absolute age, alkaline earth metals, Ar/Ar, basalts, Cenozoic, Emperor Seamounts, Eocene, geochemistry, hafnium, Hawaiian Ridge, Hf-177/Hf-176, igneous, rocks, isotope, ratios, K/Ar, large igneous provinces, lava, lead, magmas, major elements, mantle, metals, Nd-144/Nd-143, neodymium, Pacific Ocean, Paleogene, Pb-206/Pb-204, Pb-207/Pb-204, Pb-208/Pb-204, petrology, radioactive isotopes, rare earths, Sr-87/Sr-86, stable isotopes, strontium, submarine volcanoes, Tertiary, trace elements, volcanic rocks, volcanism, volcanoes

Eastern Bering Sea slope; canyons; habitat; fish; coral; sponge

Some of the largest submarine canyons in the world incise the eastern Bering Sea shelf break. Here, we examine whether 5 large canyons (Bering, Pribilof, Zhemchug, Pervenets and Navarin) are faunally distinct features within the eastern Bering Sea.

In the Aleutian Islands, patterns of distribution and abundance of Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) are influenced by oceanographic processes and biogenic structures. We used generalized additive modeling (GAM) to examine relationships between these predictors and patterns of settled juvenile and adult distribution and abundance from bottom trawl surveys conducted from 1997 through 2010.

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cold-water corals; deep-sea; Eastern Pacific; reproduction; fecundity; octocoral; Swiftia

This study examined the reproductive ecology of eight Eastern Pacific deep-sea octocorals, collected from Washington to Southern California. The sexuality, reproductive mode, oocyte size, and fecundity of each species were identified using histological techniques.

Hawaii; black coral; taxonomy

The shallow-water (<150 m) antipatharian fauna of the Hawaiian Archipelago is described and illustrated based on a systematic examination of skeletal spine morphology, polyp morphology, colony branching pattern and in situ photographs.

Antipathidae; mapping; Myriopathidae; precious corals; records

The continental margin off the northeastern United States contains numerous, topographically complex features that increase habitat heterogeneity across the region. However, the majority of these rugged features have never been surveyed, particularly using direct observations. During summer 2013, 31 remotely-operated vehicle dives were conducted from 494 to 3271 m depth across a variety of seafloor features to document communities and to infer geological processes that produced such features.

Eastern Bering Sea slope, Canyons, Habitat, Fish, Coral, Sponge

Here, we examine whether 5 large canyons (Bering, Pribilof, Zhemchug, Pervenets and Navarin) are faunally distinct features within the eastern Bering Sea. We compiled data from the eastern Bering Sea that included trawl survey data on fish and invertebrate distributions and observations of ocean conditions and benthic habitat. These data were analyzed using multivariate techniques to determine if the canyons are distinguishable from the adjacent continental slope.

Bycatches (Fisheries), Coral Reef Conservation, Coral Reef Ecology, Coral Reef Fisheries, Corals, Environmental Aspects, Environmental Impact Analysis, Identification

Coral Reef Ecology; Databases; Deep-Sea Corals; Research; Sponge

The database represents a new standard to catalyze progress in deep-sea coral and sponge
resource management and habitat suitability modeling. Records will be compiled continuously by NOAA,
and distributed online in a map atlas format beginning in 2015.