Dear Dr. Schoening:

Thank you for submitting your paper to the special issue of Biogeosciences on deep-sea mining. Your paper has received quite some comments and constructive feedback. Based on your responses, I believe that a revised version might be publishable, but likely only after another round of evaluation. I therefore invite you to submit a revised version, which will be evaluated by (a subset of) the referees before making a binding decision.

With best regards, Jack Middelburg, Associate Editor

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Dear Dr. Schoening:

Your revised paper was evaluated by two referees and both believe that your paper has very much improved. They recommend accepting this paper after revision. Referee # 2 identified a few remaining technical/presentation issues and referee # 1 expressed the need for further elaboration on the identify of the fauna. On the basis of these reviews I invite you to submit another revision, which after inspection by me will likely be accepted for publication.

With best regards, Jack Middelburg, Associate Editor

Since I am the handling and acting editor in chief, there is nothing to add here.

Dear Dr. Schoening:

Thank you for submitting your revised paper to Biogeosciences. You have adequately resolved the few remaining issues and I am therefore happy to inform you that your paper is now accepted for publication in Biogeosciences. However, while reading I identified a few minor corrections.
L. 88: .. that these ecosystems are not synonymous with each other.” Consider rewriting, e.g. …ecosystems are distinct/are not all alike, …
L 96: change …  as anchors for stalked fauna of sufficient stability .. to as anchors of sufficient stability for stalked fauna..

With best regards,

Jack Middelburg, Associate Editor

This is to confirm my decision as guest editor