Continental shelf, canyons and pockmark fields in the southeastern Bay of Biscay

Abstract

The seafloor morphology of southeastern Bay of Biscay (Basque coast) consists of a narrow continental shelf and the Capbreton Canyon running almost parallel to the coastline and reaching up to 3060 m in depth. The south flank of the canyon is steep, and it is incised by northward trending canyons and gullies. Pockmark fields are observed in the interfluves of the tributary canyons. This heterogeneous morphology affects the regional oceanographic conditions, current patterns, and wave propagation, which influence the characteristics of pelagic and benthic habitats and their spatial distribution. This chapter describes the hard- and soft-bottom benthic communities at a depth of 100-927 m, occupying the main geomorphic features and habitats.