Quantifying sediment disturbance by bottom currents and its effect on benthic communities in a deep-sea western boundary zone

Abstract

Erosion, transport and redeposition of sediment by near-bottom currents are major sources of disturbance for soft-sediment habitats and associated benthic communities. This phenomenon takes place in western boundary slope regions of the deep sea such as the HEBBLE area on the Nova Scotian Rise, western North Atlantic. Bottom disturbance in this western boundary region can be characterized and quantified, first in terms of the driving force—the current and directly related bed shear stress; and second, by the expression of the current effect as observed in sedimentary fabric, %CaCO 3, and granulometry. These physical characteristics can be correlated with biologic features, including abundances and activities of sediment microorganisms, and apparently, in abundances and distributions of meio- and macrofauna. Currents measured at heights of 1–59 m above the seabed at the HEBBLE site (4815–4830 m) from February 1982 to 15 September 1986 show evidence of “benthic storms” with current speeds of 15–23 cm s −1 for ⩾2 days. These “storms” occur with a frequency of about 21 days and have mean durations of 7 ± 5.8 days. Storms with mean velocities over 23 cm s −1 occur every 10 months and last 12 ± 11 days. X-radiographs of vertical slabs of sediment taken from box cores at the HEBBLE site show stratification features related to current speeds and bed shear stress, immediately preceeding the time of core collection. These relationships are corroborated by radiochemical distributions of 234Th. Both erosional and depositional processes affect physical and chemical properties of the sediment and have positive and negative effects on the benthic community. Erosional periods result in sediment transport and sweeping of surficial organic matter, micro-organisms, larvae and juveniles from the area. During transitional periods of intermediate current velocities there is deposition of fresh organic matter, removal of metabolites, and mechanical stimulation of sediment micro-organisms. Periods of decelerating current speeds result in rapid deposition of several cm of sediment on to the seabed, burying organisms and filling-in burrows. Benthic macro- and meiofaunal abundances are maximum during these depositional periods. Periods of low current speed are not necessarily periods of low physical disturbance.