NEW ENGLAND SEAMOUNT CHAIN

The 'New England Seamount chain' is an underwater chain of seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean stretching over 1,000 kilometers from the edge of the Georges Bank off the coast of Massachusetts southeast to the Bermuda Rise. The chain consists of over twenty extinct volcanoes peaks, many rising over 4,000 meters from the seabed.^[1][2] It is the longest seamount chain in the North Atlantic and harbors a diverse range of deep sea fauna. Scientists have visited the chain on various occasions to survey the geologic makeup and biota of the region. The chain was formed by the movement of the North American Plate over the New England hotspot. The oldest chain of volcanoes that was formed by the same hotspot is the Monteregian mountain chain in southern Quebec, Canada.

Contents

Formation

Biota

References

External links

Formation

The Bear Seamount

The New England hotspot, also referred to as the Great Meteor hotspot, formed the White Mountains 124 to 100 million years ago when the North American continent was directly overhead. As the continent drifted to the west, the hotspot gradually moved offshore. On a southeasterly course, the hotspot formed Bear Seamount, the oldest in the chain, about 100 to 103 million years ago. Over the course of millions of years, it continued creating the rest of the seamounts, eventually culminating in the Nashville Seamount about 83 million years ago. As the Atlantic Ocean continued to spread, the hotspot eventually "traveled" further east, forming the Great Meteor Seamount south of the Azores, where it is found today.^[3] The New England Seamounts were once at or above sea level. As time passed, however, and the chain moved farther away from the hotspot, the crust cooled and contracted, sinking back down to the ocean. The peaks are now all a kilometer or more below the surface.^[4]

Some animals from the New England Seamounts including: gorgonian soft coral, a brisingid sea star, and sponges

Biota

The seamount chain provides a unique habitat for deep sea marine creatures. Coral formations grow on the rocky outcrops, resembling underwater forests that provide shelter for invertebrates and fish.^[5] Due to the expenses and difficulties of studying the deep ocean, little was known of the creatures that inhabited the New England Seamounts. In fact, before recent expeditions, there was only one known coral species in the entire chain. Marine biologists caught and classified over 203 species of fish and 214 species of invertebrates on the Bear Seamount in various exploratory studies since 2000. This range of diversity suggests that other seamounts may harbor more unknown macro-organisms. In fact, during one survey, a species of cutthroat eel believed to be found only near Australia was identified.^[6] Corals, echinoderms, and crustaceans make up a large portion of the creatures found on the seamount. These organisms act as indicator species, identifying potential problems in the ecosystem.

References

1. Yale Peabody Museum: Invertebrate Zoology: Deep Sea Fauna from New England Seamounts
2. The New England Seamounts Ivar Babb
3. Geological Origin of the New England Seamount Chain
4. New England Seamounts Once Near the Surface
5. Seamount Coral Communities Susan Mills
6.

External links

★ Overview of Studies for the International Seabed Authority