The multilevel assessment of the water column located above the seabed of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, an area rich in mineral resources targeted for the mining industry, first reveals that interconnected ecological and oceanographic processes support numerous ecosystem services. As a result, the cumulative impacts of fishing, deep-sea mining, shipping, and climate change on organisms across the epi-, meso-, and bathy-pelagic layers of this region are highlighted, as well as their impact on ecosystem services. Finally, management measures and conservation strategies are proposed, highlighting the socio-ecological interconnectivity between marine life and humans, to foster sustainable ecosystem services for global human well-being and to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the Pacific communities. |
