Understanding Human Impacts on the Deep Sea

Humankind is already changing the deep ocean, with impacts expected to accelerate alongside our increased use. Much of my research seeks to understand these impacts so that we can mitigate them and manage our deep-ocean ecosystems more effectively in the future. Below are some of the papers I have authored focusing on this issue. A full list of publications can be found here.

Additionally, I’m a Co-Lead of the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative’s (DOSI) Minerals Working Group. Find out more here.

DEEP-SEA MINING

  1. Thaler and Amon, 2019. 260 Voyages Beneath the Sea: A global assessment of biodiversity and research effort at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. PeerJ, e27559v1. https://peerj.com/articles/7397/
  2. Jones et al., 2018. Mining deep-ocean mineral deposits: what are the ecological risks? Elements: An International Magazine of Mineralogy, Geochemistry, and Petrology, 14:5, 325- 330. https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/elements/article-abstract/14/5/325/559104
  3.  Herzog et al., 2018. Two new species of Sympagella (Porifera: Hexactinellida: Rossellidae) collected from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, East Pacific. Zootaxa 4466:1, 152-163.  https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4466.1.12
  4. Lindh et al., 2017. From the Surface to the Deep-Sea: Bacterial Distributions across Polymetallic Nodule Fields in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. Frontiers in Microbiology  8:1696. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01696
  5. Amon et al., 2017. Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Annelida, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Chordata, Ctenophora, Mollusca. Biodiversity Data Journal 5: e14598. 10.3897/BDJ.5.e14598
  6. Amon et al., 2017. Megafauna of the UKSRL exploration contract area and eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata. Biodiversity Data Journal. 5: e11794.https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.5.e11794
  7. Amon et al., 2016. Observations of organic falls in the abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone, tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Marine Biodiversity. doi: 10.1007/s12526-016-0572-4
  8. Glover et al., 2016. The London Workshop on the Biogeography and Connectivity of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Research Ideas and Outcomes 2: e10528. doi: 10.3897/rio.2.e10528
  9. Dahlgren et al., 2016. Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration claim, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Cnidaria. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e9277.doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e9277
  10. Amon et al., 2016. First insights into the abundance and diversity of abyssal megafauna in a polymetallic-nodule region in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Scientific Reports 6: 30492. doi:10.1038/srep30492
  11. Glover et al., 2016. Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration claim, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7251. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7251

OIL AND GAS EXTRACTION

  1. Amon et al., 2017. Characterization of Methane-Seep Communities in a Deep-Sea Area Designated for Oil and Natural Gas Exploitation Off Trinidad and Tobago. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:342. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00342/full
  2. Cordes et al., 2016. Environmental impacts of the deep-water oil and gas industry: a review to guide management strategies. Frontiers in Environmental Science 4: 58. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2016.00058

OTHER HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE DEEP SEA

  1. Laffoley et al., 2019. Eight urgent fundamental steps to recover ocean sustainability, and the consequences for humanity and the planet of inaction or delay. Aquatic Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3182