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Sediment redistribution during simulated benthic disturbance and its implications on deep seabed mining

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Sediment redistribution during simulated benthic disturbance and its implications on deep seabed mining
 
Creator Sharma, R.
Nath, B.N.
Parthiban, G.
Sankar, S.J.
 
Subject resuspended sediments
benthic environment
deep-sea mining
ocean floor
 
Description A benthic disturbance experiment was conducted in the Central Indian Basin to evaluate the possible effects of sediment redistribution on marine ecosystem during deep-sea mining. The analyses of disturbance features on the seafloor and particle resettlement indicate that the most intense impact is created within the experiment site, and some of the re-suspended sediments that remain in the near-bottom water after the disturbance are transported away from the site, changing the physico-chemical conditions in the area. Resedimentation is observed on either side of the disturbance zone, with an increase in suspended particles by 300% (from 49 to 150 mg/m sup(2)/day) during the disturbance and a reduction by 33% (to 95 mg/m sup(2)/day) immediately after the experiment. Higher collection of particles as well as an increase in organic carbon in seafloor sediments S-SW of the disturbance zone indicates directional migration of suspended material and redeposition in the adjacent areas. The implications of increase in turbidity and sedimentation rates in the near bottom water column due to sediment re-suspension, as well as lateral migration of sediment, on the benthic ecosystem have been discussed. These parameters provide important inputs in ascertaining long-term effects of deep-sea mining
 
Date 2009-01-07T10:43:43Z
2009-01-07T10:43:43Z
2001
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Deep-Sea Research (II: Topical Studies in Oceanography), Vol.48; 3363-3380p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1565
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [2001]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Pergamon