Methane seep hard substrate species collected on RV/Atlantis AT15-44, AT15-59, AT15-68, AT18-10 in the Pacific, off Costa Rica and USA from 2009-2011 (Seep Carbonate Ecology CROCKS II project)

<p>Methane seep hard substrate species collected on 4 RV/Atlantis cruises and lodged at the SIO Benthic Invertebrate Collection.</p>

<p>Samples were taken at methane seeps on the Costa Rica Margin (8o 55.8 N 84o 18.7 W) and at Hydrate Ridge, Oregon Margin (44o 34'N, 125o 9 W).</p>

<p>Field investigations (collections and experiments) were made using the submersible ALVIN on the RV Atlantis at methane seeps on the Costa Rica margin during 2009 (AT 15-44) and 2010 (AT 15-59 funded by OCE 0939557). To compliment the studies of carbonate ecosystems off Costa Rica, but in a lower-oxygen realm, we examined parallel ecosystems and conducted parallel colonization experiments at Hydrate Ridge methane seeps. AT 15-68 was conducted with ALVIN at the northern, southern and southeast summits of Hydrate Ridge from July 30-Aug. 9, 2010, and AT 18-10 was conducted with ROV Jason, to recover experiments placed at Hydrate Ridge in 2010.</p>

<p>Collections from the two Costa Rica cruises yielded 909 lots cataloged into the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Benthic Invertebrate Collection (SIO-BIC), with 1874 whole specimens and 342 tissue samples. DNA has been extracted from 294 specimens and minimally sequenced for Cytochrome oxidase I (some for 16S and 18S as well). Collections from the Oregon Hydrate Ridge cruises in 2010 and 2011 resulted in 488 lots cataloged into SIO-BIC with 682 specimens and 295 tissue samples. DNA has been extracted from about 200 specimens and some sequenced (mainly CO1, but some for 16S and 1S).</p>

<p>The Costa Rica methane seeps hosted about 25 species of gastropods that are likely to be endemic to seeps, this is exceptionally high diversity, twice the normal 8-12 species found at seeps. Among them was the first species of Neomphalidae from a seep, this group was previously known from vents only, and two species of Lepetodrilidae, almost only known from vents.</p>

<p>The diversity of carbonate macrofauna is higher at Costa Rica seeps than at Hydrate Ridge seeps, in both active and inactive settings. Faunal diversity is higher on active carbonates at Costa Rica and Hydrate Ridge than on inactive carbonates or within active seep (microbial mat-covered) sediments.</p>

本数据集收录了4次亚特兰蒂斯号科考船（RV/Atlantis）航次采集的甲烷渗漏硬质底栖物种，标本馆藏于斯克里普斯海洋研究所（Scripps Institution of Oceanography, SIO）底栖无脊椎动物标本馆（SIO Benthic Invertebrate Collection）。

采样点位覆盖哥斯达黎加陆缘的甲烷渗漏区（8°55.8′N，84°18.7′W），以及俄勒冈陆缘的水合物脊（Hydrate Ridge）区域（44°34′N，125°9′W）。

2009年（航次编号AT 15-44）与2010年（航次编号AT 15-59，由OCE 0939557项目资助），团队依托亚特兰蒂斯号科考船搭载的阿尔文号（ALVIN）载人潜水器，在哥斯达黎加陆缘甲烷渗漏区开展了野外调查工作（含标本采集与实验部署）。为补充哥斯达黎加近海碳酸盐生态系统的研究，并在低氧生境中开展平行对照研究，团队同时在水合物脊甲烷渗漏区开展了同类生态系统调查与定植实验。2010年7月30日至8月9日，团队使用阿尔文号潜水器在水合物脊的北、南及东南峰顶执行了航次AT 15-68；航次AT 18-10则通过遥控水下机器人杰森号（ROV Jason）回收了2010年在水合物脊部署的实验装置。

两次哥斯达黎加科考航次共采集到909个标本批次，均已在SIO底栖无脊椎动物标本馆（SIO-BIC）完成编目，总计包含1874件完整标本与342份组织样本。研究人员已从294份标本中提取DNA，并对细胞色素氧化酶I（Cytochrome oxidase I, COI）基因进行了初步测序，部分标本同时扩增了16S及18S核糖体RNA基因。2010年与2011年的俄勒冈水合物脊科考航次共采集到488个标本批次，同样在SIO-BIC完成编目，包含682件标本与295份组织样本；研究人员已从约200份标本中提取DNA，并对部分样本进行了测序（主要为COI基因，少数样本扩增了16S及1S基因）。

哥斯达黎加甲烷渗漏区共栖息有约25种大概率为渗漏区特有的腹足类物种，其物种多样性极高，为常规渗漏区8-12种的两倍。其中包括首个在渗漏区发现的新螺科（Neomphalidae）物种——该类群此前仅见于热液喷口（hydrothermal vents）环境，以及两种几乎仅在热液喷口被记录的鳞腹螺科（Lepetodrilidae）物种。

无论在活跃还是非活跃生境中，哥斯达黎加渗漏区的碳酸盐岩大型底栖动物多样性均高于水合物脊渗漏区。同时，哥斯达黎加与水合物脊的活跃碳酸盐岩生境中的动物多样性，均高于非活跃碳酸盐岩生境或活跃渗漏区（覆盖微生物垫的）沉积物生境。