Publication Date
Summer 2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Advisor
Amanda Kahn; Maxine Grand; James Barry; Andrew DeVogelaere
Abstract
With increasing maritime activities, man-made structures like oil platforms, wind farms, and lost shipping containers are becoming ubiquitous in the oceans. These structures serve as substrate for organisms and there is evidence that unique communities develop on some structures; however, the effects of substrate type vary and are often confounded with geography and depth. Objects lost in shallow water are more likely to be retrieved than those in the deep sea, resulting in a long-term repository at depth. We studied benthic invertebrate communities on a lost shipping container (1.3 km) and deployed experimental structures (200 m) to assess whether colonization and succession differ between natural and artificial substrates in the deep sea. Observations of the container spanning 17 years indicated changes in the diversity and abundance of its biological assemblage over time, becoming more similar to the naturally occurring substrate in Monterey Submarine Canyon. Communities on the experimental artificial substrates were similar to those found on experimental natural substrates, with no significant difference (p>0.05) in community metrics based on substrate type. These metrics varied significantly across all experimental structures over time, indicating that assemblages on the substrates may have undergone successional changes at similar rates with a major shift after 5 years. In general, lost anthropogenic debris may serve as substrate for benthic invertebrate communities similar to those that form on naturally occurring hard substrates, making large anthropogenic pollutants a potential subject for future wildlife management and monitoring efforts.
Recommended Citation
McDermott, Sydney E., "Into the Deep: Effects of Natural and Artificial Substrates in the Deep Sea" (2024). Master's Theses. 5543.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.39kx-v5uh
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5543
