The strategic importance of metals in polymetallic nodules has driven growing interest in their exploitation to supply high-technology applications and support a green-energy transition. A holistic appraisal of potential impacts on Baltic ecosystems is therefore essential before any operations proceed.
Francisco Nascimento will talk about results from a four-month field experiment that examined the effects of simulated nodule extraction on benthic diversity, community structure, and key ecosystem processes governing carbon and nitrogen cycling.