SALT: Seep Animal Larval Transport
An NSF-funded research project on the transport of larvae among deep-ocean methane seeps
Full title
Dispersal Depth and the Transport of Deep-Sea Methane-Seep Larvae Around a Biogeographic Barrier
Project Aim
To explore how ontogenetic migration, larval retention, dispersal depth, and planktonic larval duration interact with water currents to influence known patterns of phylogeographic and biogeographic structure in methane seeps on two sides of one of the most extensively studied biogeographic barriers in the world, the Florida peninsula.
Sampling sites in the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlantic margin, with bathymetry shown.
Slide show of project activities
Research Activities
Task 1: High-resolution sampling of larvae
Sampling over and near methane seeps.
Task 2: Sampling mussel beds and benthic boundary layer
Sampling the interstices of mussel beds.
Task 3: Larval identification
Identification by morphological and molecular (DNA barcoding) techniques.
Task 4: Biological parameters for models
Understanding biological parameters for the larval transport model.
Task 5: Larval transport modeling
Based on the CNAPS ocean prediction system from NCSU.
Task 6: Inferences from shell microchemistry
To infer locations of source populations and dispersal history.
Research Cruises
Visit the Arellano Lab's SALT cruise blog.
See videos of the deep ocean taken during SALT crusies on the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology's Youtube channel.
Cruise AT 42-24
on the RV Atlantis, with AUV Sentry and HOV Alvin
Gulfport, MS to Morehead City, NC
24 February - 13 March 2020
Cruise EN658
on the RV Endeavor, with AUV Sentry
October 2020
track the ship in real time
follow cruise info at #SALTlarvae and @larvallab
Cruise TN-391
on the RV Thompson, using the ROV Jason and AUV Sentry with SyPRID
Woods Hole, MA to Gulfport, MS
25 May - 21 June 2021
read the Arellano lab's cruise blog
read an OOMG undergrad research assistant's cruise blog
Track the ship in real time
Cruise AT50-04
on the RV Atlantis, with HOV Alvin
Pensacola, FL to Charleston, SC
13 October - 2 November 2022