Manganese nodule fields from the Northeast Pacific as benthic habitats

Kühn, Thomas; Uhlenkott, Katja; Vink, Αnnemiek; Rühlemann, Carsten; Arbizu, Pedro Martínez

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-814960-7.00058-0

Cited by 19 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Backscatter strength can be used to distinguish nodule fields on the seafloor from areas devoid of nodules (Weydert, 1990). Moreover, the analysis of backscatter data in the German license area (GLA) also allows for the discrimination between seafloor areas with small-sized nodules (long axis <4 cm) and medium-sized to large-sized nodules (>4 cm) (Knobloch et al, 2017;Kuhn, Uhlenkott, Vink, Rühlemann, & Martínez Arbizu, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting meiofauna abundance to define preservation and impact zones in a deep‐sea mining context using random forest modelling

Uhlenkott

Vink

Kühn

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting meiofauna abundance to define preservation and impact zones in a deep‐sea mining context using random forest modelling

Uhlenkott

Vink

Kühn

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…A profound mapping of the seafloor in terms of substrate, bathymetry and slope is therefore a prerequisite to select the location and size of specific, potentially representative sampling stations. This is especially important for spatial investigations of fauna based on distribution modeling, which has been applied for meio‐ and macrofauna on different scales in the CCFZ (Kuhn et al 2020; Uhlenkott et al 2020, 2021).…”

Section: Sampling Design and Replicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Kuhn et al (2020) applied RF regression to predict the continuous spatial distribution of meiofauna and macrofauna‐sized epifauna abundances in the German exploration area (BGR). On high taxonomic level, the abundance of polymetallic nodules is an important predictor, influencing the different size classes of organisms in different ways and should be considered in models.…”

Section: Distribution Modeling: From Observations To Predictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On high taxonomic level, the abundance of polymetallic nodules is an important predictor, influencing the different size classes of organisms in different ways and should be considered in models. For instance, meiofauna dwelling within the sediments was predicted to be less abundant in areas with high coverage of polymetallic nodules, whereas epifauna is predicted to be most abundant in areas with high small‐nodule coverage (Kuhn et al 2020).…”

Section: Distribution Modeling: From Observations To Predictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward a reliable assessment of potential ecological impacts of deep‐sea polymetallic nodule mining on abyssal infauna

Lins

Zeppilli

Menot

et al. 2021

Limnology & Ocean Methods

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The increasing demand for metals is pushing forward the progress of deep-sea mining industry. The abyss between the Clarion and Clipperton Fracture Zones (CCFZ), a region holding a higher concentration of minerals than land deposits, is the most targeted area for the exploration of polymetallic nodules worldwide, which may likely disturb the seafloor across large areas and over many years. Effects from nodule extraction cause acute biodiversity loss of organisms inhabiting sediments and polymetallic nodules. Attention to deep-sea ecosystems and their services has to be considered before mining starts but the lack of basic scientific knowledge on the methodologies for the ecological surveys of fauna in the context of deep-sea mining impacts is still scarce. We review the methodology to sample, process and investigate metazoan infauna both inhabiting sediments and nodules dwelling on these polymetallic-nodule areas. We suggest effective procedures for sampling designs, devices and methods involving gear types, sediment processing, morphological and genetic identification including metabarcoding and proteomic fingerprinting, the assessment of biomass, functional traits, fatty acids, and stable isotope studies within the CCFZ based on both first-hand experiences and literature. We recommend multi-and boxcorers for the quantitative assessments of meio-and macrofauna, respectively. The assessment of biodiversity at species level should be focused and/or the combination of morphological with metabarcoding or proteomic fingerprinting techniques. We highlight that biomass, functional traits, and trophic markers may provide critical insights for biodiversity assessments and how statistical modeling facilitates predicting patterns spatially across point-source data and is essential for conservation management.

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“…For macrofauna (> 300 µm) the effect of nodule presence appears ambiguous (see also Washburn et al 8 ) as studies have demonstrated a positive 9 , negative 10 or no marked in uence 11 . Meiofauna, or meiobenthos (these two terms are used interchangeably here), (> 32 µm) research in several eastern CCFZ localities [12][13][14][15] showed reduced abundances in nodule-bearing sediments, presumably governed by the lower sediment (substrate) availability. Regarding meiofaunal compositional differences between sediments with and without nodules, Singh et al 16 reported no signi cant differences in nematode genus composition, whilst signi cant dissimilarities were observed for copepod 15 and nematode 14 species in the Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MER (IFREMER) contract area in the CCFZ.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Impacts of Polymetallic Nodule Removal On Deep-Sea Meiobenthos

Pape

Bezerra

Gheerardyn

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Deep seabed mining is imminent in the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ; northeast Pacific). Seabed collectors will remove the polymetallic nodules and the surrounding surface sediments, both inhabited by meiobenthos, along their path. To determine potential impacts of polymetallic nodule removal, we investigated the importance of nodule presence for sediment abundance, composition and diversity of meiobenthos, nematodes and copepods, and evaluated the existence and composition of nodule crevice meiobenthos in the Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR) exploration contract area. Nodule-free and nodule-rich sediments displayed high biodiversity with many singletons and doubletons, potentially representing rare taxa. Nodule presence negatively influenced sediment meiobenthic abundances but did not markedly affect community composition or diversity. This is the first report on CCFZ nodule crevice meiobenthos, whose abundance related positively to nodule dimensions. Though dominated by the same taxa, the meio- and nematofauna differed between sediments and nodules regarding community and functional composition. Nevertheless, there were no taxa endemic to the nodule crevices and nodule crevice meiobenthos added only little to total small-scale (~ cm) meiobenthic abundance and diversity. We formulated environmental management recommendations at the contract area and regional (CCFZ) scale related to sampling effort, set-aside preservation and monitoring areas, and potential rehabilitation measures.

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Manganese nodule fields from the Northeast Pacific as benthic habitats

Cited by 19 publications

References 22 publications

Predicting meiofauna abundance to define preservation and impact zones in a deep‐sea mining context using random forest modelling

Predicting meiofauna abundance to define preservation and impact zones in a deep‐sea mining context using random forest modelling

Toward a reliable assessment of potential ecological impacts of deep‐sea polymetallic nodule mining on abyssal infauna

Potential Impacts of Polymetallic Nodule Removal On Deep-Sea Meiobenthos

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