Reef Ecologic’s Post

A new study led by the UK National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is questioning the role of a unique group of microscopic plants in driving ocean carbon storage. Diatoms, a type of plankton or marine algae, play a significant role in drawing carbon down into the deep ocean. They possess dense, silica-based exoskeletons which were believed to provide ballast, causing them to sink and play a key role in transporting carbon to the deep ocean. The new study, based on data from two major expeditions to the Southern Ocean’s underexplored twilight zone, found that diatom skeletons remained near the sea surface. Meanwhile, carbon was transported to the deep ocean by other means. Click the link in the comments to read more 🔗 National Oceanography Centre

CORAL REEF NEWS: Scientists discover one of Great Barrier Reef’s worst coral bleaching events At least 97% of corals on a reef in the Great Barrier Reef’s north died during one of the worst coral bleaching events the world’s biggest reef system has ever seen, according to new analysis. Scientists at several institutions used high-resolution drone imagery to track the bleaching and death of corals on a reef at Lizard Island. It comes as Unesco urged the federal government to publicly release data “as soon as possible” on how much coral died during last summer’s mass bleaching. Read full story here: https://lnkd.in/ernsvD8K #coralreefs #coralnews #coralbleaching #greatbarrierreef #climatechange #globalwarming #coralhealth #habitatloss #marineecology #marinebiology

🪸 In an impressive replication of natural environmental cues like temperature and time of day, aquarists from AIMS’ National Sea Simulator are inducing “out-of-season” coral spawning for the third year in a row >> https://hubs.la/Q02FNMD10 🐠 SeaSim Lead Aquarist Lonidas Koukoumaftsis commented that the first round of 2024 out-of-season spawning began in May, with more species scheduled to spawn after the full moon in June: “SeaSim allows scientists to replicate reef conditions as well as human-induced conditions. Water temperature, salinity, light, and chemical composition of the water can be controlled and manipulated.  “Now we have successfully demonstrated out-of-season spawning for seven coral species, we are looking to expand the diversity of coral species and produce greater numbers of larvae to support a wider range of experiments.” 👏 🌊 Visit the Ocean Science & Technology website for further information. #subsea #environment #ocean #research #conservation Australian Institute of Marine Science

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧 #𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 #𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 It’s more than 100 feet long, at least 300 years old and visible from space. The world’s largest coral has just been discovered in the southwest Pacific Ocean, scientists announced Wednesday. The mega coral was spotted during a scientific expedition launched by the National Geographic Pristine Seas program in October to study ocean health in the Solomon Islands. It’s three times larger than the previous record-breaker in American Samoa, according to Pristine Seas, and longer than a blue whale, the planet’s biggest animal. Unlike a reef, which consists of many colonies, this coral is a single specimen that has grown continuously for centuries. “Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet Earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly 1 billion little polyps, pulsing with life,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic explorer in residence and founder of Pristine Seas. The coral looks like a huge, undulating brown rock from above. Some on the expedition even initially mistook it for a shipwreck. Marine biologist and underwater cinematographer Manu San Félix dived down to look. “In the first second I realized that I was looking at something unique,” he said. It’s “close to the size of a cathedral.” Scientists later checked satellite images and found the coral is so colossal, it was possible to see it from space. Read full article at CNN: https://lnkd.in/eAe4hveM

Did you know that the waters off Los Angeles hide a deep-sea secret? Recent scientific surveys have uncovered a stunning find on the seafloor off Los Angeles: over 60 whale falls, more than discovered in the rest of the world combined! Whale falls are the remains of dead whales that sink to the ocean floor, creating unique ecosystems that support a diverse array of marine life. Led by oceanographers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the surveys aimed to assess waste on the seafloor. They discovered tens of thousands of naval weapons and, unexpectedly, numerous whale skeletons. The high-resolution survey and the unique conditions of the San Pedro and Santa Monica Basins likely contributed to the number of identified whale falls, and the lack of oxygen in these deep troughs slows down the decomposition process, preserving the whale bones for longer periods. Whale falls are oases of life in the deep sea. They provide nourishment and habitats for a variety of creatures, from scavenging hagfish and sleeper sharks to mussels, clams, and even specialized bone-eating worms. This area, historically an industrial dumping ground, is heavily trafficked by ships, which might contribute to higher whale mortality due to ship strikes. Researchers, however, do not believe that the toxic waste played a role in the whales' deaths. Scientists plan to return with advanced equipment to further study these whale falls, potentially uncovering more about the whales' lives and deaths. These discoveries could reshape our understanding of ocean ecosystems and carbon cycles. This discovery is a testament to how much we still have to learn about our oceans. Photo Caption: The remains of whales that sink to the ocean floor become biological oases. Since 1977, scientists had only identified 77 such whale falls across the world’s oceans, but a recent effort uncovered a startling density of them off the coast of Los Angeles, California. Credit: OET/NOAA. https://lnkd.in/e_c-ThhY . . . . . #TheNextSwell #OceanDiscovery #WhaleFalls #MarineBiology #DeepSeaSecrets #ScrippsInstitution #LosAngeles #UnderwaterEcosystems #SaveOurOceans #MarineConservation #OceanScience #DeepSeaResearch #WhaleBones #EcoAwareness #OceanMysteries #ScientificDiscovery

🪸 AIMS Researchers Prepare for Great Barrier Reef Coral Spawning >> https://hubs.la/Q02WzRG00 Scientists at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) are gearing up for the annual coral ‘mass’ spawning event on the Great Barrier Reef—a critical period for the Reef’s reproduction and renewal. AIMS teams have collected wild corals from the central Great Barrier Reef and brought them to AIMS’ National Sea Simulator, where the corals spawn in sync with those on the Reef. This controlled environment enables AIMS scientists and collaborators to study the Reef’s renewal process and assess how recent bleaching might have affected this cycle. "It’s an incredibly exciting time of year. We and our collaborators work through the spawning nights to conduct experiments that address critical knowledge gaps in how corals respond to and recover from stress." - Research Program Director Dr Line Bay. Read more on the OST website 🔗 #ocean #monitoring #environment #research Australian Institute of Marine Science

A team of scientists aboard a research vessel in the southwest Pacific Ocean has made an extraordinary discovery: the world’s largest coral. Measuring an astounding 34 meters in width, 32 meters in length, and 5.5 meters in height, this giant coral has a circumference of 183 meters. Unlike traditional coral reefs, which are made up of multiple coral colonies, this is a single, uninterrupted coral structure that has grown for over 300 years.

Very excited to start my PhD at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton investigating the impacts of offshore windfarms on marine life.

Can collaboration protect our oceans? We think so—and so do these marine scientists and researchers. 🌊 When cargo ships cross oceans, marine life hitchhikers ride along, introducing species from distant regions into new ecosystems, where they can cause harm. In our increasingly interconnected, climate-changing world, invasive species pose a growing threat to oceans. But there's good news. Scientists and researchers are coming together to track invasive species, sharing data and methods for managing these invasions. Shown here are workshop participants from 12 countries who are part of the Coastal Ocean Marine Biosecurity: International Network of the Americas (COMBINA). They held their first official workshop in Panama at our Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Learn more about COMBINA's work: https://s.si.edu/4c79dzy #OceanMonth #Resilience #MarineScience

Deep Oceans: Over 80% of the Earth's oceans remain unexplored and unmapped. Deep Oceans: Over 80% of Earth's oceans remain unexplored and unmapped, holding countless secrets and potentially new species. The deep ocean's vast, uncharted territories challenge our understanding of marine life and ecosystems. Advances in technology are slowly revealing these hidden depths, offering insights into Earth's last great frontier. #Oceans #Exploration #MarineScience #DeepSea #Fish