The circumpolar distribution of Antarctic seafloor biodiversity hotspots
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Antarctic seafloor biodiversity is unique, more than half of its species are endemic. However, the distribution of this biodiversity is poorly understood, and missing baseline data is hindering informed management and conservation. Here we combine information extracted from seafloor images with environmental variables and use statistical models to, for the first time, predictively map the distribution of seafloor biodiversity on the entire Antarctic continental shelf. We identify hotspots of morphospecies richness and epifaunal cover, and show biodiversity hotspots are most prevalent in shallow, cold, food-rich environments with strong seafloor currents and little sedimentation. The colder half of the Antarctic continental shelf hosts 84% of seafloor biodiversity hotspots, highlighting its potential vulnerability to ocean warming. We assess spatial management and show only 14% of hotspots occur within existing marine protected areas. Identifying areas considered important for multiple components of the marine ecosystem, a key consideration in spatial management, reveals predicted seafloor biodiversity hotspots overlap 21-times more than expected at random with pelagic conservation priority areas identified from seabird and mammal tracks. Our analysis reveals new seafloor biodiversity hotspots and provides managers and stakeholders with new information critical to conserve one of the most unique marine ecosystems on Earth.
