COBALT-RICH FERROMANGANESE CRUSTS
18
perature, salinity, oxygen, particulate organic carbon flux) and
topographical features (such as bathymetry, plate boundaries,
sea-floor sediment, seamounts, hydrothermal vents). These
characteristics were used to select relatively homogeneous re-
gions in terms of habitat and associated biological communi-
ties. The process was dominated by physical factors, but these
were modified through knowledge of patterns of community
composition and processes of dispersal, isolation, and evolu-
tion. The classification is considered a living document, and
boundaries are subject to further refinement.
Pelagic waters were divided into 30 global provinces. Benthic
areas were subdivided into 14 bathyal (800 to 3 500 metres
depth; Figure 6), 14 abyssal (3 500 to 6 500 metres depth; Fig-
ure 7), and 10 hadal (more than 6 500 metres depth) provinces.
In the general Pacific Islands region, there are 8 lower bathyal
provinces, and 4 abyssal provinces. Within such a broad region-
al classification, more detailed schemes can be developed,
such as seascape definition (Harris and Whiteway 2009), which
is based on topography, or for a specific feature like seamounts
(Clark
et al
. 2011).
