Cecchetto, Marta Maria
Project Title
Ecosystem wide survey across the deep seafloor biome of the Clarion Clipperton Zone to help assess and manage the impacts of polymetallic nodule mining and climate change
Abstract
A benthic lander with 3 benthic respirometers will be used to assess and quantify benthic ecosystem functioning, sediment oxygen demand, CO2 production, nutrient fluxes and C-uptake rates.
Oxygen, CO2 and nutrient fluxes will allow to assess the contribution of organism respiration vs oxidation processes and benthic nutrient cycling process at the seafloor. Furthermore, pulse chase experiment will be carried out with isotopically labeled algae to quantify the uptake and turnover of specific elements (i.e C-13) and assign the organisms and pathways responsible.
Linear inverse modelling framework will be used for the quantification of carbon flows and ecosystem budgets. Experimental data sets will be used to form the foundation of food web models focusing on transfer of carbon through the benthic ecosystem.
Supervisors
Dr. Andrew Sweetman
Contact
Email: mc118@hw.ac.uk