Sculpting Processes in Shelf-Margin Canyons: Implications for Margin Architecture, Resource Potential and Environmental Management

Shelf-incised canyons are long-lived submarine features that continuously influence the physical and biological processes near the shelf edge in most continental margins. These canyons are key features for understanding the shelf-to-basin sedimentary dynamics and assessing the prevailing hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes shaping their morphology. Many of these canyons connect directly with fluvial or marine littoral systems distributing sediment across continental margins. Mostly sediments, but also nutrients, organic carbon and pollutants are funneled down canyons by sediment-laden flows and mass-transport processes. These processes also pose a threat to seafloor infrastructures. Oceanographic processes such as dense-shelf water cascading, tidal-induced currents and internal waves are also responsible for particle redistribution along canyons and can modify the fine-scale seafloor morphology. Canyons create terrain and substrate habitat heterogeneity and host important biodiversity hotspots that can be affected by increasing human impacts, such as marine litter dumps and bottom trawling. In addition, when shelf-incised canyons are filled with sand-rich sediments, they may serve as prolific geological reservoirs.

The main goal of this Research Topic is to bring together recent and advanced studies related to the role of shelf-incised submarine canyons in controlling continental-margin architecture and source-to-sink sedimentary processes and how they may promote faster human footprint expansion into deep-sea environments. This collection will explore the complexity and significance of shelf-incised canyons feeding the deep basin in the sedimentary record and transfer such knowledge to fill gaps in understanding the links between the physical processes and the biological responses in modern canyons.

The current Research Topic aims to cover promising, recent and novel research trends in the study of shelf-incised submarine canyons in modern settings and the ancient record. We encourage contributions addressing a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and applying state-of-the-art methodologies, including but not limited to the following areas:

• Sedimentary processes and products, including gravity flows, bottom currents and other oceanographic and anthropogenic-driven processes;
• Stratigraphic evolution of shelf-incised canyons systems and controlling factors;
• Canyon ecosystems and their link with canyon morphology and physical processes;
• Focused fluid flows;
• Geohazards and natural resources; and
• Marine litter in submarine canyons, focusing on their role as bypass or sink areas.