Andrew K Sweetman

Professor Andrew K Sweetman serves as Professor and Chair of Seafloor Ecology and Biogeochemistry at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), leading the Seafloor Ecology and Biogeochemistry research group. With over 12 years of experience, he specializes in deep-sea ecosystem dynamics and anthropogenic impacts.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Deep-Sea Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Germany (2008)
• M.Phil in Fisheries Ecology, University of Bergen, Norway (2003)
• BSc (Hons) in Oceanography and Marine Biology, University of Southampton, UK (2002)

Sweetman's research focuses on seafloor biodiversity responses to human activities including deep-sea mining, carbon capture leakage, aquaculture, and climate change. His work integrates field studies across polar, tropical, and abyssal environments to quantify ecosystem functioning under stress. Recent publications reveal critical insights into dark oxygen production, jellyfish carbon cycling, and scavenger community dynamics in changing oceans.

His publication trends (2023-2024) demonstrate expanding research into deep-sea biogeochemical processes, with increasing emphasis on mining impacts, climate synergies, and novel ecosystem functions like abyssal oxygen generation. These works bridge marine ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental policy.

Sweetman has secured £10+ million in research funding across 27 projects since 2012, including current major grants: DORI (£2M, Nippon Foundation), JPI-Oceans/DEFRA ($10M), and DemoSponge (£500k, BP). His portfolio spans carbon sequestration validation, mining impact assessments, and ecosystem restoration initiatives with UKRI, EC H2020, and industry partners.

He directs SAMS' Seafloor Ecology and Biogeochemistry group, coordinating international collaborations across 15+ institutions to address deep-sea conservation challenges through the Clarion-Clipperton Zone research and Atlantic ecosystem monitoring frameworks.