Results of an ex-situ experiment testing the effects of mining-generated sediment plumes on the cold-water octocoral Dentomuricea aff. meteor in the Azores

We report the results of an aquaria-based experiment testing the effects of suspended particles generated during potential mining activities, on a common habitat-building coral species in the Azores, Dentomuricea aff. meteor. Corals were collected from the summit of Condor Seamount (Azores, NE Atlantic) at depths between 185-210 m in August 2014. Coral fragments were maintained in 10-L aquaria and exposed to three experimental treatments for a period of four weeks at the DeepSeaLab aquaria facilities (Okeanos-University of the Azores): (1) control conditions (no added sediments); (2) suspended polymetallic sulphide (PMS) particles; (3) suspended quartz particles. PMS particles were obtained by grinding PMS inactive chimney rocks collected at the hydrothermal vent field Lucky Strike. Both particle types were delivered at a concentration of 25 mg L-1. […]

本报告揭示了在亚速尔群岛（北大西洋东北部）康多尔海山山顶（深度介于185-210米之间）于2014年8月采集的常见栖息地构建珊瑚物种Dentomuricea aff. meteor，在潜在采矿活动期间产生的悬浮颗粒对其的影响实验结果。珊瑚样本在10升水族箱中保存，并在DeepSeaLab水族馆设施（亚速尔大学）进行了为期四周的三种实验处理：1）对照组（未添加沉积物）；2）悬浮的多金属硫化物（PMS）颗粒；3）悬浮的石英颗粒。PMS颗粒通过研磨在幸运打击热水喷口场收集的PMS非活性烟囱岩石获得。两种颗粒类型均以25 mg L-1的浓度提供。