5,000 deep-sea species found in ‘risk zone’

A total of 5,578 different species, about 90% of which are completely new to science, have been found in the depths of the Pacific Ocean in a future hotspot for deep-sea mining.

The discovery came from an international team of scientists who recently surveyed a six million square kilometer swath of sea known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which stretches from Mexico to Hawaii.

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Among the thousands of life forms they encountered were various species of sea cucumbers, nematodes, carnivorous sponges, worms, arthropods, and sea urchin-like echinoderms.

Notably, almost all of them are unique to the region. Researchers estimate that only six species have been identified elsewhere in the world.

There are some simply wonderful ones out there. Some sponges look like classic bath sponges and others look like vases. It is simply beautiful. Glass sponges are one of my favorites. They have these little spines, and under a microscope they look like little chandeliers or little sculptures.

Muriel Rabone, lead author of the study and a deep-sea ecologist at the Natural History Museum in London, UK, in a statement

To better understand the rich biodiversity of the Clarion-Clipperton Rift Zone, the researcher sailed to the Pacific Ocean and used several different methods to survey wildlife, including remote-controlled drones that traverse the ocean floor and collect samples from seafloor sediment.

“It’s a big boat, but it looks so small in the middle of the ocean. You can see the storms coming. It’s very exciting,” Rabone explained. “And it was incredible — with every sample, we saw new species.”

However, the future of this biodiversity is not entirely optimistic. The habitat of the newly discovered creatures is in the crosshairs of deep-sea mining operations because it contains the world’s largest hoard of manganese, nickel, cobalt and other metals essential to manufacturing batteries.

• Desirable minerals can be found in mineral-rich nuggets, sometimes called “deep-sea potatoes”;
• These materials will be vital to the so-called “battery revolution,” which will help make fossil fuels obsolete and spur the transition to green energy;
• However, getting your hands on these minerals threatens to disrupt this complex ecosystem.

The researchers say their latest work shows we need to better understand this diverse and unique environment — before it’s too late.

“There are many fascinating species in the Clarion-Clipperton Rift Zone, and with the possibility of mining imminent, it is critical that we know more about these poorly studied habitats,” Rabone explained.

with information from IFL Science

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