Deep-Sea Benefits

The purpose of the Deep-Sea Benefits MAM Activity is to quantify Marine Mammal (MM), Sea Turtle (ST), and Fish & Water Column Invertebrates (FWCI) distribution, abundance, habitat use, community composition, and/or trophic dynamics with respect to benthic-pelagic coupling, or vertical connectivity, to MDBC and water column habitats. Regions of interest include those impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and those that were not. Activity objectives include synthesis of existing information and collection of new data to characterize FWCI, ST, and MM interactions with MDBC habitats, assess MDBC reference conditions, and quantify ecosystem level benefits associated with MDBC restoration. Benefits will be assessed by measuring FWCI, ST, and MM association with MDBC habitats (e.g., identifying biological hotspots) and quantifying trophic connectivity (e.g., identifying prey fields and productivity pathways) among MM, ST, FWCI, and MDBC.