Science

Why a healthy seafloor matters for the Earth system

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 23/09/2026, 16:06:26 UTC.

Briefings

Human bottom trawling has expanded to disturb 2% of the global seafloor annually, reaching depths of 4,000 meters. This activity threatens the seafloor's role as a critical component of the Earth system, which is currently underrepresented in scientific models. The seafloor covers two-thirds of Earth's surface and supports essential biological and geological processes, yet its contribution to global climate and carbon cycles remains largely unknown.

Key points

• Bottom trawling currently disturbs up to 2% of the global seafloor each year, extending to depths of 4,000 meters.
• The seafloor covers two-thirds of Earth's surface and is currently underrepresented in Earth system models despite its critical role.

Context and limitations

The evidence is limited to a single article from September 2026. It does not provide historical data on past trawling impacts, nor does it quantify the specific loss of seafloor area or the current rate of expansion.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 23/09/2026, 16:07:13 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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