Assessment of biodiversity using DNA barcoding along deep sea margins off Southern California

NA-20: In this interdisciplinary expedition on the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, we intend to study the Southern California Borderland benthic communities to better grasp the biotic diversity, biopharmaceutical potential, and the substrate mineral composition of the ecosystems. The residents of the deep sea, and the minerals that compose its floor, are of growing importance to modern society for two reasons: microorganisms offer significant biopharmaceutical and industrial promises and some of the minerals, such as those in phosphorite and iron-manganese (Fe-Mn) crusts, are increasingly rare and in demand. Plus, the opportunity to explore the mysteries of the deep sea and better understand its inhabitants has grown with advances in the use of remotely operating vehicles (ROVs). Unusual properties of deep-sea organisms may turn out to be important in ways we never expected. For these reasons, during the Mineral-Rich Marine Biomes expedition we are exploring nine sites along the Southern California Borderland (SCB), a geological region categorized by fault lines and tectonic plates. Here, invertebrates, microbes, and the substrates on which they grow are all of economic and ecological interest. The crucial questions, if we ever plan to use these resources wisely for economic gain, are what lives there and what ecosystems services do they provide? Should any of these services be protected? Can resources be exploited without harming these ecosystems? FK-21: To investigate several sites where marine minerals are known or expected to occur and assess the biological communities living amongst the mineral substrates. The goal is to establish mineral and biological baselines, examine conditions that may influence biodiversity and inspect the therapeutic potential of deep-sea microbes affiliated with mineral-rich areas. The knowledge gained from this expedition will inform policy, management, and stewardship of the deep sea off southern California. ROV SuBastian collected targeted samples of rocks, invertebrates, and microbes to characterize biodiversity. Animals and microbes will also be preserved for DNA analysis to aid identification. The team will also collect a series of colonization experiments deployed in 2020 at two depths with different oxygen concentrations of 700 and 1,100 meters. Invertebrate colonization of the rocks, wood, and bone will help expand understanding of animal affinities for different substrates in the deep sea and whether specific minerals are critical to any specific species. Through this array of methods and analyses across different environments, Levin and her team will create a holistic picture of communities living amongst mineral-rich zones. They will address biodiversity as an ecosystem service, conservation imperatives, and examine if there are alternative values in areas associated with fish and future medicines.