IUCN Red List Flags Crisis for Vent Molluscs
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has issued a stark warning: over half of mollusc species living around deep-sea hydrothermal vents are threatened with extinction, primarily due to the escalating impacts of deep-sea mining. The announcement came on Thursday, ahead of UN-led talks this month, as the IUCN renewed its call for a moratorium on such operations.
According to the latest IUCN Red List of threatened species, 62% of vent-dwelling mollusc species—125 out of 201 assessed—are now classified as at risk of extinction. These species, though representing less than 1% of global mollusc biodiversity, play a critical role in the food webs of deep-sea vent ecosystems.
Mining Operations Smother Ecosystems
Growing numbers of firms are extracting critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, and zinc from the superheated fluids emitted by natural hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. However, these mining operations create sediment blankets that disrupt entire ecosystems. "Deep-sea mining would smother the entire ecosystem," Dr Chong Chen, a member of the IUCN's Mollusc Specialist Group, told Reuters. He explained that the loss of molluscs at a particular vent field would also mean the loss of all other non-mollusc vent species.
The IUCN's assessment highlights the vulnerability of these unique species, which have promising potential for medicine and technology. The organization is urging governments to adopt a precautionary approach and halt deep-sea mining until its environmental impacts are fully understood and managed.
