A team of “aquanauts”, discovered that the Maldives is a haven for deep sea life in a large desert.
Researchers have discovered a new type of ecosystem that thrives in the archipelago by conducting a submarine mission to a deepwater seamount.
They call it “The Trapping Zone”, a 500-meter-deep (11,640 feet) zone where large fish congregate for microscopic Nekton.
MicronektonThese are similar to Zooplankton, but slightly larger. They measure between 2-20 cm (upto 7 inches) in length (krill is one of the smaller ones).
These tiny organisms Actively swimThere is a continuous vertical migration from the ocean surface to the depths of the ocean, as larger fish follow the smaller ones to eat.
The Nekton Maldives MissionIt is the first to map the deep seas of the Maldives, a group of 26 coral islands southwest of Sri Lanka.
The mission is a joint venture between researchers from the University of Oxford and a non-profit research institution of the same name, the Government of the Maldives.
Already, an international team has discovered a new ecosystem that surrounds the ‘Satho Rahaa deep-sea volcano. It is based upon the movement of micronekton.
These tiny organisms start to move downwards as the Sun rises each morning. Submerged volcanic ridges, fossilized carbonate reefs, and submerged seamounts 60 million years old prevent micronekton diving below 500 meters.
The animals are secluded by the topography and become’sitting birds’ for larger predators like schools of tuna and hungry sharks.
The mission was carried out aboard the Omega Seamaster II glass bubble submarine. Aquanauts were able to observe as a complex ecosystem of predators fought for prey in the deep.
The team not only counted a lot of fish but also observed a great variety. The submarine was able to see tigers, gulper sharks and sand tiger Sharks.
“Why is it happening?” This is a 500 meter-specific phenomenon. Does this life continue deeper? What is the transition and what is it all about? wondersLucy Woodall, a marine scientist from the University of Oxford.
“This will help us understand the deep sea in better terms.”
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It’s possible that such an ecosystem could exist in the Maldives.
Submerged volcanoes and seamounts may be hotspots of deep-sea life due to the way that they trap micronekton.
According to some estimates, the back-and-forth vertical movement that fish make through the water column every day is approximately The largest mass migration on Earth.
The leaders in the pack seem to be micronekton, and Zooplankton. Despite the fact that micronekton account for a significant portion of the biomass found in pelagic ecosystems, we still don’t know enough about their migratory behavior. It pales in comparisonTo zooplankton.
Micronekton, by actively swimming up and downstream in the water column to feed their hungry ancestors, are creating an important food web for ocean ecosystems around the globe. All micronekton worldwide, according to some estimates Over 10 billion metric tonnes45 times more than all of us.
However, most of the information we have about these creatures is not new. The 1960s and 1970s were the earliest years of this tradition.. Scientists have started to pay more attention to them recently.
Micronekton is able to slip through fishing nets easily, which makes them very popular. Not commercially hunted. However, micronekton is a key component of many important species in the fishing industry like tuna.
Scientists may be able to use the trapping zone discovered in Maldives to learn more about these species, which could lead to better ocean conservation.
“This is a new ecosystem that has all the hallmarks.” SaysAlex Rogers, University of Oxford marine biologist
“The Trapping Zone is creating a sanctuary of life in Maldives. It is also highly probable to exist on other oceanic island and even on the slopes and continents.”
Unfortunately, recent Climate reportsIt is possible that micronekton from certain parts of the globe, such as Antarctica’s Krill, are not adapting well to the global warming crisis.
If they vanish, it is likely that other fish, birds, and mammals will follow.
Learn more about the Nekton Maldives Mission Here.
