Benthic Biodiversity of the Indian Ocean

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Background

A huge variety of organisms thrive in the world oceans. The diversity and richness of organisms in any ocean depends on the range of ambient conditions and microhabitats. The Indian Ocean, comprising of 30% of the global oceanic area, has one of the world's largest oxygen-deficient zones. The perennial intermediate-depth oxygen-deficient zone, as well as the seasonal hypoxia on the western Indian continental shelf, strongly modulates the organisms living in these zones. Besides, the mid-oceanic ridges with active vents, regions with active methane seeps, as well as undersea volcanoes in the north-eastern Indian Ocean are expected to support very diverse organisms. A huge shallow-water benthic biodiversity is expected in several coral colonies on both the eastern and western margins of India, constituting 30% of the global coral reef area. A unique diversity is also expected in the polymetallic nodule field in the central Indian Ocean.

The influence of these different unique ecosystems on benthic diversity has not been studied in detail. The effect of low dissolved oxygen on benthic foraminifera has been documented only from a part of the north-eastern Arabian Sea. Similarly, the meio-benthic distribution and diversity has been documented only from a part of the western continental margin of India. Limited information is available on benthic megafaunal assemblages thriving on the mid-oceanic ridge system of the Carlsberg Ridge, Indian Ocean. A few attempts have also been made to understand the effect of marine organisms in elemental cycling. A majority of these studies are, however, from the shallow inner shelves. The effect of seasonal and perennial oxygen deficient zones, on benthic biodiversity and its role in element cycling has been rarely documented. The influence of active methane seeps, undersea volcanoes and the material emanating from the hydrothermal vents, on benthic biodiversity is yet to be explored.

We plan to bring together papers discussing the processes driving benthic biodiversity and distribution in the diverse ecosystems of the Indian Ocean in both space and time. The collection of papers will help to understand the role of benthic biodiversity in sustaining various biogeochemical processes. The information can also be used to identify biodiversity hotspots for preservation as marine protected areas.

We invite original research contributions as well as comprehensive reviews on all aspects of the benthic biodiversity of the Indian Ocean, including the following themes:
• Major drivers of the distribution and diversity of benthic macro-, meio- and microfauna from the shelf, slope and deeper regions of the Indian Ocean.
• Physico-chemical controls on the seagrass, seaweed diversity of the Indian Ocean.
• Factors modulating the fungal, bacterial and viral diversity and richness in the Indian Ocean sediments.
• The effect of mid-oceanic ridges and hydrothermal vent systems on the benthic biodiversity of the Indian Ocean.
• Coral diversity and associated benthic organisms.
• The unique diversity supported by the active methane seeps.
• Adaptations of benthic biota in the oxygen-deficient zones of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and their role in elemental cycling.
• The influence of huge riverine influx on benthic biodiversity of the marginal marine regions of the Indian Ocean.

Keywords: methane seeps, oxygen deficient zones, mid-oceanic ridges, poly-metallic nodule field, Benthic, Biodiversity, Indian Ocean

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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