |
| Website | |
| Platform | R/V Atlantis |
| Start Date | 2014-05-21 |
| End Date | 2014-06-14 |
| Description | Start: Depart Gulfport, MS 05/21/2014
End: Arrive St. Petersburg, FL 06/14/2014
The AT26-15 cruise was conducted as part of the project "Connectivity in western Atlantic seep populations: Oceanographic and life-history processes underlying genetic structure" (SeepC) funded by NSF OCE-1031050. The cruise included coordinated deployments of DSV Alvin and AUV Sentry.
Science objectives (from the WHOI Cruise Planning Synopsis):
The primary objective of the SeepC Project is to advance our general knowledge of connectivity in the deep sea using taxa found at seeps as model systems. The focus is on species and processes occurring in the Intra-American Sea (including the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and eastern seaboard of the US), with attention to oceanographic circulation, life histories, and genetics.
Our efforts include improving the oceanographic model for the IAS near the seabed using current data from moorings at several depths and locations and coupling this model to a Lagrangian larval transport model. We stress the importance of iterative interactions among the science teams to advance our understanding of connectivity in the deep sea through descriptive and hypothesis-driven research. We will develop effective and best methods for hypothesis testing under the constraints of working in a relatively inaccessible environment and will build capacity in understanding connectivity in deep-sea systems. |
| Website | |
| Platform | Alvin |
| Start Date | 2014-05-22 |
| End Date | 2014-06-14 |
| Description | Listing of Alvin dives on AT26-15 (pdf) for SEEPC project - with links to further metadata. |
This project will evaluate connectivity on spatial scales that match those at which vent systems are being studied (3500 km), with a set of nested seeps (within the Barbados system) within which connectivity can be explored at more local spatial scales (30 to 130 km), and with species that span depth (600 m to 3600 m) and geographic ranges (30 km to 3500 km) and that have diverse life-history characteristics. Five deep-sea seep systems in the Intra- American Sea (IAS) are targeted: Blake Ridge, Florida Escarpment, Alaminos Canyon, Brine Pool, Barbados (El Pilar, Orenoque A, Orenoque B). The primary objective is to advance our general knowledge of connectivity in the deep sea. The focus is on species and processes occurring in the IAS, with attention to oceanographic circulation, life histories, and genetics. Questions that apply in shallow-water systems motivate this study:
1. What phylogeographic breaks occur in the system? It is important to distinguish between phylogeographic history and connectivity. A phylogeographic break with no shared alleles between populations implies a long history of isolation or possibly cryptic speciation.
2. Are populations connected by ongoing migration? This is the fundamental question about connectivity and the scale of genetic variation in marine species with planktonic larvae.
3. What biophysical processes underlie observed connectivities? Biological processes (e.g., larval distributions in the water column, timing of reproduction, and planktonic larval duration) and physical processes of transport and dispersion interact to determine connectivity.
The oceanographic model for the IAS will be improved and coupled to a Lagrangian larval transport model. The field program includes time-series sampling of larvae at seeps with records of current velocities, water column sampling to determine larval distribution potential, shipboard studies of larval biology and behavior, and sampling of benthic target species. Phylogenetic and population genetic tools will be used to explore historical and contemporary gene flow. Iterative interactions among the science teams will advance our understanding of connectivity in the deep sea and to develop effective and best methods for hypothesis testing under the constraints of working in a relatively inaccessible environment. Since their discovery, deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems have been novel systems within which to test the generality of paradigms developed for shallow-water species. This study will explore scale-dependent biodiversity and recruitment dynamics in deep-sea seep communities, and will identify key factors underlying population persistence and maintenance of biodiversity in these patchy systems.
Google Earth map showing positions of stations, CTD, XBT, multibeam locations (KMZ file dlownload)
| Funding Source | Award |
|---|---|
| NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) |