Toto Vent

Latitude: 12.71333οN              Longitude: 143.52833οE                     Depth: 3035 m bsl

Alternative Names: Toto caldera, Nakayama field (Gamo et al., 2004)

Toto caldera is located in the southernmost Mariana trough and is considered to be an arc volcano in the Mariana Arc (Embley et al., 2004). White smoker hydrothermal fluids were observed with temperature of 170οC and very low pH which is about 1.6. The chimneys consist of elemental sulfur (Nakagawa et al., 2006). Among the biological community, ɛ-Proteobacteria dominates the microbial community in the sulfur chimneys while archaea are minor (Nakagawa et al., 2006).

Table 1: Operations history for Toto vent

Ship/ PlatformYearDive NumberReferences
KH-98-1 R/V Hakuho Maru cruise Leg-3Not foundNot foundGamo et al., 2004
YK03-07 Yokosuka/ Shinkai 650020030772-0776YK03-07 cruise report

Table 2: Vent activity and host rocks

Activity and host rocksReferences
ActivityActiveGamo et al., 2004;InterRidge Vents Database Ver. 3.3.

Table 3: Vent fluid characteristics

Vent FluidsReferences
Temperature (οC)170- 22Nakagawa et al., 2006
pH1.6-5.4Nakagawa et al., 2006
CompositionWhite smoker hydrothermalfluids with low pH, low alkalinity and sulfate concentrationNakagawa et al., 2006
CO2 (mM)15.3Gamo et al., 2004
Mn (nmol/kg)47Gamo et al., 2004
Fe (nmol/kg)112Gamo et al., 2004
CH4 (nmol/kg)9.9Gamo et al., 2004

Table 4: Vent Biology

General namePhylumClass/OrderFamily/ GenusSpeciesReferences
ArchaeaNakagawa et al., 2006
ArchaeaEuryarchaeotaArchaeoglobiArchaeoglobusTakai et al., 2011
ArchaeaEuryarchaeotaMethanococciMethanococcalesTakai et al., 2011
ArchaeaEuryarchaeotaThermococciPyrococcusTakai et al., 2011
ArchaeaEuryarchaeotaThermococciThermococcusTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaAquificaeAquificaeAquifexTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaAquificaeAquificalesDesulfurobacteriaTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaAquificaeAquificalesPersephonellaTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaBacteroidetesBacteroidetesRhodothermusTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaDeferribacteresDeferribacteralesDeferribacterTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaFirmicutesClostridiaTepidibacterTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaProteobacteriaHydorgenimonasTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaProteobacteriaNautilialesTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaThermaceaeTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaNitratiruptorTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaProteobacteriaEpsilonproteobacteriaSulfurovumTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaProteobacteriaThiotrichalesPiscirickettsiaceaeThiomicrospira thermophilaTakai et al., 2004
BacteriaProteobacteriaCampylobacteralesSulfurimonasTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaThioreductorTakai et al., 2011
BacteriaProteobacteriaGammaproteobacteriaThiomicrospiraTakai et al., 2011

Images:

Videos Links:  

References:

  1. Embley, R. W., Baker, E. T., Chadwick, W. W. JR., Lupton, J. E., Resing, J. A., Massoth, G. J., Nakamura, K., 2004. Explorations of Mariana Arc. Eos 85 (4), 37-44.
  2. Nakagawa, T., Takai, K., Suzuki, Y., Hirayama, H., Konno, U., Tsunogai, U., and Horikoshi, K., 2006. Geomicrobiological exploration and characterization of a novel deep-sea hydrothermal system at the TOTO caldera in the Mariana Volcanic Arc: Environmental Microbiology 8 (1), 37-49.
  3. Takai, K., Nakamura, K., 2011. Archaeal diversity and community development in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Current Opinion in Microbiology 14, 282–291.

Website References:

  1. InterRidge Vents Database Ver. 3.3 http://vents-data.interridge.org/ventfield/toto-caldera (accessed 10/03/2015)
  2. JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology) E-library of Deep-sea Images (JEDI) http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jedi/public/Sec102.jsf (accessed 10/03/2015)

Cruise Reports:

  1. Yokosuka cruise report YK03-07 http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/catalog/data/doc_catalog/media/YK03-07_all.pdf