 The removal of polymetallic nodules from the abyssal seafloor in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone, CCZ, in the Central Pacific could have a significant impact on carbon cycling. This is because polymetallic nodules are important sources of nutrients for deep-sea organisms, and their removal could reduce the amount of carbon available to them. To assess the potential effects of such a removal, researchers developed two detailed food web models for two areas of the CCZ. They found that the removal of nodule-dependent species could reduce the total carbon cycling rate by up to 18%. Additionally, the removal of nodule-dependent species could reduce the amount of carbon available to the microbial loop by up to 56%, indicating that the impact of deep-sea mining on carbon cycling may be more complex than previously thought. This article was authored by Tanya Stratman and Tanya Stratman.