Abstract:
Cold-water corals (CWCs, including Hexacorallia and Octocorallia) are widely accepted as indicators of the presence of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and play an important ecological role in deep-sea ecosystems by maintaining the stability of deep-sea ecosystems and preserving biodiversity. This study compiled and analyzed the spatial distribution data of CWCs species in the North Pacific (NP) to construct the distribution patterns of cold-water coral diversity in the NP and examined the relationship between the formation of this pattern, habitat types and environmental factors. The research indicated that, on the horizontal scale, the hotspots of the CWCs species diversity in the NP were located in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands, while on the vertical scale, they were located within water depths of less than 500 meters. The distribution latitude of the octocorallians (Octocorallia) was higher than that of the hexacorallians (Hexacorallia). Hexacorallians were predominantly distributed south of 35°N, while octocorallians were mainly concentrated north of 30°N. Habitat type analysis at the order level revealed that the high-relief shelf and slope were the most suitable habitats for various orders. The species richness of the Hexacorallia showed the strongest correlations with pH (0.47) and silicate concentration (−0.39), whereas Octocorallia species richness was most strongly correlated with slope (0.44) and aragonite saturation (−0.44). Moreover, the nitrate (positive impact) and phosphate (negative impact) had the greatest influence on their richness changes. This research is significant for understanding the distribution patterns of relevant species diversity, ecosystem restoration, and delineating more efficient marine protected areas.