Deepwater Reconnaissance of Potentially Sensitive Biological Features Surrounding Shelf-Edge Topographic Banks in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Publication Title: Deepwater Reconnaissance of Potentially Sensitive Biological Features Surrounding Shelf-Edge Topographic Banks in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Subject: Marine Biodiversity; Physical Oceanography
Marine Benthic Communities
Gulf of Mexico; shelf-edge topographic banks

CSE Reference: Sammarco P (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Baton Rouge, LA). 2017. Deepwater reconnaissance of potentially sensitive biological features surrounding shelf-edge topographic banks in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans (LA): US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 3 p. Obligation No.: M11AC00005. Report No.: OCS Study BOEM 2017-024. URL: https://espis.boem.gov/Technical%20Summaries/5598.pdf

Abstract: The objectives of this study were to document the physical character of shelf-edge potentially sensitive biological features, characterize the associated sessile benthic communities, and analyze the relationship between physical and biological factors. The report presents the findings and discusses how habitat complexity is correlated with diversity in mesophotic sessile benthic communities inhabiting the moderate relief features surrounding shelf-edge topographic banks in the northern Gulf of Mexico.