Hawaiʻi Abyssal Nodules and Associated Ecosystems Expedition
From September 13-October 6, the Hawaiʻi Abyssal Nodules and Associated Ecosystems Expedition will investigate abyssal plain nodules and ecosystems far offshore Moku o Keawe (Hawaiʻi Island) in the US Exclusive Economic Zone.
Research Purpose and Objectives
Scientists from the US Geological Survey (USGS), the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) will conduct ship-based research in the deep waters and seafloor far offshore the Hawaiian Islands in Fall 2024. The team, with its broad range of expertise in biology, geology, and oceanography, will study marine minerals and their environmental setting—the microbes and animals that coexist with them and the characteristics of the surrounding sediments and seawater—in the deepest and least scientifically characterized parts of the ocean, known as the abyssal plains.
Abyssal Plains and Manganese Nodules
Abyssal plains exist at depths between 3,000 and 6,000 meters (9,800 to 19,700 feet) and constitute more than 70 percent of the global seafloor. Processes driving the geology and biology of these deep-sea environments remain largely unstudied. To facilitate understanding of global abyssal seafloor settings given the very little physical data available, scientists use large-scale factors like sedimentation rate, surface primary productivity, and bathymetry to predict the geologic features, marine minerals, and ecosystems that are likely to occur. In the abyssal regions about 230 miles (~370 kilometers) south of the Island of Hawaiʻi, oceanographic and geologic evidence indicate that manganese nodules may be present on the seafloor.
Abyssal manganese nodules—concretions smaller than a fist that are mainly composed of iron and manganese and form very slowly, at rates of millimeters per million years—offer a distinct habitat for local fauna compared to the surrounding sediment-covered seafloor. Since these nodules form in layers, they can offer unique insights into the geochemistry of the ocean going back millions of years, yet their formation, regional distribution, and interaction with their environment is still not well understood.
The research expedition will characterize the abyssal plain south of Hawai’i, focusing on the interaction of geology and biology within a holistic mineral-environment system. Scientists will:
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Survey and map the water column, seafloor, and sub-seafloor features for this abyssal region
- Collect samples of nodules and sediments
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Investigate manganese nodule presence, regional distribution, and abundance
- Collect and characterize fauna, from microbes to megafauna, living on and near the manganese nodules and the surrounding sediments
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Collect water column geochemical and plankton samples
Hawaiian Cultural Heritage
The focus area for the cruise is partially within Hawaiian waters of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. This region is part of Moananuiākea—the vast Pacific Ocean that is home to Kanaloa, god of the ocean, and a sacred space for Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) and all Pacific peoples1.
For Kanaka Maoli, Moananuiākea is more than an ocean; it is a source of life, knowledge, and spiritual connection. The Kumulipo—a 2,102-line genealogical creation chant—serves as a profound guide illustrating the origins of life and the relationships between all forms of existence, from the smallest microbes to the expansive ocean currents2-4. The chant chronicles the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and the relationships between land (ʻāina), ocean (kai), and elementals (akua), establishing a worldview where natural and cultural resources are inseparable and interdependent5-6.
To honor the cultural significance of Moananuiākea, the research team has partnered with local Hawaiian schools to share their work through virtual interactions and has engaged with the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Cultural Working Group. They have also invited Kanaka Maoli cultural practitioners to participate in the expedition and will archive collected specimens at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu to ensure accessibility to Hawaiian communities.
Recognizing the sacredness of Moananuiākea, the team is committed to incorporating cultural protocols that center on introductions, setting intentions, creating relationships, and asking permission to conduct their work with respect and mindfulness. By honoring Indigenous knowledge in their scientific exploration, they aim to advance understanding of the deep sea while respecting the cultural heritage that guides stewardship of these waters.
References:
1. Beckwith, M. W. Hawaiian mythology. (Youcanprint, 2017).
2. Johnson, R. K. Kumulipo, the Hawaiian hymn of creation. vol. 1 (Ku Pa’a Pub, 1981).
3. Beckwith, M. W. The kumulipo: a Hawaiian creation chant. (University of Hawaii Press, 2000).
4. Beckwith, M. W. Function and meaning of the Kumulipo birth chant in ancient Hawaii. J Am Folk 62, 290–293 (1949).
5. McDougall, B. N. Mo’okū’auhau versus Colonial Entitlement in English Translations of the Kumulipo. Am Q 67, 749–779 (2015).
6. Kanahele, P. K. Ka Honua Ola: Eli Eli Kau Mai. (Kamehameha publishing, 2011).
Summary of Proposed Field Work
Based on interpretations from compiled multibeam echosounder and backscatter and sub-bottom data, a box core and CTD will be deployed to priority regions to obtain physical sediment, mineral, biological, and oceanographic measurements and samples.
The team will utilize a box core to obtain physical seafloor samples to characterize the abyssal plain geological and biological setting. The box core will be equipped with a camera to collect imagery of the seafloor conditions directly surround the box core location.
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Geologists will characterize abyssal manganese nodule size, distribution, and mineralogical and chemical composition, as well as sediment geochemistry and carbon content.
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Biologists will characterize epifaunal, infaunal, and microbial diversity, abundance, and distribution within the seafloor sediments and on any nodules.
The team will also characterize physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the water column and seafloor using CTD casts and shadowgraph imagery. These data will include standard profiles of physical parameters (e.g. conductivity, temperature) throughout the 6,000 meters of water depth and will also generate:
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Water samples for further analyses including environmental DNA (eDNA), particulate organic matter, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, temperature and more. These data will be shared publicly and will help scientists better understand and characterize the region’s environment.
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Imagery to characterize the plankton community in the water column and measurement of particle abundance and loading on the surface of gelatinous animals and feeding structures of pelagic tunicates and pteropods.
Scientific Impact
A key component of the USGS mission is to provide impartial, cutting-edge, and reliable science to the Nation and stakeholders. For studies of global marine minerals, USGS scientists focus on “the setting, genesis, and metal enrichment processes of mineral occurrences...and the relationship between marine minerals related and deep-sea biota.”
The results from the research expedition will directly serve these goals by advancing knowledge about the geological and biological environment in this prospective abyssal nodule region. This in turn will improve understanding of these little-explored deep-sea settings, specifically for the abyssal plain far offshore Hawaiʻi. The scientific data and interpretations that emerge from this expedition will provide information about mineral and ecosystem resources and context for potential management decisions regarding resource use and preservation. The data will also provide information about baseline conditions for the undisturbed deep seafloor.
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