To assess the status of ecosystems, we need to know more about how they are connected and distributed, what functions they perform and how stable they have been over time. All this requires the collection of new data, but also innovative approaches so that observations taken at local and regional levels can be scaled up to address questions at the ocean basin scale. To do this, the ADSR group will contribute to regional habitat characterization and mapping using bathymetry and imagery and will lead the development of species distribution models under present and future climate scenarios. We will be involved in experimentation with vent fauna and cold-water corals in aquaria to evaluate the experience on physiological and ecotoxicological studies of deep-sea fauna under conditions of metal contamination associated with deep-sea mining activities and climate change scenarios. We will use data generated by iAtlantic WPs to develop numerical optimization tools to identify areas in the whole Atlantic that achieve certain sustainable management and conservation objectives over the short and long-term (climate based predictions). Finally, we will contribute to knowledge transfer through participation in workshops and courses on deep-sea ecology and capacity building on infrastructures for experimentation with deep-sea fauna.

iAtlantic aims to deliver knowledge that is critical for responsible and sustainable management of Atlantic Ocean resources in an era of unprecedented global change. Involving marine scientists from countries bordering the north and south Atlantic Ocean, this ambitious project will determine the resilience of deep-sea animals – and their habitats – to threats such as temperature rise, pollution and human activities. iAtlantic is undertaking an ocean-wide approach to understanding the factors that control the distribution, stability and vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems. Work spans the full scale of the Atlantic basin, from the tip of Argentina in the south to Iceland in the north, and from the east coasts of USA and Brazil to the Azores and the western margins of Europe and Africa. Central to the project’s success is the international collaboration between scientists throughout the Atlantic region, with sharing of expertise, equipment, infrastructure, data and personnel placed at the forefront of iAtlantic’s approach.