Seafloor habitats across geological boundaries in Disko Bay, central West Greenland

In this paper we describe seafloor terrain of nearly the entire Disko Bay region and provide scientific baseline information about surface geology sedimentary environments that can support management plan in Greenland. Our study utilized multiple datasets multibeam bathymetry backscatter, seismic profiles ground-truthing consisting video footage from drop camera benthic sled, as well sediment samples grab corers. results revealed key geological units characterize scale geomorphic features, which turn affects distribution complexity habitat zones. The NE sub-region is underlain by Cretaceous sandstone characterized large-scale landforms, mainly vast flat areas draped glacial lineations, bedrock ridges pockmark fields. This setting promotes less topographically complex habitats, i.e. coarse plain, muddy/sandy plain with dropstones, muddy plain. SW Precambrian Gneiss Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks system small-scale such cross-cutting channels. habitats area, rocky bank, rugged terrain, slopes. Two distinctive areas, associated potential gas seeps, i) southern field ii) western zoanthid-sponge wall, were discovered at boundary separating two sub-regions. highlights importance mapping analyses providing fundamental geophysical knowledge necessary to comply long-term sustainable use marine resources • Nearly was mapped high-resolution Classified geo highlighted features types showed rugged-type flat-type Unique wall nearby seeps