The application of predictive modelling to marine spatial planning associated with deep-sea mining

Deep-sea mining is an emerging industry targeting mineral rich deposits in the deep sea in response to the demands of global growth and modern technologies. The extractive operations proposed are potentially harmful to the deep-sea, and effective management is essential to ensure that this environment is adequately protected. In many cases, the areas targeted for mining are large and data-poor, hampering the development of environmental management and conservation strategies. This project investigates the use of predictive habitat mapping as a tool to overcome these issues, and support spatial planning associated with deep-sea mining. Predictive mapping methods have been applied extensively in shallow water systems, and more recently in deep water, to inform conservation planning and environmental management.

We investigate the application of these methods to polymetallic nodule fields in the tropical Pacific, testing the validity of predictions and comparing the accuracy and performance of models at different spatial scales using top-down and bottom-up approaches. Importantly, this work determines whether broad scale physical habitat maps reflect variation in biological communities. By addressing these key questions, we move closer to developing appropriate tools to support spatial planning in the vast, data-poor areas associated with deep-sea mining.