Mapping of hemipelagic versus turbiditic muds by feeding traces observed in deep-sea photographs

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Abstract
The Madeira Abyssal Plain is composed mainly of turbiditic sediments derived from the NW African margin. Through this cover project hills covered with draped pelagic sediments. The surface layers of both sediment types are similar with respect to grain size and mineralogy. Similarly, there is no difference in the distribution of pelagic organisms living in the overlying waters. The foraging behaviour of benthic communities on each sediment type is markedly different, however, so that sediment type can be determined from this parameter alone. It is suggested that the potentially richer food supply available at depth within the turbidites has produced the differences observed.