Looking beyond the vent to the environmental seascapes shaping deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems

作者：Abbie S. A. Chapman, Joan M. Alfaro-Lucas, Stace E. Beaulieu, Ana Colaço, Andrey Gebruk, Ivan D. Haigh, Ana Hilário, John W. Jamieson, Terue C. Kihara, Jozée Sarrazin, Verena Tunnicliffe, Amanda E. Bates · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-026-44060-z · 研究领域：Marine Biology and Ecology Research、Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies、Marine and coastal plant biology

Abstract To manage and protect marine ecosystems, we first need a spatialised knowledge of the seascape-scale processes surrounding them. However, we lack spatially explicit understanding of how regional processes influence biological patterns in many marine systems. This is especially true of remote marine ecosystems, such as those in the deep sea. Here, we conceptualise potential seascape-scale environmental influences on deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, guided by experts and literature. We propose environmental characteristics that may shape local biodiversity patterns, such as community structure, habitat availability, and temporal stability. Next, we develop pipelines from data extraction to analysis to improve spatial data accessibility and investigate which variables can be used to draw similarities among vent fields. Finally, we group vents from different regions according to shared environmental characteristics. We show that vents that are spatially isolated and have different species pools can share similar environmental characteristics across ocean basins, including geological, oceanographic, and biological dynamics. We thus illustrate how large-scale environmental data can be used to compare seascape attributes across remote, island-like vent ecosystems. We suggest that looking beyond local scales to consider how seascapes both influence and distinguish different vent systems within a global setting is important for conservation and macroecological contexts.