The Experts below are selected from a list of 3786 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Daniel O B Jones - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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ecological risk assessment for Deep Sea Mining
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2019Co-Authors: Travis Washburn, Jennifer M. Durden, Daniel O B Jones, Phillip J Turner, P P E Weaver, Cindy Lee Van DoverAbstract:Abstract Ecological risk assessment for Deep-Sea Mining is challenging, given the data-poor state of knowledge of Deep-Sea ecosystem structure, process, and vulnerability. Polling and a scale-intensity-consequence approach (SICA) were used in an expert elicitation survey to rank risk sources and perceived vulnerabilities of habitats associated with Seabed nodule, sulfide, and crust mineral resources. Experts identified benthic habitats associated with Seabed minerals as most vulnerable to habitat removal with a high degree of certainty. Resource-associated benthic and pelagic habitats were also perceived to be at risk from plumes generated during Mining activities, although there was not always consensus regarding vulnerabilities to specific risk sources from different types of plumes. Even for risk sources where habitat vulnerability measures were low, high uncertainties suggest that these risks may not yet be dismissed. Survey outcomes also underscore the need for risk assessment to progress from expert opinion with low certainty to data-rich and ecosystem-relevant scientific reSearch assessments to yield much higher certainty. This would allow for design and deployment of effective precautionary and mitigation efforts in advance of commercial exploitation, and adaptive management strategies would allow for regulatory and guideline modifications in response to new knowledge and greater certainty.
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existing environmental management approaches relevant to Deep Sea Mining
Marine Policy, 2019Co-Authors: Daniel O B Jones, Jennifer M. Durden, Kevin Murphy, Kristina M Gjerde, Aleksandra Gebicka, Ana Colaco, Telmo Morato, Daphne Cuvelier, D S M BillettAbstract:Abstract Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) may become a significant stressor on the marine environment. The DSM industry should demonstrate transparently its commitment to preventing serious harm to the environment by complying with legal requirements, using environmental good practice, and minimizing environmental impacts. Here existing environmental management approaches relevant to DSM that can be used to improve performance are identified and detailed. DSM is still predominantly in the planning stage and will face some unique challenges but there is considerable environmental management experience in existing related industries. International good practice has been suggested for DSM by bodies such as the Pacific Community and the International Marine Minerals Society. The inherent uncertainty in DSM presents challenges, but it can be addressed by collection of environmental information, area-based/spatial management, the precautionary approach and adaptive management. Tools exist for regional and strategic management, which have already begun to be introduced by the International Seabed Authority, for example in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Project specific environmental management, through environmental impact assessment, baseline assessment, monitoring, mitigation and environmental management planning, will be critical to identify and reduce potential impacts. In addition, extractive companies’ internal management may be optimised to improve performance by emphasising sustainability at a high level in the company, improving transparency and reporting and introducing environmental management systems. The DSM industry and its regulators have the potential to select and optimize recognised and documented effective practices and adapt them, greatly improving the environmental performance of this new industry.
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abyssal plain faunal carbon flows remain depressed 26 years after a simulated Deep Sea Mining disturbance
Biogeosciences, 2018Co-Authors: Tanja Stratmann, Autun Purser, Lidia Lins, Yann Marcon, Clara F Rodrigues, Ascensao Ravara, Marina R Cunha, Erik Simonlledo, Daniel O B Jones, Andrew K SweetmanAbstract:Abstract. Future Deep-Sea Mining for polymetallic nodules in abyssal plains will negatively impact the benthic ecosystem, but it is largely unclear whether this ecosystem will be able to recover from Mining disturbance and if so, to what extent and at what timescale. During the “DISturbance and reCOLonization” (DISCOL) experiment, a total of 22 % of the Seafloor within a 10.8 km 2 circular area of the nodule-rich Seafloor in the Peru Basin (SE Pacific) was ploughed in 1989 to bury nodules and mix the surface sediment. This area was revisited 0.1, 0.5, 3, 7, and 26 years after the disturbance to assess macrofauna, invertebrate megafauna and fish density and diversity. We used this unique abyssal faunal time series to develop carbon-based food web models for each point in the time series using the linear inverse modeling approach for sediments subjected to two disturbance levels: (1) outside the plough tracks; not directly disturbed by plough, but probably suffered from additional sedimentation; and (2) inside the plough tracks. Total faunal carbon stock was always higher outside plough tracks compared with inside plough tracks. After 26 years, the carbon stock inside the plough tracks was 54 % of the carbon stock outside plough tracks. Deposit feeders were least affected by the disturbance, with modeled respiration, external predation, and excretion rates being reduced by only 2.6 % inside plough tracks compared with outside plough tracks after 26 years. In contrast, the respiration rate of filter and suspension feeders was 79.5 % lower in the plough tracks after 26 years. The “total system throughput” ( T ..), i.e., the total sum of modeled carbon flows in the food web, was higher throughout the time series outside plough tracks compared with the corresponding inside plough tracks area and was lowest inside plough tracks directly after the disturbance (8.63 × 10 −3 ± 1.58 × 10 −5 mmol C m −2 d −1 ). Even 26 years after the DISCOL disturbance, the discrepancy of T .. between outside and inside plough tracks was still 56 %. Hence, C cycling within the faunal compartments of an abyssal plain ecosystem remains reduced 26 years after physical disturbance, and a longer period is required for the system to recover from such a small-scale sediment disturbance experiment.
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Deep Sea Mining with no net loss of biodiversity an impossible aim
Frontiers in Marine Science, 2018Co-Authors: Holly J Niner, Daniel O B Jones, Craig R Smith, Aline Jaeckel, Jeff A Ardron, Elva Escobar, Matthew Gianni, Lisa A Levin, Torsten ThieleAbstract:*We have been given permission to submit an abstract of 350 words and a body text of up to 7000 words. As a result, the portal will not let me paste the full text.
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environmental impact assessment process for Deep Sea Mining in the area
Marine Policy, 2018Co-Authors: Jennifer M. Durden, Kevin Murphy, Kristina M Gjerde, Aline Jaeckel, Laura E Lallier, Daniel O B JonesAbstract:Abstract Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is key to the robust environmental management of industrial projects; it is used to anticipate, assess and reduce environmental and social risks of a project. It is instrumental in project planning and execution, and often required for financing and regulatory approval to be granted. The International Seabed Authority currently requires an EIA for Deep-Sea Mining (DSM) in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the Area), but the existing regulations present only a portion of a robust EIA process. This article presents an ideal EIA process for DSM, drawing upon the application of EIA from allied industries. It contains screening, scoping and assessment phases, along with the development of an environmental management plan. It also includes external review by experts, stakeholder consultation, and regulatory review. Lessons learned from application of EIA elsewhere are discussed in relation to DSM, including the integration of EIA into UK domestic law, and the reception of EIAs prepared for Seabed ore extraction in the Exclusive Economic Zones of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Finally, four main challenges of implementing the EIA process to DSM in the Area are presented: 1) EIA process for DSM needs to incorporate mechanisms to address uncertainty; 2) detailed requirements for the EIA process phases should be made clear; 3) mechanisms are needed to ensure that the EIA influences decision making; and, 4) the EIA process requires substantial input and involvement from the regulator.
Andrew K Sweetman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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abyssal plain faunal carbon flows remain depressed 26 years after a simulated Deep Sea Mining disturbance
Biogeosciences, 2018Co-Authors: Tanja Stratmann, Autun Purser, Lidia Lins, Yann Marcon, Clara F Rodrigues, Ascensao Ravara, Marina R Cunha, Erik Simonlledo, Daniel O B Jones, Andrew K SweetmanAbstract:Abstract. Future Deep-Sea Mining for polymetallic nodules in abyssal plains will negatively impact the benthic ecosystem, but it is largely unclear whether this ecosystem will be able to recover from Mining disturbance and if so, to what extent and at what timescale. During the “DISturbance and reCOLonization” (DISCOL) experiment, a total of 22 % of the Seafloor within a 10.8 km 2 circular area of the nodule-rich Seafloor in the Peru Basin (SE Pacific) was ploughed in 1989 to bury nodules and mix the surface sediment. This area was revisited 0.1, 0.5, 3, 7, and 26 years after the disturbance to assess macrofauna, invertebrate megafauna and fish density and diversity. We used this unique abyssal faunal time series to develop carbon-based food web models for each point in the time series using the linear inverse modeling approach for sediments subjected to two disturbance levels: (1) outside the plough tracks; not directly disturbed by plough, but probably suffered from additional sedimentation; and (2) inside the plough tracks. Total faunal carbon stock was always higher outside plough tracks compared with inside plough tracks. After 26 years, the carbon stock inside the plough tracks was 54 % of the carbon stock outside plough tracks. Deposit feeders were least affected by the disturbance, with modeled respiration, external predation, and excretion rates being reduced by only 2.6 % inside plough tracks compared with outside plough tracks after 26 years. In contrast, the respiration rate of filter and suspension feeders was 79.5 % lower in the plough tracks after 26 years. The “total system throughput” ( T ..), i.e., the total sum of modeled carbon flows in the food web, was higher throughout the time series outside plough tracks compared with the corresponding inside plough tracks area and was lowest inside plough tracks directly after the disturbance (8.63 × 10 −3 ± 1.58 × 10 −5 mmol C m −2 d −1 ). Even 26 years after the DISCOL disturbance, the discrepancy of T .. between outside and inside plough tracks was still 56 %. Hence, C cycling within the faunal compartments of an abyssal plain ecosystem remains reduced 26 years after physical disturbance, and a longer period is required for the system to recover from such a small-scale sediment disturbance experiment.
Tanja Stratmann - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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abyssal plain faunal carbon flows remain depressed 26 years after a simulated Deep Sea Mining disturbance
Biogeosciences, 2018Co-Authors: Tanja Stratmann, Autun Purser, Lidia Lins, Yann Marcon, Clara F Rodrigues, Ascensao Ravara, Marina R Cunha, Erik Simonlledo, Daniel O B Jones, Andrew K SweetmanAbstract:Abstract. Future Deep-Sea Mining for polymetallic nodules in abyssal plains will negatively impact the benthic ecosystem, but it is largely unclear whether this ecosystem will be able to recover from Mining disturbance and if so, to what extent and at what timescale. During the “DISturbance and reCOLonization” (DISCOL) experiment, a total of 22 % of the Seafloor within a 10.8 km 2 circular area of the nodule-rich Seafloor in the Peru Basin (SE Pacific) was ploughed in 1989 to bury nodules and mix the surface sediment. This area was revisited 0.1, 0.5, 3, 7, and 26 years after the disturbance to assess macrofauna, invertebrate megafauna and fish density and diversity. We used this unique abyssal faunal time series to develop carbon-based food web models for each point in the time series using the linear inverse modeling approach for sediments subjected to two disturbance levels: (1) outside the plough tracks; not directly disturbed by plough, but probably suffered from additional sedimentation; and (2) inside the plough tracks. Total faunal carbon stock was always higher outside plough tracks compared with inside plough tracks. After 26 years, the carbon stock inside the plough tracks was 54 % of the carbon stock outside plough tracks. Deposit feeders were least affected by the disturbance, with modeled respiration, external predation, and excretion rates being reduced by only 2.6 % inside plough tracks compared with outside plough tracks after 26 years. In contrast, the respiration rate of filter and suspension feeders was 79.5 % lower in the plough tracks after 26 years. The “total system throughput” ( T ..), i.e., the total sum of modeled carbon flows in the food web, was higher throughout the time series outside plough tracks compared with the corresponding inside plough tracks area and was lowest inside plough tracks directly after the disturbance (8.63 × 10 −3 ± 1.58 × 10 −5 mmol C m −2 d −1 ). Even 26 years after the DISCOL disturbance, the discrepancy of T .. between outside and inside plough tracks was still 56 %. Hence, C cycling within the faunal compartments of an abyssal plain ecosystem remains reduced 26 years after physical disturbance, and a longer period is required for the system to recover from such a small-scale sediment disturbance experiment.
Chris Hauton - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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opinion midwater ecosystems must be considered when evaluating environmental risks of Deep Sea Mining
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2020Co-Authors: Jeffrey C Drazen, Malcolm R Clark, Craig R Smith, Kristina M Gjerde, Steven H D Haddock, Glenn S Carter, Anela C Choy, Pierre Dutrieux, Erica Goetze, Chris HautonAbstract:Despite rapidly growing interest in Deep-Sea mineral exploitation, environmental reSearch and management have focused on impacts to Seafloor environments, paying little attention to pelagic ecosystems. Nonetheless, reSearch indicates that Seafloor Mining will generate sediment plumes and noise at the Seabed and in the water column that may have extensive ecological effects in Deep midwaters (1), which can extend from an approximate depth of 200 meters to 5 kilometers. Deep midwater ecosystems represent more than 90% of the biosphere (2), contain fish biomass 100 times greater than the global annual fish catch (3), connect shallow and Deep-Sea ecosystems, and play key roles in carbon export (4), nutrient regeneration, and provisioning of harvestable fish stocks (5). These ecosystem services, as well as biodiversity, could be negatively affected by Mining. Here we argue that Deep-Sea Mining poses significant risks to midwater ecosystems and suggest how these risks could be evaluated more comprehensively to enable environmental resource managers and society at large to decide whether and how Deep-Sea Mining should proceed. Midwater animal biodiversity: Squid, fish, shrimp, copepods, medusa, filter-feeding jellies, and marine worms are among the midwater creatures that could be affected by Deep Sea Mining. Photos by E. Goetze, K. Peijnenburg, D. Perrine, Hawaii Seafood Council (B. Takenaka, J. Kaneko), S. Haddock, J. Drazen, B. Robison, DeepEND (Dante Fenolio), and MBARI. Interest in Deep-Sea Mining for sulfide deposits near hydrothermal vents, polymetallic nodules on the abyssal Seafloor, and cobalt-rich crusts on Seamounts (6) has grown substantially in the last decade. Equipment and system development are already occurring. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international organization created under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to manage Deep-Sea Mining beyond national jurisdiction, is developing mineral exploitation regulations, the Mining Code. Currently, 30 ISA exploration contracts cover over 1.5 million … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: jdrazen{at}hawaii.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
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are shallow water shrimps proxies for hydrothermal vent shrimps to assess the impact of Deep Sea Mining
Marine Environmental Research, 2019Co-Authors: Nelia C Mestre, Alastair Brown, Chris Hauton, Manon Auguste, Taina Garcia Da Fonseca, Catia Cardoso, D Barthelemy, N Charlemagne, Julia Machon, Juliette RavauxAbstract:Polymetallic Seafloor massive sulphide deposits are potential targets for Deep-Sea Mining, but high concentrations of metals (including copper - Cu) may be released during exploitation activities, potentially inducing harmful impact. To determine whether shallow-water shrimp are suitable ecotoxicological proxies for Deep-Sea hydrothermal vent shrimp the effects of waterborne Cu exposure (3 and 10 days at 0.4 and 4 μM concentrations) in Palaemon elegans, Palaemon serratus, and Palaemon varians were compared with Mirocaris fortunata. Accumulation of Cu and a set of biomarkers were analysed. Results show different responses among congeneric species indicating that it is not appropriate to use shallow-water shrimps as ecotoxicological proxies for Deep-water shrimps. During the evolutionary history of these species they were likely subject to different chemical environments which may have induced different molecular/biochemical adaptations/tolerances. Results highlight the importance of analysing effects of Deep-Sea Mining in situ and in local species to adequately assess ecotoxicological effects under natural environmental conditions.
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identifying toxic impacts of metals potentially released during Deep Sea Mining a synthesis of the challenges to quantifying risk
Frontiers in Marine Science, 2017Co-Authors: Chris Hauton, Alastair Brown, Nelia C Mestre, Sven Thatje, Maria Joao Bebianno, Ines Martins, Raul Bettencourt, Miquel Canals, Anna Sanchezvidal, Bruce ShillitoAbstract:In January 2017, the International Seabed Authority released a discussion paper on the development of Environmental Regulations for Deep-Sea Mining within the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction (the ‘Area’). With the release of this paper, the prospect for commercial Mining in the Area within the next decade has become very real. Moreover, within nations’ Exclusive Economic Zones, the exploitation of Deep-Sea mineral ore resources could take place on very much shorter time scales and, indeed, may have already started. However, potentially toxic metal mixtures may be released at Sea during different stages of the Mining process and in different physical phases (dissolved or particulate). As toxicants, metals can disrupt organism physiology and performance, and therefore may impact whole populations, leading to ecosystem scale effects. A challenge to the prediction of toxicity is that Deep-Sea ore deposits include complex mixtures of minerals, including potentially toxic metals such as copper, cadmium, zinc, and lead, as well as rare earth elements. Whereas the individual toxicity of some of these dissolved metals has been established in laboratory studies, the complex and variable mineral composition of Seabed resources makes the a priori prediction of the toxic risk of Deep-Sea Mining extremely challenging. Furthermore, although extensive data quantify the toxicity of metals in solution in shallow-water organisms, these may not be representative of the toxicity in Deep-Sea organisms, which may differ biochemically and physiologically and which will experience those toxicants under conditions of low temperature, high hydrostatic pressure, and potentially altered pH. In this synthesis, we present a summation of recent advances in our understanding of the potential toxic impacts of metal exposure to Deep-Sea meio- to megafauna at low temperature and high pressure, and consider the limitation of deriving lethal limits based on the paradigm of exposure to single metals in solution. We consider the potential for long-term and far-field impacts to key benthic invertebrates, including the very real prospect of sub-lethal impacts and behavioural perturbation of exposed species. In conclusion, we advocate the adoption of an existing practical framework for characterising bulk resource toxicity in advance of exploitation.
Juliette Ravaux - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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are shallow water shrimps proxies for hydrothermal vent shrimps to assess the impact of Deep Sea Mining
Marine Environmental Research, 2019Co-Authors: Nelia C Mestre, Alastair Brown, Chris Hauton, Manon Auguste, Taina Garcia Da Fonseca, Catia Cardoso, D Barthelemy, N Charlemagne, Julia Machon, Juliette RavauxAbstract:Polymetallic Seafloor massive sulphide deposits are potential targets for Deep-Sea Mining, but high concentrations of metals (including copper - Cu) may be released during exploitation activities, potentially inducing harmful impact. To determine whether shallow-water shrimp are suitable ecotoxicological proxies for Deep-Sea hydrothermal vent shrimp the effects of waterborne Cu exposure (3 and 10 days at 0.4 and 4 μM concentrations) in Palaemon elegans, Palaemon serratus, and Palaemon varians were compared with Mirocaris fortunata. Accumulation of Cu and a set of biomarkers were analysed. Results show different responses among congeneric species indicating that it is not appropriate to use shallow-water shrimps as ecotoxicological proxies for Deep-water shrimps. During the evolutionary history of these species they were likely subject to different chemical environments which may have induced different molecular/biochemical adaptations/tolerances. Results highlight the importance of analysing effects of Deep-Sea Mining in situ and in local species to adequately assess ecotoxicological effects under natural environmental conditions.
