What are seamounts and why are they interesting?

Seamounts are undersea peaks in the ocean floor - "mountains" rising from the bottom of the sea that do not break the water's surface.  They are important and interesting for several reasons:

• They are excellent case studies for understanding marine biodiversity patterns:  seamounts vary greatly in their biodiversity, can have a high degree of endemism, may be centers of speciation, and may act as "stepping stones" for the dispersal of coastal species.
• They are areas of high production that support commercially important fisheries and coral mining.
• They are fragile ecosystems that must be managed carefully and with good scientific information in order to prevent habitat damage.