Unit pockmarks associated with Lophelia coral reefs off mid-Norway: more evidence of control by ‘fertilizing’ bottom currents

Abstract

High-resolution topographic mapping of Norwegian deep-water Lophelia coral reefs and their immediate surrounding seafloor has disclosed striking associations with small (<5 m diameter) ‘unit’ pockmarks. A total of four study areas with Lophelia reefs and unit pockmarks are here described and discussed. At the large Fauna reef, which spans 500 m in length and 100 m in width (25 m in height), there is a field of 184 unit pockmarks occurring on its suspected upstream side. Three other, intermediate-sized Morvin reefs are associated with small fields of unit pockmarks situated upstream of live Lophelia colonies. For two of the latter locations, published data exist for geochemical and microbial analyses of sediment and water samples. Results indicate that these unit pockmarks are sources of light dissolved hydrocarbons for the local water mass, together with nutrient-rich pore waters. It is suggested that the ‘fertilized’ seawater flows with the prevailing bottom current and feeds directly into the live portion of the Lophelia reefs. With an estimated growth rate of ~1 cm per year for the Morvin Lophelia corals, it would take between 1,000 and 2,000 years for the reefs to colonize the closest unit pockmarks, currently occurring 10–20 m from their leading (live) edges.