New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Physical characterisation and a biologically focused classification of
“seamounts” in the New Zealand region
A. A. Rowden
M. R. Clark
I. C. Wright
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Limited
Private Bag 14 901
Wellington, New Zealand
email: a.rowden@niwa.co.nz
Abstract The physical, biological, and oceanographic
characteristics of seamounts of the New Zealand region of the South Pacific
Ocean are poorly known. The aim of this study was to present a synopsis of
the physical characteristics of seamounts within the region, and to present
a preliminary classification using biologically meaningful variables. Data
for up to 16 environmental variables were collated and used to describe the
distribution and characteristics of the c. 800 known seamounts in the New
Zealand region. Seamounts span a wide range of sizes, depths, elevation,
geological associations and origins, and occur over the latitudinal range
of the region, lying in different water masses of varying productivity, and
both near shore and off shore. As such, it was difficult to generally describe
New Zealand seamounts, as there is no “typical” feature. Thirteen environmental
variables were included in a multivariate cluster analysis to identify 12
seamount similarity groupings, for a subset of over half the known seamounts.
The groupings generally displayed an appreciable geographic distribution
throughout the region, and were largely characterised by a combination of
four variables (depth at peak, depth at base, elevation, and distance from
continental shelf). In the future, the findings of the present study can
be tested to determine the validity and usefulness of the approach for directing
future biodiversity research and informing management of seamount habitat.
Keywords characterisation; classification; New Zealand;
seamounts
M05011; Online publication date 12 August 2005 Received 22 February 2005;
accepted 22 April 2005
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2005, Vol. 39:
1039–1059
0028-8330/05/3905-1039 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005
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