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On the Biology of Submarine Caves with Sulphur Springs: Appraisal of 13C/12C Ratios as a Guide to Trophic Relations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

A.J. Southward ,
M.C. Kennicutt ,
J. Herrera-Alcalà ,
M. Abbiati ,
L. Airoldi ,
F. Cinelli ,
C.N. Bianchi ,
C. Morri  and
E.C. Southward
A.J. Southward
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB.
M.C. Kennicutt
Affiliation:
Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University, 833 Graham Road, College Station, TX 77845, USA.
J. Herrera-Alcalà
Affiliation:
Geochemical and Environmental Research Group, Texas A&M University, 833 Graham Road, College Station, TX 77845, USA.
M. Abbiati
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental and Territorial Science, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 5, 1–56125 Pisa, Italy.
L. Airoldi
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental and Territorial Science, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 5, 1–56125 Pisa, Italy.
F. Cinelli
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental and Territorial Science, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 5, 1–56125 Pisa, Italy.
C.N. Bianchi
Affiliation:
Marine Environment Research Centre, ENEA S. Teresa, CP 316, 1–19100 La Spezia, Italy.
C. Morri
Affiliation:
Institute of Zoology, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 5, 1–16126, Genova, Italy
E.C. Southward
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB.
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Extract

Submarine caves with sulphurous springs at Cape Palinuro, Campania, Italy, have a richer fauna than expected from the known oligotrophic nature of the cave habitat. Warm water containing sulphide issues from springs and rises above the cooler ambient sea-water with a sharp thermocline/chemocline between. The warm water then escapes from the caves mixed with cooler sea-water, probably inducing an inflow of ambient sea-water. Bacterial mats, often dominated by large species of attached bacteria resembling Beggiatoa, line the upper parts of the inner caves and act as primary producers, fixing CO2 by means of the autotrophic enzyme ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase. Many of the animals in the innermost parts of the caves live close to the chemocline or just below, where they would experience fall-out of bacterial organic matter, and some carry filamentous bacteria on their tubes and hard parts. Dominant members of the community include sponges, cnidarians, and tubicolous polychaetes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 76 , Issue 2 , May 1996 , pp. 265 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1996

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