Data collected by the R/V Gyre in the Gulf of Mexico to support the Stability and Change in the Gulf of Mexico Chemosynthetic Communities Program, 1996 - 2002 (NODC Accession 0000788)

A multidisciplinary team of marine scientists has completed a program entitled Stability and Change in Gulf of Mexico
Chemosynthetic Communities. The program was carried out
under contract with the Department of Interior, Minerals
Management Service (MMS), with technical supervision of the
Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Regional Office, New
Orleans, Louisiana. The fundamental concern of the program
was the effect that development of offshore energy reserves
might have upon dense assemblages of deep-sea organisms,
particularly chemosynthetic tubeworms, mussels, and clams,
as well as fish and crustaceans, that live in association
with them. Hydrocarbons from commercial oil and gas
reserves escape into the sea bottom at natural seeps found
commonly across the Gulf of Mexico's northern continental
slope. Chemosynthetic animals utilize chemical energy from
hydrocarbons to maintain colonies that have unusually high
biomass compared with the sea bottom elsewhere.
Chemosynthetic communities at hydrocarbon seeps were
discovered in 1984 and have been previously investigated in
studies funded by MMS. However, more knowledge was needed
about the life history and ecology of chemosynthetic
communities in the Gulf of Mexico. The program has produced
a substantial body of findings, which include numerous
peer-reviewed publications and student theses in addition
to the results detailed in the final report. Given the pace
of publication, it is likely that this productivity will
continue for some time to come.