Targets of deep-sea mining commonly coincide with biodiversity hotspots, such as hydrothermal vents. The resilience of these ecosystems relies on larval dispersal, which may be directed by habitat-specific soundscapes. We urge for a global effort to implement soundscape as a conservation tool to assess anthropogenic disruption to deep-sea benthic ecosystems.

Using Soundscapes to Assess Deep-Sea Benthic Ecosystems

We present a revised estimate of the maximum depth of the Challenger Deep, generally considered the deepest area of the world's oceans, based on a series of submersible dives conducted in June 2020. These depth estimates are derived from acoustic altimeter profiles referenced to in-situ pressure and corrected for observed oceanographic properties of the water-column, atmospheric pressure, gravity and gravity-gradient anomalies, and water-level effects. We also present comprehensive methods to determine depth from observed pressure using modern standards and estimate the associated uncertainty. For the Challenger Deep, the deepest observed seafloor depth was 10,935 m (±6 m at 95% C.I.) below mean sea level. For this work, the error term is dominated by the uncertainty of the pressure sensor used but we show that the gravity correction is substantial. We compare to these new results other recent acoustic and pressure-based measurements for the Challenger Deep.

Revised depth of the Challenger Deep from submersible transects; including a general method for precise, pressure-derived depths in the ocean

A soundscape is the recording of all sounds present in an area, creating a holistic view of the acoustic profile in an ecosystem. Studying acoustic parameters of marine soundscapes as a whole has been shown to give an indication of the health status of the location, as well as correlate to which species may be present and using the area. With the rapid innovation of technology, especially data storage and declining cost of equipment, marine soundscape research is fast increasing, and these previous limitations have been switched for computing capacity for data analysis. Here, we perform a systematic assessment of literature of marine soundscape studies, from 1978, when the first soundscape study was reported, until 2021. We identified 200 primary research studies that recorded soundscapes and captured their geographical location, depth, habitat, duration of the study, and number of sites in each study. Using this data, we summarize the state of play in marine soundscapes studies, and identify knowledge gaps in the spatial coverage, depth profiles, habitat representation and study duration. Spatially, studies are biased towards the northern hemisphere. They are also more prevalent in more easily accessible ecosystems, in order from most to least studied, in coastal (38%), pelagic (20%), tropical coral reef (17%), rocky reef (7%), polar (5.5%), seagrass meadows, oyster reef and kelp/algal forest (<5% each) areas, with zones of cold-water coral the least studied (0.3%). Continuing the trend of accessibility, studies also tended to focus on shallow ecosystems. Most recordings (68%) were conducted in the upper 50 m, with 13% in 50-200 m depths, and only 0.6% at a depth >4000 m. With anthropogenic noise and other pollution sources increasing globally, these gaps in research should be further addressed, especially as they pertain to vulnerable ecosystems, many of which are affected by global climate change and anthropogenic influences. It is crucial that marine soundscape studies continue to be developed and pursued, to establish baselines for healthy ecosystems and/or document recovery following management actions.

/pdf/state-of-play-in-marine-soundscape-assessments-15p3w2jr.pdf

State of Play in Marine Soundscape Assessments

In this paper we give an overview of factors and limitations impairing deep-sea sensor data, and we show how automatic tests can give sensors self-validation and self-diagnostic capabilities. This work is intended to lay a basis for sophisticated use of smart sensors in long-term autonomous operation in remote deep-sea locations. Deep-sea observation relies on data from sensors operating in remote, harsh environments which may affect sensor output if uncorrected. In addition to the environmental impact, sensors are subject to limitations regarding power, communication, and limitations on recalibration. To obtain long-term measurements of larger deep-sea areas, fixed platform sensors on the ocean floor may be deployed for several years. As for any observation systems, data collected by deep-sea observation equipment are of limited use if the quality or accuracy (closeness of agreement between the measurement and the true value) is not known. If data from a faulty sensor are used directly, this may result in an erroneous understanding of deep water conditions, or important changes or conditions may not be detected. Faulty sensor data may significantly weaken the overall quality of the combined data from several sensors or any derived model. This is particularly an issue for wireless sensor networks covering large areas, where the overall measurement performance of the network is highly dependent on the data quality from individual sensors. Existing quality control manuals and initiatives for best practice typically recommend a selection of (near) real-time automated checks. These are mostly limited to basic and straight forward verification of metadata and data format, and data value or transition checks against pre-defined thresholds. Delayed-mode inspection is often recommended before a final data quality stamp is assigned.

/pdf/challenges-limitations-and-measurement-strategies-to-ensure-315dq14v.pdf

Challenges, limitations, and measurement strategies to ensure data quality in deep-sea sensors

Baseline soundscapes of deep‑sea habitats reveal heterogeneity among ecosystems and sensitivity to anthropogenic impacts

/pdf/ambient-sound-at-challenger-deep-mariana-trench-3wxfl9gmws.pdf

Ambient Sound at Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench

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Ambient Sound at Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench