We know that hydrothermal systems in the deep ocean produce large quantities of bacteria and archaea, etc, i.e. large amounts of organic matter. We also know that deep-water corals are filterfeeders and eat whatever drifts through the water. Could they be living near the Mid Atlantic Ridge because there is a lot of food there - or not?
I agree. Hydrothermal vents or cold seeps are spotted nutrient sources. Obviously, vast amount of bacteria is important. I would also like to speculate about the chemical environments favourable for the aragonite growth, i.e. coral skeleton.
Daer Martin,
please have a look here:
http://geoinfo.amu.edu.pl/wngig/IG/UAM_Paleontologia/Berkowski/papers2/appventcor2004.pdf
It is a Devonain vent system...with ostracods..
Cheers,
Stefan
There was a study by a team at the University of Bremen a few years ago that discussed a deep-water coral system with a hydrothermal water mass passing over the reef. It might be worth contacting them: http://archives.datapages.com/data/sepm_sp/SP56/Anatomy_of_a_Deep-Water_Coral_Reef.htm
Dear Martin,
I have not heard yet about extant corals near hydrothermal vents. Besides the publication mentioned by Stefan, there is another publication (available via RG) that mentions fossil corals. These are extinct rugosan corals.
BELKA, Z. & BERKOWSKI, B. 2005. Discovery of thermophilic corals in an ancient hydrothermal vent community, Devonian, Morocco. Acta Geologica Polonica 55: 1-7.
It is not entirely sure that corals are flterfeeders. Corals have stinging cells in their tentacles with which they can capture zooplankton. Corals with long thin branches like gorgonians can perhaps also act as filterfeeders. Scleractinian corals can move their tentacles and actively catch prey. It is possible that the chemical composition and temperature of seawater near the vents do not allow coral growth.
Thanks for interesting question! Despite it is almost immediately dissolved in sea water hydrothermal fluids are not the proper salt solution for corals, as they are extremely sensitive to the chemical environment, as I suppose. All animals, thriving within the black and white smokers zones, are possessing microbial symbionts, thus need to be close to hydrothermal fluid to let microorganisms chemosynthesize, otherwise they are feeding on the previous ones, thus they needed to be active predators or benthos consumers, both strategies went away corals, as I assume. Actually, I don`t no any pure filterfeeding organisms within black smokers zones, even Riftia has its own symbionts.
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