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Un ecosistema alojado en la serpentinita: el campo hidrotermal de la Ciudad Perdida
Deborah S Kelley1, Jeffrey A Karson, Gretchen L Früh-Green
1School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. kelley@ocean.washington.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 5, 2005
Resumen
El campo hidrotermal de la Ciudad Perdida alberga un ecosistema único alimentado por las reacciones serpentinita-peridotita, que apoya a las arqueas ciclistas de metano y a la diversa macrofauna. Este entorno geológico difiere de los sistemas impulsados por la actividad volcánica, que presentan una menor biomasa pero una diversidad de especies comparable.
Área de la Ciencia:
- * Geología y geoquímica marina.
- * Ecología Microbiana.
- * Sistemas de ventilación hidrotermales
Sus antecedentes:
- * El campo hidrotermal de la Ciudad Perdida es un ecosistema alojado en la serpentinita en el Océano Atlántico.
- * Los procesos geológicos y químicos están vinculados a la actividad biológica.
- * Los fluidos son ricos en metano e hidrógeno, con pH alcalino (9-11) y temperaturas (40-90°C).
Objetivo del estudio:
- * Para describir las características geológicas, químicas y biológicas únicas del campo hidrotermal de la Ciudad Perdida.
- * Investigar las comunidades microbianas y macrofaunales y su relación con el medio ambiente.
- * Para comparar este sistema con otros sitios de ventilación hidrotermal.
Principales métodos:
- * Análisis de la química y la temperatura de los fluidos.
- * Estudios geológicos de estructuras de chimenea de carbonato.
- * Evaluaciones de las comunidades microbiana y macrofaunal.
Principales resultados:
- * Formación de altas chimeneas de carbonato (30-60m) a partir de reacciones alojadas en la serpentinita.
- * Abundancia de arqueas que circulan el metano en los porosos interiores de las chimeneas.
- * Las comunidades macrofaunales exhiben una notable diversidad de especies, comparable a los sitios de la Cordillera del Atlántico Medio.
- * Más baja biomasa general en comparación con los sistemas hidrotermales impulsados por volcanes.
Conclusiones:
- * El campo hidrotermal de la Ciudad Perdida representa un tipo distinto de ecosistema de aguas profundas impulsado por la serpentinización.
- * La vida microbiana está adaptada a las condiciones alcalinas ricas en metano.
- * La estructura y la diversidad del ecosistema están influenciadas por factores geológicos y químicos más que por el calor volcánico.
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