The deep seabed, particularly along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, hosts unique ecosystems centered around hydrothermal vents. These hot springs, reaching temperatures of up to 400°C, are home to remarkable species such as the abyssal shrimp Rimicaris exoculata. Living at depths of around 3,000 meters, these shrimp thrive under extreme conditions—enduring pressures 400 times that of the Earth’s surface. They rely on volcanic minerals for nourishment through a symbiotic relationship with bacteria, allowing them to survive in one of the most hostile environments on the planet.

Today, these abyssal ecosystems are threatened by seabed mining, particularly for the metal concretions that have formed there over the millennia. Although these abyssal communities have remained intact until now, resource exploitation could lead to their contamination by the sediments raised, thus disrupting fragile, unexplored ecosystems.