Abstract
The serpentinite-hosted Lost City hydrothermal field is a remarkable submarine ecosystem in which geological, chemical, and biological processes are intimately interlinked. Reactions between seawater and upper mantle peridotite produce methane- and hydrogen-rich fluids, with temperatures ranging from <40° to 90°C at pH 9 to 11, and carbonate chimneys 30 to 60 meters tall. A low diversity of microorganisms related to methane-cycling Archaea thrive in the warm porous interiors of the edifices. Macrofaunal communities show a degree of species diversity at least as high as that of black smoker vent sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, but they lack the high biomasses of chemosynthetic organisms that are typical of volcanically driven systems.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1428-1434 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Science |
Volume | 307 |
Issue number | 5714 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 4 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General