@article {Doughty2014,
	title = {{Insights into the population dynamics of the deep-sea coral genus Paramuricea in the Gulf of Mexico}},
	journal = {Biology and Geology of Deep-Sea Coral Ecosystems: Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Deep Sea Corals},
	volume = {99},
	year = {2014},
	pages = {71{\textendash}82},
	abstract = {Species in the genus Paramuricea are among the most common corals in deep waters ({\textgreater}200~m) of the Gulf of Mexico. Paramuricea spp. increase habitat heterogeneity and provide substrate for numerous faunal associates, including ophiuroids that occur on the majority of coral colonies. In light of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it has become apparent that there is a critical need for data on population dynamics within this genus. To date, at least one species of Paramuricea (P. biscaya) is known to be negatively impacted by the spill. Using remotely operated vehicles from 2009 to 2011, we documented the density and size frequency distributions of Paramuricea across 21 sites at depths of 250{\textendash}2500~m. Molecular barcoding (mtCOI+igr+MutS) was used to delineate species boundaries among the specimens collected. Results suggested that seven haplotypes are present in the Gulf, and appear to be partially segregated by depth [(type H: was used to delineate species boundaries among the specimens collected. Results suggested that seven haplotypes are present in the Gulf, and appear to be partially segregated by depth [(type H: Paramuricea spp. determined by ROV surveys were mapped onto high-resolution bathymetric data, which confirmed the corals{\textquoteright} preference for topographic highs composed of hard substrata. At any one site, densities ranged from 0.043{\textpm}0.01 (VK906, 380~m) to 1.18{\textpm}0.81~colonies/m2 (GC852, 1410~m). Mortality and recruitment rates were estimated from size-frequency data combined with estimated growth rates. Mortality rate decreased with size, from approximately 20{\%} and 70{\%} in new recruits of Paramuricea B3 and P. biscaya respectively, to less than 10{\%} in colonies over 40~cm in both species. Recruitment rates were estimated from less than one to over 30 individuals per year per site, but patterns in size-frequency histograms suggest that this process is highly variable at the different sites and at different times. These data illustrate that populations of the slow-growing Paramuricea species are sparsely distributed and exhibit low recruitment rates, making them highly susceptible to anthropogenic threats.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0645},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.05.023},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967064513002142},
	author = {Doughty, C L and Quattrini, A M and Cordes, E E}
}
@article {White2012,
	title = {{Impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a deep-water coral community in the Gulf of Mexico}},
	journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
	volume = {109},
	number = {50},
	year = {2012},
	month = {dec},
	pages = {20303{\textendash}20308},
	abstract = {To assess the potential impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on offshore ecosystems, 11 sites hosting deep-water coral communities were examined 3 to 4 mo after the well was capped. Healthy coral communities were observed at all sites {\textgreater}20 km from the Macondo well, including seven sites previously visited in September 2009, where the corals and communities appeared unchanged. However, at one site 11 km southwest of the Macondo well, coral colonies presented widespread signs of stress, including varying degrees of tissue loss, sclerite enlargement, excess mucous production, bleached commensal ophiuroids, and covering by brown flocculent material (floc). On the basis of these criteria the level of impact to individual colonies was ranked from 0 (least impact) to 4 (greatest impact). Of the 43 corals imaged at that site, 46{\%} exhibited evidence of impact on more than half of the colony, whereas nearly a quarter of all of the corals showed impact to {\textgreater}90{\%} of the colony. Additionally, 53{\%} of these corals{\textquoteright} ophiuroid associates displayed abnormal color and/or attachment posture. Analysis of hopanoid petroleum biomarkers isolated from the floc provides strong evidence that this material contained oil from the Macondo well. The presence of recently damaged and deceased corals beneath the path of a previously documented plume emanating from the Macondo well provides compelling evidence that the oil impacted deep-water ecosystems. Our findings underscore the unprecedented nature of the spill in terms of its magnitude, release at depth, and impact to deep-water ecosystems.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0027-8424},
	doi = {10.1073/pnas.1118029109},
	author = {White, H K and Hsing, P-Y and Cho, W and Shank, T M and Cordes, E E and Quattrini, A M and Nelson, R K and Camilli, R and Demopoulos, A W J and German, C R and Brooks, J M and Roberts, H H and Shedd, W and Reddy, C M and Fisher, C R}
}
@article {Cordes2010,
	title = {{Influence of foundation species, depth, and location on diversity and community composition at Gulf of Mexico lower-slope cold seeps}},
	journal = {Deep-Sea Research. Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography},
	volume = {57},
	number = {21-23},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {1870{\textendash}1881},
	abstract = {Efforts to understand and preserve the seep communities of the deep Gulf of Mexico (GOM) begin with a comprehensive survey of the biodiversity of these communities. Previous studies have provided a conceptual model of the physiology, population, and community ecology of upper continental slope seeps. However, seeps at water depths below 1000 m in the Gulf of Mexico remain relatively unknown. In this study, data from 47 samples of tubeworm- and mussel-associated communities at depths of 1005{\textendash}2750 m are examined. Other than tubeworms and mussels, 66 taxa of macro- and megafauna were collected, 43 of which appear to be restricted to water depths of over 1000 m, and 39 that have not been reported previously from the Gulf of Mexico. Diversity in mussel beds was highest at mid-slope depths, but tubeworm-associated communities did not show clear bathymetric trends in diversity. Diversity was higher in tubeworm aggregations at the alpha level (per sample), but higher in mussel beds at the beta level (species turnover among collections). Although both community types were often numerically dominated by the endemic shrimp Alvinocaris muricola, broad differences in the communities hosted by tubeworm aggregations and mussel beds were apparent. The most important factors explaining community similarity within community type were the depth, relative abundance of different mussel species in a bed, and the average size of tubeworms in an aggregation. The high proportion of deep-seep species that were found for the first time in the Gulf of Mexico emphasizes the importance of conservation efforts for these patchy communities.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0645},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.05.010},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.05.010},
	author = {Cordes, E E and Becker, E L and Hourdez, S and Fisher, C R}
}
@article {Becker2009,
	title = {{Importance of seep primary production to Lophelia pertusa and associated fauna in the Gulf of Mexico}},
	journal = {Deep-Sea Research. Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers},
	volume = {56},
	number = {5},
	year = {2009},
	pages = {786{\textendash}800},
	keywords = {ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0637},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr.2008.12.006},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2008.12.006},
	author = {Becker, E L and Cordes, E E and Macko, S A and Fisher, C R}
}
@book {Brooks2008,
	title = {{Investigations of chemosynthetic communities on the lower continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico: Interim Report 1}},
	series = {OCS Reports},
	year = {2008},
	pages = {332},
	publisher = {U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service},
	organization = {U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service},
	address = {New Orleans, LA},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle)},
	url = {http://www.gomr.mms.gov/PI/PDFImages/ESPIS/4/4320.pdf},
	author = {Brooks, J M and Fisher, C R and Roberts, H and Bernard, B and MacDonald, I R and Carney, R and Jove, S and Cordes, E E and Wolff, G A and Goehring, E}
}
