Giant, highly diverse protists in the abyssal Pacific: vulnerability to impacts from seabed mining and potential for recovery

Gooday, Andrew J.; Durden, Jennifer M.; Smith, Craig R.

doi:10.1080/19420889.2020.1843818

i

Giant, highly diverse protists in the abyssal Pacific: vulnerability to impacts from seabed mining and potential for recovery

2020
By Gooday, Andrew J. ; Durden, Jennifer M. ; Smith, Craig R.
Source: Communicative & Integrative Biology, 13(1), 189-197

Details

Journal Title:

Communicative & Integrative Biology
Personal Author:

Gooday, Andrew J. ; Durden, Jennifer M. ; Smith, Craig R.
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research)
Description:

Xenophyophores, giant deep-sea agglutinated foraminifera, dominate the benthic megafauna in the eastern equatorial Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This abyssal (>4000 m depth) region hosts major deposits of polymetallic nodules targeted for future seabed mining, an activity that would destroy these highly diverse and delicate protists, particularly those living on the nodules themselves. Since the cell occupies only a small proportion of their test volume, xenophyophores may make a fairly modest contribution to benthic biomass and carbon cycling. Nevertheless, xenophyophore tests can passively enhance particle deposition, concentrate food, and provide habitat structure utilized by diverse organisms. Their destruction could therefore influence the recovery of benthic communities. Species requiring nodule substrates will likely not recover, since nodules take millions of years to form. However, xenophyophores can grow quickly and colonize extensive volcanic ash deposits within years, suggesting that sediment-dwelling species could be among the first large immobile organisms to reappear in mining-impacted areas.
Subjects:
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Keywords:
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Source:

Communicative & Integrative Biology, 13(1), 189-197
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2020.1843818
ISSN:

1942-0889
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Informa UK Limited
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA17OAR0110209
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Library
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/58663/noaa_58663_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 9.77 MB]
Collection(s):

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:f3247e4853007f61ee27bb8ac59d84ec8b6f88fd5d6b9524ccad4d4ffe9d8d23

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