Primary Production and Nutritional Interaction in Vestimentiferan Aggregations on the Juan de Fuca Ridge

9633105 Fisher The overall goal of this study is to quantify the productivity and biomass of the tubeworms, associated free- living bacteria, and associated fauna, and to identify and quantify trophic pathways within and out of the tubeworm communities in a singel hydrothermal vent system. The experimental design will allow modeling of these parameters with temporal variability of venting, and the data will be suitable for inclusion in larger scale modeling efforts of vent field scale productivity. The study site is a portion of the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, where many other programs are underway and planned in conjunction with the seafloor observatory component of the US RIDGE program. Valuable input from other studies and the results from this project can be interpreted in the larger context of understanding the variability of the geochemistry, biology and geology of ridge systems. ***