文档介绍：TREE-962; No of Pages 11
Review
Abyssal food limitation, ecosystem
structure and climate change
Craig R. Smith1, Fabio C. De Leo1, Angelo F. Bernardino1,2, Andrew K. Sweetman1,3
and Pedro Martinez Arbizu4
1 Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
2 Instituto Oceanogra´ fico, Universidade de Sa˜ o Paulo, Prac¸a do Oceanogra´ fico, 191 CEP 05508-120, Sa˜ o Paulo, SP, Brazil
3 Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalle´ en 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway
4 DZMB-Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Suedstrand 44, D-26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
The abyssal seafloor covers more than 50% of the Earth meters above [4]. Most of anic flux arrives as an
and is postulated to be both a reservoir of biodiversity attenuated rain of small particles (typically, only –2% of
and a source of important ecosystem services. We primary production in the euphotic zone), which
that ecosystem structure and function in the abyss are decreases inversely with water depth [8] and varies region-
strongly modulated by the quantity and quality of detri- ally with levels of primary production in the upper ocean
tal food material sinking from the surface ocean. Climate [9]. The small particle flux can be augmented by the fall of
change and human activities (. essful ocean fer- larger carcasses and downslope transport anic
tilization) will alter patterns of sinking food flux to the material near continental margins [4,10].
deep ocean, substantially impacting the structure, func- Because of the size and remoteness of the abyss, eco-
tion and biodiversity of abyssal ecosystems. Abyssal system structure and function at the seafloor have histori-
ecosystem response thus must be considered in assess- cally been very poorly studied. For example, more than
ments of the environmental impacts of global warming 80% of the hundreds of species of seafloor invertebrates
and ocean fertilization. collected at any abyssal station are new to science [