| > Oceanography > Issues > Archive > Volume 22, Number 1 |
2009, Oceanography 22(1):46–57, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2009.05
Europe's Grand Canyon: Nazaré Submarine Canyon
Authors | Abstract | Full Article | Citation
Authors
Paul Tyler | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Teresa Amaro | Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Raquel Arzola | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Marina R. Cunha | CESAM and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Henko de Stigter | Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands
Andrew Gooday | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Veerle Huvenne | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Jeroen Ingels | Department of Marine Biology, Universiteit Gent, Gent, Belgium
Kostas Kiriakoulakis | Department of Earth Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Galderic Lastras | GRC Geociències Marines, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Douglas Masson | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Anabela Oliveira | Instituto Hidrográfico, Lisboa, Portugal
Abigail Pattenden | National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Ann Vanreusel | Department of Marine Biology, Universiteit Gent, Gent, Belgium
Tjeerd Van Weering | Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands
Joao Vitorino | Instituto Hidrográfico, Lisboa, Portugal
Ursula Witte | Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
George Wolff | Department of Earth Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
Abstract
The Nazaré submarine canyon extends ~ 210 km westward from the coast of Portugal, down to a water depth of > 4300 m. The considerable habitat heterogeneity found throughout the canyon is affected by strong currents and high turbidity, especially in the upper parts of the canyon. The canyon morphology comprises steep slopes, scarps, terraces, and overhangs, and a deeply incised thalweg is found in the lower part of the canyon. The seabed within the canyon is composed of varying proportions of rock and sediments that range from sand to fine mud. This great variation in physical environment is reflected by the varied fauna inhabiting the canyon. Diversity tends to decrease with depth, but there is also continual replacement of species with increasing water depth. Certain groups, such as the gorgonians and sea lilies, tend to be found on rocky surfaces, while large protozoans dominate the sediments at 3400-m depth. In addition to describing the fauna of Nazaré Canyon, we discuss experiments undertaken as part of the HERMES project to elucidate the ecosystem function processes operating in the deeper parts of the canyon.
Full Article
Citation
Tyler, P., T. Amaro, R. Arzola, M.R. Cunha, H. de Stigter, A. Gooday, V. Huvenne, J. Ingels, K. Kiriakoulakis, G. Lastras, D. Masson, A. Oliveira, A. Pattenden, A. Vanreusel, T. Van Weering, J. Vitorino, U. Witte, and G. Wolff. 2009. Europe's grand canyon: Nazaré submarine canyon. Oceanography 22(1):46–57, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2009.05.