国家海洋学中心 Adrian G. Glover团队取得一项新突破。他们的研究揭示了深海采矿轨道的长期影响和生物恢复。这一研究成果发表在2025年3月26日出版的国际学术期刊《自然》上。

在这里，课题组研究人员表明，在一个移除结核的测试采矿实验后的几十年里，许多生物群体的生物影响是持续的，尽管一些生物种群，包括沉积物大型动物，移动沉积物捕食者，甚至大型无根动物，已经开始重建，尽管海底持续发生物理变化。该团队还发现，受小规模试验羽流影响的地区在44年后的残留沉积影响有限，其中一些生物组合的丰度与对照地区相似。尽管现代收集器设计的某些方面可能会减少与此测试采矿实验相比的物理影响，但他们的结果表明，深海采矿的影响将持续至少十年的时间框架，并且在直接受干扰的地区，尽管有一些重新定居，但社区仍将发生变化。在他们的研究中看到的长期影响为有效管理采矿活动提供了关键数据，如果采矿活动发生，包括尽量减少直接影响和划出一个有效的保护区网络。

据了解，深海多金属结核采矿目前正处于勘探阶段，一些集团提议在几年内进行开采。对这一产业的管理需要深海生态系统长期影响的证据，但人们对海底生态系统从十年尺度的影响中恢复的能力知之甚少。

附：英文原文

Title: Long-term impact and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track

Author: Jones, Daniel O. B., Arias, Maria Belen, Van Audenhaege, Loc, Blackbird, Sabena, Boolukos, Corie, Bribiesca-Contreras, Guadalupe, Copley, Jonathan T., Dale, Andrew, Evans, Susan, Fleming, Bethany F. M., Gates, Andrew R., Grant, Hannah, Hartl, Mark G. J., Huvenne, Veerle A. I., Jeffreys, Rachel M., Josso, Pierre, King, Lucas D., Simon-Lled, Erik, Le Bas, Tim, Norman, Louisa, OMalley, Bryan, Peacock, Thomas, Shimmield, Tracy, Stewart, Eva C. D., Sweetman, Andrew K., Wardell, Catherine, Aleynik, Dmitry, Glover, Adrian G.

Issue&Volume: 2025-03-26

Abstract: Deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining is currently in the exploration phase with some groups proposing a move towards extraction within years1. Management of this industry requires evidence of the long-term effects on deep-sea ecosystems2, but the ability of seafloor ecosystems to recover from impacts over decadal scales is poorly understood3. Here we show that, four decades after a test mining experiment that removed nodules, the biological impacts in many groups of organisms are persistent, although populations of several organisms, including sediment macrofauna, mobile deposit feeders and even large-sized sessile fauna, have begun to re-establish despite persistent physical changes at the seafloor. We also reveal that areas affected by plumes from this small-scale test have limited detectable residual sedimentation impacts with some biological assemblages similar in abundance compared to control areas after 44 years. Although some aspects of the modern collector design may cause reduced physical impact compared to this test mining experiment, our results show that mining impacts in the abyssal ocean will be persistent over at least decadal timeframes and communities will remain altered in directly disturbed areas, despite some recolonisation. The long-term effects seen in our study provide critical data for effective management of mining activities, if they occur, including minimising direct impacts and setting aside an effective network of protected areas4,5.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08921-3

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08921-3