Carrying out exploration work on polymetallic sulphide fields in the Indian Ocean the inventory, characterisation and genetic determination of benthic biodiversity at fault systems of the licence area as well as in the area of active outlet areas and inactive sulphide fields along the southern Central Indian and northern Southeast Indian Ridges by means of an underwater robot (ROV) and other camera-guided underwater systems (video sleds)

Reviews for the sediment traps in the water column. In addition, the determination of the biodiversity and genetic diversity of the fauna in active and inactive hydrothermal fields will be carried out with the help of eDNA on sediment samples and on water samples. Furthermore, selected video and photo transects will be mapped with regard to the occurrence of the megaufauna and the results will be transferred to the BGR INDEX ArcGIS project (with ArcGIS Pro software).