Primary Convener:
Beth Orcutt, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences

Convener:
Russell Shomberg, University of Maryland College Park
Samuel Soule, University of Rhode Island

Early Career Convener:
Russell Shomberg, University of Maryland College Park

Chair:
Beth Orcutt, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Julie Huber, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Russell Shomberg, University of Maryland College Park
Samuel Soule, University of Rhode Island

The deep seafloor comprises more than half of Earth’s solid surface. Deep-sea crustal environments - defined here as the exposure of hard rocks to seawater, like on mid-ocean ridges, seamounts, nodules, and subseafloor oceanic crust - are key components of the deep ocean, hosting higher biodiversity and biomass than sedimented environments and playing an essential role in regulating ocean heat, chemical cycling, and biological habitat. With growing interest in potentially using the deep sea, from seamount fisheries to seafloor mining and storage of carbon dioxide, the next decade requires accelerated understanding of seafloor systems. This session aims to highlight the latest exploration and research of the structure, resilience, and ecosystem services of the deep sea environment, the shared objectives across federal, academic, non-profit, and commercial research and operations, and on how new and existing knowledge is being translated for stakeholders to make informed decisions.

Index Terms
4805 Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling
4832 Hydrothermal systems
6620 Science policy
8494 Instruments and techniques

Cross-Listed:
SY - Science and Society
B - Biogeosciences
V - Volcanology‚ Geochemistry and Petrology

Neighborhoods:
3. Earth Covering