SALT: Seep Animal Larval Transport

An NSF-funded research project on the transport of larvae among deep-ocean methane seeps

SALT logo by Jessica Young. Copyright 2020

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

Researchers on the first SALT cruise (AT 42-24) in March 2020.

Unpacking equipment aboard RV Atlantis

AUV Alvin in bay on RV Atlantis

AUV Alvin on deck on RV Atlantis

NCSU undergrad Sarah Gahan doing science in a small space- in AUV Alvin

NCS grad student Tianning Wu in the cabin of AUV Alvin.

NCSU grad student Ian Grace in AUV Alvin

Dep sea fish and mussels as seen from AUV Alvin

Crabs and mussels seen from AUV Alvin

Checking collection tanks on AUV Alvin

A collected shrimp

A deep-sea worm larva captured with the AUV Sentry and taken through microscope aboard the RV Atlantis.

Research Activities

AUV Sentry with SyPRID collectors. Photo credit: Andy Billings, WHOI

Task 1: High-resolution sampling of larvae

Sampling over and near methane seeps.

Sampling devices on the sea floor

Sampling devices on the sea floor at the Baltimore Canyon Observatory, at 400 m deep

Task 2: Sampling mussel beds and benthic boundary layer

Sampling the interstices of mussel beds.

Shell microscopy

Task 3: Larval identification

Identification by morphological and molecular (DNA barcoding) techniques.

Mussels and crabs seen from AUV Alvin

Mussels and crabs seen from AUV Alvin

Task 4: Biological parameters for models

Understanding biological parameters for the larval transport model.

Dispersal plot

Task 5: Larval transport modeling

Based on the CNAPS ocean prediction system from NCSU.

Collected mussel shells

Collected mussel shells

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

RV Thompson. Photo by By University of Washington - https://www.dvidshub.net/image/4352847/r-v-thomas-g-thompson, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=93242359

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

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