Exploring river ocean connections in the deep Amazon submarine canyon

Resumo: The Amazon river discharges an enormous plume of sediment and particulate carbon into the Atlantic Ocean, which is primarily deposited on the submarine canyon fan at depths from ~ 200 to 2500m. As a result, the Amazon canyon may be a global hotspot of carbon burial with major implications for the global climate. However, the deep-sea marine life in the Amazon canyon is unknown and undocumented to this date, even though this canyon may support lush and vivid deep-sea corals, oceanic predators, and an abundant seafloor fauna (potentially including methane-seep communities). This is a key conservation barrier in the South Atlantic, as threats from climate, unchecked fisheries, and offshore oil and gas interests advance in the region. Here we propose the first deepwater exploration of the biodiversity and ecology of the Amazon submarine canyon and adjacent slope habitats. We will discover vulnerable marine ecosystems and how they use riverine resources, quantify rates of carbon burial and seabed respiration under future warming conditions, and examine how sea life has adapted in deep waters next to the largest river basin in the world. By documenting and mapping biodiversity hotspots in the deep Amazon, we expect to make a global impact on our understanding of marine biodiversity and the oceanic carbon cycling while also supporting deep-sea research capacity, education and outreach in the region next to the Amazon river mouth.

Data de início: 01/04/2026
Prazo (meses): 24

Participantes:

Papel	Nome
Coordenador	ANGELO FRAGA BERNARDINO