Megafauna and xenophyophores (both greater than 20 mm) determined from photographic transects (n = 4 transects per treatment, covering a total of 5,963 m 2). Meiofaunal foraminifera from the surface sediments (n = 6 cores per treatment). Mean grain size in the surface (top 10 mm) sediments (n = 4 cores total). Total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen in the surface (top 5 mm) sediments (n = 38 cores total). Sediment and nodule macrofaunal samples (n = 6 cores control, n = 13 cores disturbed) from the upper 150 mm of the sediment. Note for macrofaunal samples some of the boxcore locations could not be located accurately enough to determine whether they landed on the track or plume area so those in the track area were classified as disturbed (grey). Box plots represent median values, upper and lower quartiles and range with outliers removed. Actual data points are plotted as black circles. Results from the vehicle propulsion tracks were only available for megafauna so were not included on this figure. Note cartoons of disturbance regimes are not to scale. All data used in this figure are available in Supplementary Data 1 .
