Abstract
Keynote points
• Seamounts and pinnacles are common
topographic features of the global ocean.
• Sampling effort has increased in recent
years but only a small percentage of seamounts has been sampled in detail.
• Limited sampling, combined with high environmental variability among seamounts,
constrains biodiversity knowledge.
• Fishing, especially bottom trawling, constitutes the greatest current threat to
seamount ecosystems but marine debris
or litter, climate change and potential
seabed mining are additional concerns.
However, initiatives to protect seamounts
are increasing.
• Recent time series research on deep seamounts shows limited, if any, recovery of
stony coral communities over 15–20-year
periods.
• Seamounts and pinnacles are common
topographic features of the global ocean.
• Sampling effort has increased in recent
years but only a small percentage of seamounts has been sampled in detail.
• Limited sampling, combined with high environmental variability among seamounts,
constrains biodiversity knowledge.
• Fishing, especially bottom trawling, constitutes the greatest current threat to
seamount ecosystems but marine debris
or litter, climate change and potential
seabed mining are additional concerns.
However, initiatives to protect seamounts
are increasing.
• Recent time series research on deep seamounts shows limited, if any, recovery of
stony coral communities over 15–20-year
periods.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | The Second World Ocean Assessment II |
Place of Publication | New York, USA |
Publisher | United Nations |
Chapter | 7L |
Pages | 437-451 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Volume | 1 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 978-92-1-1-604006-2 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-92-1-1-130422-0 |
Publication status | Published - Apr 2021 |