Marine biologist Sabine Gollner investigates the various types of life in the deep sea. ‘Half of the earth's surface consists of seas deeper than 200 metres. However, the deep seafloor is definitely not uniform. There are hot springs, wide plains with potato-shaped polymetallic nodules, mountain chains and trenches and coral reefs. Just like on land, there is a lot of variation in the deep-sea landscape. And the deep-sea landscape is also under threat from (future) economic exploitation.’
Artificial nodules ‘We know very little about life in the deep sea. One part of my research focusses on abyssal plains with “polymetallic nodules. Various countries are interested in the extraction of metals, such as cobalt, that are found in these nodules on the ocean floor. However, we still know very little about which forms of life live on and around the nodules, let alone how much damage would be caused if nodules are removed. I am investigating for example whether the same life-forms can be found on artificial nodules made from clay and on the polymetallic nodules. That could theoretically provide the possibility of offering deep-sea life an alternative should the polymetallic nodules be harvested.’
Isolated sources ‘Also around hot springs, where extremely hot and metal-rich water of one hundred degrees Celsius or more is expelled from the ocean floor, the most exotic life-forms, as well as valuable minerals and metals, can be found. However, before one could possibly use those for the Blue Economy, we first need to get to know the life around those sources. For example, how do the various animals move from one isolated source to the next, many kilometres away?’
Code for deep-sea mining ‘Through my work, I hope to contribute to the drawing up of a future international code of conduct for deep-sea mining. Various countries are currently working on such a code within the International Seabed Authority.’
