Plastic contamination is now recognized as one of the most serious environmental issues for
oceans. Both macro-and microplastic debris are accumulating in surface and deep waters …

Microorganisms interact with all biological components in a variety of ways. They contribute
to increase the efficiency of marine food webs and facilitate the adaptation of multicellular …

Cold-water coral (CWC) habitats dwell on continental shelves, slopes, seamounts, and ridge
systems around the world's oceans from 50 to 4000 m depth, providing heterogeneous …

Deep-sea ecosystems are the most extensive on Earth and provide key goods and services
for human well-being, such as genetic resources and climate regulation. Maintaining the …

Cold-water corals are threatened by global warming, especially in the Mediterranean Sea
where they live close to their upper known thermal limit (ie 13° C), yet their response to …

Bottom trawling can significantly affect benthic communities, directly through immediate
removal of sessile organisms and indirectly through sediment resuspension. Submarine …

Microplastic pollution is ubiquitous in the oceans, threatening the health of marine
ecosystems. The deep sea is recognized as a sink for microplastics, but there is a paucity of …

The potential release of metals, especially copper (Cu) during mining of seafloor massive
sulphides (SMS), represents a potential toxicological threat to cold-water coral (CWC) …

Ocean warming is expected to im**e detrimentally on marine ecosystems worldwide up to
impose extreme environmental conditions capable to potentially jeopardize the good …

Cold-water corals form vast reefs that are highly valuable habitats for diverse deep-sea
communities. However, as the deep ocean is warming, it is essential to assess the resilience …