What is ChEssBase?
ChEssBase is a dynamic relational database available online since December 2004. The aim of ChEssBase is to provide taxonomical, biological, ecological and distributional data of all species described from deep-water chemosynthetic ecosystems, as well as bibliography and information on the habitats. These habitats include hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, whale falls, sunken wood and areas of minimum oxygen that intersect with the continental margin or seamounts. For more information on these ecosystems and their fauna, please visit the ChEss web site: www.noc.soton.ac.uk/chess. Since the discovery of hydrothermal vents in 1977 and of cold seep communities in 1984, over 500 species from vents and over 200 species from seeps have been described (Van Dover et al., 2002. Science 295: 1253-1257). The discocery of chemosynthetically fuelled communities on benthic OMZs and large organic falls to the deep-sea such as whales and wood have increased the number of habitats and fauna for investigat
