Benthic megafauna of the western Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Pacific Ocean.

ABSTRACT: There is a growing interest in the exploitation of deep-sea mineral deposits, particularly on the abyssal seafloor of the central Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which is rich in polymetallic nodules. In order to effectively manage potential exploitation activities, a thorough understanding of the biodiversity, community structure, species ranges, connectivity, and ecosystem functions across a range of scales is needed. The benthic megafauna plays an important role in the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems and represents an important component of the biodiversity. While megafaunal surveys using video and still images have provided insight into CCZ biodiversity, the collection of faunal samples is needed to confirm species identifications to accurately estimate species richness and s

SUBMITTER: Bribiesca-Contreras G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9848802 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature