Biotic Setting | Benthic/Attached Biota |
Biotic Class | Faunal Bed |
Biotic Subclass | Attached Fauna |
Biotic Group | Vent/Seep Communities |
Biotic Community | Calyptogena Communities Riftia Communities |
Definition | Areas near deep-sea vents and seeps, often dominated by very large fauna (e.g., bivalves, pogonophorans) which derive nutrition from chemoautotrophic bacteria that can utilize the chemicals present in the vent or seep as an energy source. Many Vent/Seep Communities are spectacular ecosystems with very high biomass and a diversity of unusual fauna. These areas are often characterized by hard substrates due to the active geologic processes that create vents and seeps. |