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

Gooday, Andrew J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5661-7371; Durden, Jennifer M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6529-9109; Smith, Craig R.. 2020 Giant, highly diverse protists in the abyssal Pacific: vulnerability to impacts from seabed mining and potential for recovery. Communicative & Integrative Biology, 13 (1). 189-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2020.1843818

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Abstract/Summary

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.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2020.1843818
ISSN:	1942-0889
Date made live:	10 Dec 2020 13:08 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/529130

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