Patterns in Bathyal Demersal Biodiversity and Community Composition Around Archipelagos in the Tropical Eastern Pacific

Biodiversity and community composition of bathyal demersal fauna in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) vary significantly with location, influenced by environmental factors such as bathymetry and oxygen concentration. The study, which analyzed data from Clipperton, Galápagos, Revillagigedos, and Malpelo archipelagos using Deep-Ocean Dropcams, found higher biodiversity closer to the equator and continent, with notable differences in fish family richness and invertebrate order diversity among sites. While the Galápagos exhibited the highest fish family biodiversity, Clipperton showed significantly lower values. The Revillagigedos also displayed lower invertebrate biodiversity compared to other locations. Environmental factors like Bathymetric Position Index (BPI) and dissolved oxygen positively correlated with fish diversity metrics. These findings underscore the importance of these archipelagos as stepping-stones for species connectivity across the TEP and wider Pacific, highlighting their critical role in maintaining regional and global biodiversity.

Giddens, J., Goodell, W., Friedlander, A., Salinas-de-León, P., Shepard, C., Henning, B., Berkenpas, E., Sala, E., & Turchik, A. (2019). Patterns in Bathyal Demersal Biodiversity and Community Composition Around Archipelagos in the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00388