Aegean Sea, Greece: Milos, Gulf of Naples, Italy: Grotta Azzurra cave

Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in sediment; Sediment grain size parameters; Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance; Zoobenthos taxonomy-related wet weight biomass per unit area of the bed; Concentration of proteins in sediment; Dissolved organic carbon concentrations in sediment pore waters

Sediment grabs; unconsolidated sediment corers

The benthic communities of shallow water hydrothermal vents at the south coast of Milos (Greece) and at the Grotta Azzurra cave, which is influenced by sulphur water springs, were studied in detail. Gradients of reducing diversity abundance and biomass were observed from areas away from the influence of hydrothermal activity towards areas within the hydrothermal influence at Milos sediments. On the other hand, no decreasing inward gradients in macrofauna abundance and diversity were observed along Grotta Azzurra cave, due to the food inputs by chemosynthetic bacteria in the inner part of the cave.

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography
46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Av. P.O.Box 712
Anavyssos

19013
Greece