This is an interdisciplinary study to identify the range in vent fluid chemistry, vent deposit compositions, and biota at major vent fields along the Eastern Lau Spreading Center, and the key processes and variables that influence fluid chemistry, sulfide deposit formation and the range in habitats available for biological communities. The molecular and physiological diversity of associated microbes, the distribution and reproductive status of dominant megafaunal organisms present in the vicinity of hot-springs, and the distribution of plankton and larvae in the overlying water column will be related to the environmental conditions present at each vent site. The variations in spreading rate, axial depth and morphology, magma source and lave chemistry, melt lens characteristics, crustal structure, and proximity to arc magma sources and the subducting slab provide an excellent opportunity for examining the influence of key variables on hydrothermal venting and associated megafauna and microfauna.
