1. Dorvilleid from Eel R.
methane seep (525 m)

2. How many dorvilleid species are present?
Research Questions:
How many dorvilleid species are present?
How can they tolerate such toxic conditions?
Do the species partition their habitat ?
(by food? sulfide tolerance? settlement cues?)
Does sulfide drive their evolution?

3. Studying sulfide effects with experiments
Colonization tray
Gear Elevator

4. Do dorvilleids respond to sulfide
as a settlement cue?
Eel R. Seeps (N. CA)
500 m
with or without sulfide
Tray Treatments (6 reps each):
1. Agar without sulfide (outside seeps)
2. Agar with sulfide, 8- 9mM (outside seeps)
3. Agar with sulfide, 8- 9 mM (inside seeps)

5. Do dorvilleids partition the system by diet?
Pseudophryotrocha
cf. serrata
bacteria
d13C = -36.9
sediment
Ophryotrocha platykephale
d13C = -22.7
Stable isotope signatures indicate diet (you are what you eat)

6. Isotopes reveal habitat partitioning - Dorvilleidae
Eel R. Margin, Bacterial mat, 500 m
H2S: 2-10mM ?
H2S:
2mM
phytoplankton
sulfur
bacteria
methane derived C
sulfide oxidation
terrestrial C