Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Salas Y Gómez And Nazca Ridges: A Review Of The Importance, Opportunities And Challenges For Protecting A Global Diversity Hotspot On The High Seas, Daniel Wagner, Liesbeth Van Der Meer, Matthias Gorny, Javier Sellanes, Carlos F. Gaymer, Eulogio H. Soto, Erin E. Easton, Alan M. Friedlander, Dhugal J. Lindsay, Tina N. Molodtsova

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are two seamount chains of volcanic origin, which include over 110 seamounts that collectively stretch across over 2,900 km in the southeastern Pacific. Ecosystems in this region are isolated by the Atacama Trench, the Humboldt Current System, and an extreme oxygen minimum zone. This isolation has produced a unique biodiversity that is marked by one of the highest levels of marine endemism on Earth. These areas also provide important habitats and ecological stepping stones for whales, sea turtles, corals, and a multitude of other ecologically important species, including 82 species that are threatened …