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Introduction to the Biology of Hydrothermal Vents

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Hydrothermal Processes at Seafloor Spreading Centers

Part of the book series: NATO Conference Series ((MARS,volume 12))

Abstract

A search for hydrothermal vents forming metal deposits led to the unexpected discovery of dense beds of clams, mussels, and vestimentiferan worms on the Galapagos Rift in 1977. The clams were first seen in photographs taken by Deep Tow (Lonsdale, 1977) and the whole vent community was later observed from ALVIN (Corliss and Ballard, 1977; Corliss et al., 1979). Subsequent expeditions in 1979 to the Galapagos Rift and in 1982 to the Guaymas Basin, 11–13°N and 21°N on the East Pacific Rise included ecologists, microbiologists, systematists, physiologists, and biochemists.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA

    J. Frederick Grassle

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  1. J. Frederick Grassle
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, Florida, USA

    Peter A. Rona

  2. University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

    Kurt Boström

  3. National Center for Ocean Exploitation, Paris, France

    Lucien Laubier

  4. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA

    Kenneth L. Smith Jr.

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Grassle, J.F. (1983). Introduction to the Biology of Hydrothermal Vents. In: Rona, P.A., Boström, K., Laubier, L., Smith, K.L. (eds) Hydrothermal Processes at Seafloor Spreading Centers. NATO Conference Series, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0402-7_27

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