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<p>Seamounts are among the important sites for underwater mineral exploration, with many seamounts harbouring critical and rare earth minerals. Before exploiting these resources, we need to understand the biodiversity of these ecosystems, which will help us evaluate the potential impact of anthropogenic activities in the region. A first-of-its-kind quantitative study of the benthic meiofauna was conducted on a hydrothermally active seamount, Cratered Seamount (CSM) located in the southwestern Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean. Our results showed that the Crater located at the summit supported the highest number of meiofaunal groups and abundance. Nematodes, specifically <i>Microlaimus</i> sp. and Desmodorinae sp., were dominant within the meiofaunal communities and were primarily concentrated around the crater gas flare. In contrast, Desmoscolicidae showed dominance near the Flank 2 gas flare. Despite variations in depths at the Flank 1 and basin stations, a similar meiofaunal composition was observed at these non-gas flare locations. This is the first report of <i>Microlaimus</i> sp. being the dominant nematode at a hydrothermally active site. The meiofaunal abundance was directly proportional to the C/N ratio at the sites. Environmental factors such as C/N ratio, total protein and organic carbon content could explain most of the variation in meiofaunal abundance and nematode genus distribution across the study area. The local hydrodynamic forces could also play a vital role in the distribution of meiofauna on the seamount. These species may be adapted to the low pH conditions of the gas flare ecosystem. This study could be used as crucial baseline information in future anthropogenic activities for potential mineral resource exploration and exploitation.</p>

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Benthic meiofaunal community structure from a recently discovered hydrothermal field on a seamount, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月21日

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  • Gourav Kumar Mishra,
  • Sabyasachi Sautya,
  • Sriram Gullapalli,
  • Pawan Dewangan,
  • Umesh Pradhan,
  • Gunjan Sarkar,
  • Sanofar Khokar,
  • Amita Choudhury

摘要

Seamounts are among the important sites for underwater mineral exploration, with many seamounts harbouring critical and rare earth minerals. Before exploiting these resources, we need to understand the biodiversity of these ecosystems, which will help us evaluate the potential impact of anthropogenic activities in the region. A first-of-its-kind quantitative study of the benthic meiofauna was conducted on a hydrothermally active seamount, Cratered Seamount (CSM) located in the southwestern Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean. Our results showed that the Crater located at the summit supported the highest number of meiofaunal groups and abundance. Nematodes, specifically Microlaimus sp. and Desmodorinae sp., were dominant within the meiofaunal communities and were primarily concentrated around the crater gas flare. In contrast, Desmoscolicidae showed dominance near the Flank 2 gas flare. Despite variations in depths at the Flank 1 and basin stations, a similar meiofaunal composition was observed at these non-gas flare locations. This is the first report of Microlaimus sp. being the dominant nematode at a hydrothermally active site. The meiofaunal abundance was directly proportional to the C/N ratio at the sites. Environmental factors such as C/N ratio, total protein and organic carbon content could explain most of the variation in meiofaunal abundance and nematode genus distribution across the study area. The local hydrodynamic forces could also play a vital role in the distribution of meiofauna on the seamount. These species may be adapted to the low pH conditions of the gas flare ecosystem. This study could be used as crucial baseline information in future anthropogenic activities for potential mineral resource exploration and exploitation.