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Potential new marine species discovered

17 August 2007

After exploring life in the North Atlantic Ocean at various depths from 800m to 3500m, an international team of scientists is returning from a five-week scientific expedition that has uncovered a wealth of new information and insights, stunning images and marine life specimens, including one species thought to be new to science.

The researchers, led by Professor Monty Priede from the University of Aberdeen's Oceanlab, will arrive in Scotland on Saturday, 18 August. Their journey has taken them along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an underwater mountain range between Iceland and the Azores, on board the Natural Environment Research Council's £40m Royal Research Ship James Cook.

Professor Priede said, "It is like surveying a new continent half way between America and Europe. We can recognise the creatures, but familiar ones are absent and unusual ones are common. We are finding species that are rare or unknown elsewhere in the world."

The team of scientists mapped over 1500 square miles (nearly 4000km2), exploring the deep-sea creatures living in the depths of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. They used the latest technology to learn more about what is living in this remote and relatively unexplored deep-sea environment using remotely operated vehicles equipped with digital cameras.

With a suite of eight deep-sea cameras they were able to capture images of life on the peaks and valleys of some very rugged terrain. Colourful sponges and corals encrust rocky cliffs, whereas areas of soft sediment are populated by starfish, brittle-stars, sea cucumbers and burrowing worms. Fishes, crabs and shrimps forage over the ridge exploiting whatever they can find. Trawls, traps and corers have collected thousands of specimens for study back in the laboratory.

Professor Priede said, "We are trying to imagine what the north Atlantic would be like without the ridge that literally cuts it in half, as we think it has a major effect on ocean currents, productivity and biodiversity of the North Atlantic Ocean.

"The RRS James Cook is an absolutely fantastic facility and is allowing marine researchers to explore new environments, find new animals and study global changes in the world's oceans."

The aim of the voyage is to contribute to the wider MAR-ECO project studying biodiversity along mid-ocean ridges and to the global Census research programme. Census of Marine Life is a 10-year global scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of life in the oceans. The team already think they may have discovered a new species of Ostracod (or seed shrimp) that was found swarming in large numbers on the western side of the ridge. Specimens are on their way to experts in Southampton where world-renowned expert, Professor Martin Angel, will ultimately determine whether this is a new species, describe it and allocate a name.

Dr Steven Wilson, Director of Science & Innovation for the Natural Environment Research Council, said, "The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is still relatively unexplored so this voyage will have played a vital role in expanding our knowledge of the biodiversity of the region."

Water currents and tides over the ridge were studied intensively and daily measurements were made of productivity in surface waters. The team left behind automatic equipment on the sea floor at six observing stations that will continue to measure and photograph over the next two years. Further voyages are planned in 2008 and 2009 that will include retrieval of the gear.

Oceanlab was responsible for assisting with the expedition management and deployed three deep ocean lander vehicles recording luminescent displays from animals living in the darkness on one of the peaks of the mid ocean ridge.

The expedition is run under ECOMAR, a £2m consortium project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, led by the University of Aberdeen with participation from: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of St Andrews, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, University of Durham and University of Newcastle. It provides a contribution to the wider MAR-ECO project co-ordinated by Odd Aksel Bergstad of Norway and the Census of Marine Life, a global project involving over 2,000 scientists.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. The expedition leader, Professor Monty Priede, is available for media interviews and can provide images and film footage taken during the research voyage. Please contact him on 07775 866971

2. The RRS James Cook, will be docking at Fairlie Pier by Largs tomorrow (Saturday, 18 August), Reporters and photographers will be able to meet Professor Priede and his team around 09:00, after the ship docks.

3. The RRS James Cook is managed by NERC's National Marine Facilities Division, based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. The ship is operated by professional mariners who provide a working platform and practical assistance to the scientists.

The ship is the most advanced multi-purpose research ship in the world, allowing investigations using sophisticated and precisely targeted instruments, such as deep-sea remotely operated vehicles. It will return to the UK this weekend with samples of rare animals and a vast archive of pictures and videos, which will help us to understand more about life in the oceans.

4. The Natural Environment Research Council funds world-class science, in universities and its own research centres, that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It is tackling major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards. NERC receives around £370m a year from the Government's science budget and leads in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences.

Press release: 30/07

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