冷泉甲烷渗漏环境底栖有孔虫研究回顾与前景

A REVIEW OF STUDIES ON BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA IN COLD METHANE SEEPS ENVIRONMENT

综述了与天然气水合物有关的冷泉甲烷渗漏环境底栖有孔虫研究成果与应用。冷泉甲烷渗漏环境是区别于一般深海环境的特殊微环境,随着天然气水合物勘探的深入和设备的更新,越来越多的冷泉被发现,冷泉底栖有孔虫的研究随之展开。生活在冷泉环境下的底栖有孔虫群落尤其适应高有机质、低氧、有甲烷释放的特定环境,并能将水合物甲烷碳同位素值异常低的特性记录下来,与无甲烷渗漏环境相比,甲烷渗漏环境底栖有孔虫具有更负的δ13 C值,被作为水合物分解释放甲烷事件的记录和解释气候变化的证据之一。我国已在南海北部发现与水合物相关的冷泉并成功获取了天然气水合物实物,开展天然气水合物冷泉甲烷渗漏环境底栖有孔虫研究有其必要性和重要性。

This paper briefs the researches and progress of benthic foraminifera in the environment of cold methane seeps related to gas hydrate,with emphasis on its difference with the normal deep sea environment.More and more cold seeps have been found recently with the application of new technology,such as submersible and remotely operated vehicle.Benthic foraminifera could adapt themselves to the high organic and low oxygen gas hydrate related cold methane seep environment,and keep a very negative δ13C value as a record.So far,carbon isotopic（δ13C） excursions in the geologic record have been used as an evidence of methane release from gas hydrate and global temperature change.Such a gas hydrate related cold methane seeps have been found in the South China Sea,and the gas hydrate samples have been successfully recovered from its northern continental slope.It is a necessity to study the benthic foraminifera in the cold methane seep environment for further exploration of gas hydrate in this region.