Natural capital and exploitation of the deep ocean / edited by Maria Baker, Eva Ramirez-Llodra and Paul Tyler.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Introduction : Evolution of knowledge, exploration, and exploitation of the deep ocean / Maria Baker, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, and Paul Tyler -- A primer on the economics of natural capital and its relevance to deep-sea exploitation and conservation / Porter Hoagland, Di Jin, and Stace Beaulieu -- The legal framework for resource management in the deep sea / Aline Jaeckel, Kristina Gjerde, and Duncan Currie -- Exploitation of deep-sea fishery resources / Les Watling, Lissette Victorero, Jeffrey C. Drazen, and Matthew Gianni -- Deep-sea mining : processes and impacts / Daniel O. B. Jones, Diva J. Amon, and Abbie S. A. Chapman -- The natural capital of offshore oil, gas, and methane hydrates in the World Ocean / Angelo F. Bernardino, Erik E. Cordes, and Thomas A. Schlacher -- The exploitation of deep-sea biodiversity : components, capacity, and conservation / Harriet Harden-Davies -- The deep ocean's link to culture and global processes : nonextractive value of the deep sea / Andrew R. Thurber and Amanda N. Netburn -- Climate change cumulative impacts on deep-sea ecosystems / Nadine Le Bris and Lisa A. Levin -- Space, the final resource / S. Kim Juniper, Kate Thornborough, Paul Tyler, and Ylenia Randrianarisoa -- A holistic vision for our future deep ocean / Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Maria Baker, and Paul Tyler.

The deep ocean is by far the planet's largest biome and holds a wealth of potential natural assets. Human exploitation of the deep ocean is rapidly increasing whilst becoming more visible to many through the popular media, particularly film and television. The scientific literature of deep-sea exploitation and its effects has also rapidly expanded as a direct function of this increased national and global interest in exploitation of deep-sea resources, both biological (e.g. fisheries, genetic resources) and non-biological (e.g. minerals, oil, gas, methane hydrate). At the same time there is a growing interest in deep-sea contamination (including plastics), with many such studies featured in high profile scientific journals and covered by global media outlets. However, there is currently no comprehensive integration of this information in any form and these topics are only superficially covered in classic textbooks on deep-sea biology. This concise and accessible work provides an understanding of the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, both at the seafloor and in the water column, and how these might be affected as a result of human interaction, exploitation and, ultimately, environmental change. It follows a logical progression from geological and physical processes, ecology, biology, and biogeography, to exploitation, management, and conservation. Natural Capital and Exploitation of the Deep Ocean is aimed at marine biologists and ecologists, oceanographers, fisheries scientists and managers, fish biologists, environmental scientists, and conservation biologists. It will also be of relevance and use to a multi-disciplinary audience of fish and wildlife agencies, NGOs, and government departments involved in deep-sea conservation and management.-- Provided by publisher.