Impact of local iron enrichment on the small benthic biota in the deep Arctic Ocean

This study assesses the impact of local iron enrichment on small benthic biota (bacteria, meiofauna) at deep seafloor. To evaluate hypothesis that abundance, distribution, and diversity varies in relation to a input structural steel seabed, we analyzed sediment samples associated infauna along short transect (~1.5 m length) with increasing distance an source, i.e., corroding weights (30 cm length width, 6 height) free-falling observational platform (bottom-lander), lying seafloor for approximately seven years. Bacterial meiofaunal densities biomasses iron-enriched sediments were significantly lower than those unaffected sediments. Moreover, bacterial nematode community structure between differed strongly; taxonomic richness as well was lowest closest source. The presence fostered establishment specialized oxidizers other chemolithoautotrophic members, which rare or absent sediments, within opportunistic heterotrophs predominated. Nematodes comprised >90% total metazoan meiofauna therefore studied more detail. A 26 genera from 16 families occurred (three found exclusively these sediments), while 65 27 (39 12 sediments). Nematode number (S), estimated (EG (51) ) heterogeneity (H’ (log2) Our results confirm deep-sea by metallic structures (e.g., ship hulls, containers, scientific equipment) strongly affects distances sources.