Beneath the waves some 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod, there’s a hidden world of giant canyons and extinct volcanos home to a stunning array of life forms, from sharks to sea turtles to sperm whales. Now, scientists have discovered what appear to be two new species of deep-sea corals thriving in this undersea jungle.
In September 2018, scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies and OceanX, embarked on a two-week expedition to Lydonia Canyon, one of three huge chasms located inside the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument. Using OceanX’s submarine Nadir, they traversed the ravine and collected nearly thirty samples of corals at depths down to almost 3,000 feet. An ongoing analysis of the samples in the lab has now revealed what is, likely, at least two new, genetically-distinct species of bubblegum coral, fan-shaped creatures with bundles of polyps reminiscent of wads of gum.
“This part of the Atlantic, a hundred miles off Cape Cod, this area is heating three times faster than any other place in the Atlantic,” Shank said. “It’s sort of a canary in the coal mine location.”
The team is still analyzing the data from its recent expedition, so more findings could be forthcoming. And the researchers are hoping to get out to these waters at least one more time this year. Prior to this research the monument was already known to harbor at least 54 species of deepwater corals as well as sponges and anemones, which provide spawning grounds and shelter for numerous fishes and marine invertebrates. But each new species represents an opportunity to learn more about what makes this delicate ecosystem tick. Shank explained that oftentimes, certain animals will only live in association with certain species of coral.
“We want to understand how these relationships have formed and are maintained before we destroy them,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment