The Riches that Lie in the Deep Sea: New Study Examines Ocean Depths

The deep sea remains mysterious in a lot of ways. Because of the immense pressures and near-freezing temperatures at these depths, the environment is difficult to explore. Yet a mass of wealth can be found in these deep waters and now, scientists are drawing attention to the services provided by the deep sea as it's being impacted by climate change.

"The deep sea realm is so distant, but affects us in so many ways," said Jeroen Ingels, a co-author of the new paper, in a news release. "That's where the passion lies: to tell everyone what's down there and that we still have a lot to explore."

As humans deplete natural resources elsewhere, the deep sea is being increasingly exploited for food, energy and metals like gold and silver. In order to learn a bit more about how much is at stake, the scientists reviewed over 200 scientific papers. This review revealed that the deep sea nurtures fish stocks, serves as a dumping ground for our waste, and is a massive reserve of oil, gas, precious metals and the rare minerals we use in modern electronics. It also plays a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

In fact, the deep sea represents about 98.5 percent of the volume of our planet that is hospitable to animals. By highlighting the importance of the deep sea and identifying the traits that differentiate this environment from others, the researchers hope to provide tools for effective management.

"This study is one of the steps in making sure that the benefits of the deep sea are understood by those who are trying to, or beginning to, regulate its resources," said Andrew Thurber, lead author of the report. "We ultimately hope that it will be a useful tool for policy makers."

The findings are published in the journal Biogeosciences.