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Larval dispersal potential of the tubeworm Riftia pachyptila at deep-sea hydrothermal vents

Abstract

Hydrothermal vents are ephemeral because of frequent volcanic and tectonic activities associated with crust formation1,2,3. Although the larvae of hydrothermal vent fauna can rapidly colonize new vent sites separated by tens to hundreds of kilometres4,5, the mechanisms by which these larvae disperse and recruit are not understood. Here we integrate physiological, developmental and hydrodynamic data to estimate the dispersal potential of larvae of the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila. At in situ temperatures and pressures (2 °C and 250 atm), we estimate that the metabolic lifespan for a larva of R. pachyptila averages 38 days. In the measured flow regime at a fast-spreading ridge axis (9° 50′ N; East Pacific Rise), this lifespan results in potential along-ridge dispersal distances that rarely exceed 100 km. This limited dispersal results not from the physiological performance of the embryos and larvae, but instead from transport limitations imposed by periodic reversals in along-ridge flows and sustained episodes of across-ridge flow. The lifespan presented for these larvae can now be used to predict dispersal under current regimes at other hydrothermal vent sites.

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Figure 1: Early development to a larval stage in Riftia pachyptila cultured in pressure vessels at 2 °C and 250 atm.
Figure 2: The developmental and respiration rates of Riftia pachyptila embryos.
Figure 3: Biochemical composition and buoyancy of the eggs of Riftia pachyptila.
Figure 4: Dispersal potential of larvae of Riftia pachyptila modelled from current regimes at 9° N East Pacific Rise.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the captain and crew of the RV Atlantis II, and the support crew of the DSV Alvin. We acknowledge the data collection and assistance of S. Brooke, A. Green, S. Mills, M. Moore and D. Pace. C. Allen, S. Beaulieu, T. Griffin, H. Hunt, A. Metaxas, P. Tyler and J. Welch provided assistance at sea; M. Grosenbaugh provided programming and conceptual assistance with the dispersal model. This work was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation.

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Correspondence to Donal T. Manahan.

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Marsh, A., Mullineaux, L., Young, C. et al. Larval dispersal potential of the tubeworm Riftia pachyptila at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Nature 411, 77–80 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35075063

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