Community structure and temperature dynamics within a mussel assemblage on the Southern East Pacific Rise

The composition, biomass and diversity of the fauna in a Bathymodiolus thermophilus mussel assemblage colonizing diffuse flow areas on the SEPR is described and compared with biological characteristics of other hydrothermal assemblages. The spatio-temporal dynamics of temperatures over fine scales within the mussel habitat are characterized using newly-developed statistical approaches. Temperature data obtained from two adjacent habitats (a cirriped assemblage and a bare substratum) are compared. The results of the temperature data show that the mean temperature and the temperature variations were significantly higher in the mussel assemblage (mean temperature: 4.12 +/- 1.85 degrees C) in comparison with 2.40 +/- 0.14 degrees C in the cirriped assemblage and 2.20 +/- 0.23 degrees C on the bare substratum. Discrete temperature measurements showed that temperature data varied both at a broad and fine scales in the mussel assemblage. Finally, analysis of the temperature periodic variability in the mussel assemblage during a 4-day period showed significant periodic modulations near T = 24h. Although not significant, a second trend is also observed around T = 12h. This work represents a step forward to the understanding of species distribution patterns at vents.