New high-tech flexible networks for the monitoring of deep-sea ecosystems

16 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables
Increasing interest in the acquisition of biotic and abiotic resources from within the deep sea (e.g., fisheries, oil–gas extraction, and mining) urgently imposes the development of novel monitoring technologies, beyond the traditional vessel-assisted, time-consuming, high-cost sampling surveys. The implementation of permanent networks of seabed and water-column-cabled (fixed) and docked mobile platforms is presently enforced, to cooperatively measure biological features and environmental (physicochemical) parameters. Video and acoustic (i.e., optoacoustic) imaging are becoming central approaches for studying benthic fauna (e.g., quantifying species presence, behavior, and trophic interactions) in a remote, continuous, and prolonged fashion. Imaging is also being complemented by in situ environmental-DNA sequencing technologies, allowing the traceability of a wide range of organisms (including prokaryotes) beyond the reach of optoacoustic tools. Here, we describe the different fixed and mobile platforms of those benthic and pelagic monitoring networks, proposing at the same time an innovative roadmap for the automated computing of hierarchical ecological information on deep-sea ecosystems (i.e., from single species’ abundance and life traits to community composition, and overall biodiversity)
This work was developed within the framework of the Tecnoterra (ICM-CSIC/UPC) and the following project activities: ARIM (Autonomous Robotic sea-floor Infrastructure for benthopelagic Monitoring; MartTERA ERA-Net Cofound), ARCHES (Autonomous Robotic Networks to Help Modern Societies; German Helmholtz Association), RESBIO (Grant TEC2017-87861-R; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades), RESNEP (Grant CTM2017-82991-C2-1-R; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades), MERCES (Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Seas - GA No. 689518), and IDEM (Implementing the MSFD to the Deep Mediterranean Sea, GA No. 11.0661/2017/750680/SUB/ENV.C2)