Maintenance of abyssal benthic foraminifera under high pressure and low temperature: some preliminary results

Turley, CM, Gooday, AJ and Green, JC 1993 Maintenance of abyssal benthic foraminifera under high pressure and low temperature: some preliminary results. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 40 (4). 643-652. https://doi.org/10.1016/0967-0637(93)90063-9

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Abstract/Summary

Abyssal benthic foraminifera have been maintained alive for periods of several weeks under laboratory simulated deep-sea conditions of high pressure and low temperature. In separate experiments, bacterial-sized fluorescent microspheres and three species of microalgae were supplied as food particles. Subsequent light and electron microscopy showed that the algae had been ingested by several foraminiferal species. Furthermore, the fine structure of the foraminiferal cytoplasm was well-preserved which indicates, along with the ingestion of algal food, that they had remained in a viable condition during the incubation. Other observations indicate that abyssal benthic foraminifera ingest naturally occurring photosynthetic cells carried to the deep-sea bed by rapidly sedimenting aggregates. The ability to keep foraminifera originating from depths exceeding 4000 m alive in the laboratory paves the way for the experimental investigation of some important issues in deep-sea biology and palaeoceanography.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Additional Keywords:	DEEP-SEA FLOOR; SEASONAL DEPOSITION; PHYTODETRITUS; CYANOBACTERIA; ATLANTIC; BATHYAL; RATES
Subjects:	Ecology and Environment Marine Sciences Oceanography
Divisions:	Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Other (PML)
Depositing User:	Mrs Julia Crocker
Date made live:	01 Sep 2014 11:34
Last Modified:	06 Jun 2017 16:12
URI:	https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/6181

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