Deep Sea Minerals - Vol 3 - Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts

perature, salinity, oxygen, particulate organic carbon flux) and topographical features (such as bathymetry, plate boundaries, sea-floor sediment, seamounts, hydrothermal vents). These characteristics were used to select relatively homogeneous re- gions in terms of habitat and associated biological communi- ties. The process was dominated by physical factors, but these were modified through knowledge of patterns of community composition and processes of dispersal, isolation, and evolu- tion. The classification is considered a living document, and boundaries are subject to further refinement.

Pelagic waters were divided into 30 global provinces. Benthic areas were subdivided into 14 bathyal (800 to 3 500 metres depth; Figure 6), 14 abyssal (3 500 to 6 500 metres depth; Fig- ure 7), and 10 hadal (more than 6 500 metres depth) provinces. In the general Pacific Islands region, there are 8 lower bathyal provinces, and 4 abyssal provinces. Within such a broad region- al classification, more detailed schemes can be developed, such as seascape definition (Harris and Whiteway 2009), which is based on topography, or for a specific feature like seamounts (Clark et al . 2011).

COBALT-RICH FERROMANGANESE CRUSTS 18