Structure and Ecology of benthic communities of the Rio Grande Rise and their conservation for future deep-sea mining

• Grant number: 17/11884-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Biological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Yukio Gomes Sumida
• Grantee: Paulo Vinicius Ferraz Corrêa
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Rio Grande Rise (RGR) has become a region of great commercial and scientific interest, due to its potential for the mining of E-tech elements. These include rare earth minerals and other metals that are used in the high technology industry and green technologies. Recently, the International Seabed Authority and the Geological Survey of Brazil signed a contract allowing the exploration of selected areas of the RGR by Brazil. However, the contract also requires biological baseline studies and an assessment of the possible environmental impacts of mining. The aim of the present project is to characterize the benthic communities of different habitats on the RGR and compare these communities using ecological data and environmental predictors. The results will be used to propose the best areas for conservation. Biological data will be gathered from video images and samples from the seafloor. After sorting, the collected specimens will be classified and identified through morphology and Molecular Biology techniques. These results will be used to calculate and compare community ecological data of different habitats in RGR. We intend this project will lead to a proposal to create protected areas in the RGR to preserve the benthic fauna from potential impacts of deep-sea mining in the future. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MONTSERRAT, FRANCESC; GUILHON, MAILA; FERRAZ CORREA, PAULO VINICIUS; BERGO, NATASCHA MENEZES; SIGNORI, CAMILA NEGRAO; TURA, PEDRO MARONE; MALY, MASCIMILIANO DE LOS SANTOS; MOURA, DENISE; JOVANE, LUIGI; PELLIZARI, VIVIAN; et al. Deep-sea mining on the Rio Grande Rise (Southwestern Atlantic): A review on environmental baseline, ecosystem services and potential impacts. DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS, v. 145, p. 31-58, MAR 2019. (16/24677-8, 17/11884-8, 16/10091-1, 16/16183-5, 14/50820-7)

CORRE, PAULO VINICIUS FERRAZ; JOVANE, LUIGI; MURTON, BRAMLEY J.; SUMIDA, PAULO YUKIO GOMES. Benthic megafauna habitats, community structure and environmental drivers at Rio Grande Rise (SW Atlantic). DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS, v. 186, p. 16-pg., 2022-06-09. (17/11884-8, 14/50820-7)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CORRÊA, Paulo Vinicius Ferraz. Benthic fauna of the Rio Grande Rise, SW Atlantic: ecology and implications for conservation. 2022. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.