TY - RPRT TI - Deepwater Atlantic Habitats II: Continued Atlantic Research and Exploration in Deepwater Ecosystems with Focus on Coral, Canyon, and Seep Communities AU - Cordes, E AU - Demopoulos, A AU - Bernard, B AU - Brooke, S AU - Brooks, J AU - Joye, S AU - Miksis-Olds, J AU - Quattrini, A AU - Sutton, T AU - Wolff, G AU - Anthony, L AU - Aunins, A AU - Beckmann, S AU - Blank, N AU - Bourque, J AU - Bowman, R AU - Carrick, J AU - Chaytor, J AU - Choi, H AU - Chung, H AU - Davenport, E AU - Davies, D AU - DeLeo, D AU - Engleman, A AU - Gasboro, R AU - Gomez, C AU - Gori, A AU - Hallaj, A AU - Hunter, K AU - Hürzeler, I AU - Kellogg, C AU - Lunden, J AU - Marinelli, Z AU - McClain-Counts, J AU - McIver, T AU - Mienis, F AU - Morrison, C AU - Nizinski, M AU - Prouty, N AU - Roads, A AU - Sahy, D AU - Saso, E AU - Schiff, J AU - Sei, M AU - Shull, H AU - Sogluizzo, A AU - Warren, J AU - Weinnig, A AU - Wilford, D AU - Zhuang, G AB - This document represents the final report for Contract M17PC00009, issued by the US Department of theInterior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), titled “Deepwater Atlantic Habitats II:Continued Atlantic Research and Exploration in Deepwater Ecosystems with Focus on Coral, Canyon,and Seep Communities.” This report is the final deliverable of BOEM Contract M17PC00009, conductedin partnership with the US Geological Survey (USGS). This project effort is now called Deep SEARCH.The study is a five-year, collaborative scientific research program focused on the outer continental shelf(OCS) between Virginia and Georgia. We surveyed that region’s deep-sea coral, cold-seep, and canyoncommunities as habitats of focus. Our overarching goal was to improve understanding of the functionalrole of these three habitat types in order to advance scientific knowledge and inform future managementdecisions. The intended application of the new science was to develop better predictive capacities for thecommunity types encountered.Here, we present our site selection process; results from five directly supported cruises; detailed sitedescriptions of the geological, physical, chemical, and biological conditions encountered; and the resultsfrom six additional cruises conducted through our collaborations with the Atlantic Deep Sea EcosystemObservatory Network (ADEON) project and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). The research results, analyses, and findingsinclude the oceanographic, geological, and geochemical setting of canyons, seeps, and coralenvironments; deep-sea soundscapes; community structure and trophic function from microbes to fishes;population connectivity; life history of selected species; habitat suitability modeling deep-sea corals andseeps; and our educational outreach to the public. Through this study, we have filled major data gaps for poorly known deepwater ecosystems, aiding therefinement of regional management strategies. Our improved understanding of the habitats andcommunities in offshore areas of the Atlantic Large Marine Ecosystem augments the capacity to predictthe distribution of sensitive areas concerning the potential development of energy and marine mineralsmanaged by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. CY - Sterling, United States DA - 2024/03// PY - 2024 SP - 639 PB - TDI-Brooks International SN - OCS Study BOEM 2024-012 UR - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-I-e005bf4ed22dde4a8bb3dbc90dbe6c3b/pdf/GOVPUB-I-e005bf4ed22dde4a8bb3dbc90dbe6c3b.pdf LA - English KW - Ecosystem Processes KW - Fish KW - Demersal Fish KW - Pelagic Fish KW - Invertebrates KW - Physical Environment KW - Sediment Transport KW - Water Quality ER -