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Abstract: Density, taxonomic composition at higher taxon level and vertical distribution of benthic macrofaunal communities and sediment characteristics (pore water, nitrogen, organic carbon, sulfur, C/N ratio, n-alcohol biomarkers) were examined at three deep sites on the Congo–Gabon continental margin. This study was part of the multidisciplinary BIOZAIRE project that aimed at studying the deep benthic ecosystems in the Gulf of Guinea. Sampling of macrofaunal communities and of sediment was conducted during three cruises (January 2001, December 2001 and December 2003) at two downslope sites (4000m depth), one located near the Congo submarine channel (15km in the south) and the other one far from the channel (150km in the South). The third area located 8km north of the Congo channel in the surroundings of a giant pockmark at 3160m depth was sampled during one cruise in December 2003. At these three locations the macrofaunal communities presented relatively high densities (327–987ind. 0.25m−2) compared with macrofaunal communities at similar depths; that is due to high levels of food input related to the Congo river and submarine system activities that affect the whole study area. The communities were different from each other in terms of taxonomic composition at higher taxon level (phylum, class, order for all the groups except for the polychaetes classified into families). The polychaetes dominated the communities and were responsible for the increase in densities observed at both deep sites (4000m) between January 2001 and December 2003 whereas the tanaidaceans, the isopods and the bivalves were the other most abundant taxa responsible for the spatial differences between these sites. The community at 3150m differed from the two deep communities by higher abundances in bivalves, nemerteans and holothuroids. The composition of the polychaete community also differed among sites. In the vicinity of the Congo channel, the expected positive effect of the additional organic matter transported through the turbiditic currents on to the surrounding benthic communities was not observed, as the increase in densities during the study period was higher at the site located away from the Congo channel than near the channel (80% vs 30%). That may be due to the low food value of the organic matter of terrestrial origin carried through the turbidites, and/or to the disturbance caused by these turbidites. Conversely, far from the channel the macrofaunal communities benefit from organic matter of higher energetic value originating mainly from marine sources, but also from continental sources, carried by the Congo plume or by near-bed currents across or along the continental slope. Spatial and temporal variability in trophic and physical characteristics of the sediment habitat at both deep sites also affected the vertical distribution of the macrofaunal communities. The activities of the very active Congo system structure the deep macrofaunal communities on a large area in terms of densities, composition and vertical distribution. The food input is enhanced at regional scale as well as the heterogeneity of the sediment characteristics, mainly in terms of organic matter quality (marine vs terrigenous). In turn, the densities are enhanced as well as the regional diversity of the macrofaunal communities in terms of taxonomic composition and distribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Detailed surveying with an ROV found that a dense and diverse cold-seep community colonises a giant pockmark located at 3200m depth, 8km north from the deep Congo channel. Several types of assemblages, either dominated by Mytilidae and Vesicomyidae bivalves or Siboglinidae polychaetes, are distributed on the 800-m diameter active area. The site is characterised by a most active central zone in a depression with abundant carbonate concretions and high methane fluxes where high-density clusters of mussels and siboglinids dominate. In contrast, the peripheral zones display large fields of dead and live vesicomyids on soft sediment, with a lower mean density and lower methane concentration in seawater. The associated megafauna includes Alvinocarididae shrimps, echinoids, holothurians of the family Synaptidae, several species of gastropods, two species of galatheids, and Zoarcidae and Ophidiidae fishes. Multivariate analyses of video transect data show that the distribution of these major megafauna species at the pockmark scale is influenced by the habitat heterogeneity due to fluid or gas emission, occurrence of hydrates, substratum variability and by the presence of large symbiont-bearing species. Several assemblages dominated either by mytilids, vesicomyids, or siboglinids have been sampled for megafauna densities and biomass estimations and stable isotope measurements (δ 13C and δ 15N) of dominant species and food sources. The highest estimates of megafauna densities have been obtained in mytilid beds. According to their stable isotopes values, non-symbiont-bearing species mainly rely on chemosynthesis-originated carbon, either as primary consumers of chemoautotrophic microorganisms, or at higher trophic level recycling organic matter, or relying on bivalve and tubeworm production. Most of them likely feed on different sources like shrimps, but differences according to habitat have been evidenced. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of galatheids and benthic or benthopelagic fishes captured by trawls at increasing distances from the pockmark provide evidence of the high variability in the proportion of chemosynthesis-originated carbon in their diet, from 15% to 38%, according to the species captured as far as 4km to the site. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the framework of the deep-sea environmental programme BIOZAIRE (Ifremer-Total), colonization trays were deployed for 283–433 days at three sites along the equatorial West African margin: ZA at 1300-m depth, ZC at 4000-m depth far from the Congo canyon and ZD at 4000-m depth close to the Congo canyon. The experiments aimed at determining the influence of depth and local environmental settings on macrofaunal colonization patterns and organic carbon degradation rates. The trays were filled with glass beads and this artificial substrate was enriched with ground particulate organic matter in a gradient of 0%, 0.34%, 1.02% and 3.43% organic carbon. The highest rates of organic carbon degradation ranged, according to the duration of the experiments, from 1.59 to 2.36gCm−2 day−1 but were independent of depth or location. Colonization rates, conversely, varied by one order of magnitude between bathyal and abyssal experiments. The influence of experimental treatments on the structure of the colonizing macrofauna also varied according to location and depth. At ZA, colonization patterns were highly predictable and driven by a shift in dominance of opportunistic taxa along the enrichment gradient. To a lesser extent, this was also true at ZD, near the Congo canyon, while at ZC the treatments had no significant effect on the composition of the colonizing fauna. At abyssal depth, high rates of organic matter degradation associated with low rates of colonization suggested that pulse of organic matter would mainly benefit the resident community. At bathyal depth, high colonization rates of a specialized fauna might conversely play an important role in the functioning of the ecosystem. The regional and local coexistence of an opportunistic fauna via a spatial storage effect associated with dispersal might significantly contribute to the maintenance of high diversity on continental margins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]