Abstract:
The Bay of Plenty region is a highly active geothermal area due to its location within the Taupo Volcanic Zone. This makes it an ideal location for hydrothermal venting. The shallow water hydrothermal vents of the Bay of Plenty have their own unique ecosystem. The depths of the vents in this study ranged from 168 m - 249 m. The communities surrounding these shallow water hydrothermal vents were predominantly based around burrowing organisms, which were one of the defining characteristics of 85% of the communities identified. From this study, 13 different community groups were identified by using the presence of species observed. A total of 799 images were analysed across six stations. A total of 21 different biological factors were observed, but only 12 had an effect of community composition. These were the three different burrowing traces identified (small burrows <25 mm, large burrows >25 mm, and burrows with a Semi-Circular Indent) as well as shrimps, anemones, and sponges. All other species observed did not have an affect the groups of communities identified. In conclusion the species that are the most influential in communities around the shallow water vents of the Bay of Plenty are burrowing organisms, although in close proximity to the actual vent the occurrence of burrowing species decreases and there is an increase in the presence of anemones and finger sponges.
