CRUSTAL ACCRETION AND THE HOT VENT ECOSYSTEM

We examine evidence for links between seafloor spreading rate and prop erties of vent habitat most likely to influence species diversity and other ecosystem properties. Abundance of vent habitat along spreading centres appears positively related to spreading rate while habitat sta bility shows an opposite relationship. Habitat heterogeneity is lowest at faster spreading ridges. Limited data indicate an increasing speci es diversity with spreading rate, complicated by historical factors. E cosystem productivity and efficiency of resource utilisation may also reflect diversity differences.