ABSTRACT
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps are important components of marine biogeochemical cycles and interactions. The combination of abundant heat generated by near-seafloor igneous bodies and a nearly unlimited supply of seawater results in widespread alteration of the oceanic crust and formation of abundant metal-rich mineral deposits on and within the seafloor. One of the most spectacular features of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps is the abundance and novelty of life they support. The interaction of hot, metal-rich vent fluids and cold seawater creates a variety of conditions that can potentially support diverse microbial life. Cold seeps are areas on the seafloor where chemically enriched, oxygen-depleted fluids are released into the ocean by diffusion through sediments. Seafloor hydrothermal and cold seep systems host biological communities that are extremely adapted to their environment and that respond rapidly to environmental changes and perturbations.
