Mapping of (fish) habitats at the Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano
In 1996, a Russian expedition of the RV "Professor Logachev" acomplished a firstdescription of habitats at the Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano (HMMV) using deep-towphotography and video imagery. Apart from Pogonophora and bacterial mats, Lycodes squamiventer constituted the most abundant fauna at HMMV. Here, we use advanced techniques of the Victor 6000 system to describe habitats along transects and estimate the abundance of demersal fish in different habitats. The aim of this study was to determine possible fish-habitat associations. Preliminary analyses indicated that fish densities are highest in a habitat characterized by mud and ripples. The highest Lycodes densities were recorded at the centre of the volcano and in an area south of the centre. Further conclusions can be drawn by overlaying fish abundance with environmental data (e.g. sedimentology, habitat, and micro-bathymetry).
Helmholtz Research Programs > MARCOPOLI (2004-2008) > POL7-From permafrost to deep sea in the Arctic