Posted on 01/26/2024 7:20:52 PM PST by Red Badger
A new deep-sea mapping project has revealed near-continuous reefs of cold-water corals spanning an area the size of Vermont just off the southeast U.S. coastline.
Dense thickets of the reef-building coral Desmophyllum pertusum (previously called Lophelia pertusa) make up most of the deep-sea coral reef habitat found on the Blake Plateau in the Atlantic Ocean. The white coloring is healthy – deep-sea corals don’t rely on symbiotic algae, so they can’t bleach. Images of these corals were taken during a 2019 expedition dive off the coast of Florida. Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2019.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Large cold-water coral mounds were first documented offshore of the southeastern U.S. in the 1960s. Since that time, extensive research has been conducted by regional experts to discover new mounds throughout the Blake Plateau and to document the ecological importance of these habitats. Fisheries managers have used this information to protect known coral areas from physical damage. The recently completed mapping effort in the region builds on this foundational work by revealing the full extent and characteristics of these important deep-sea coral mound features.
"This strategic multiyear and multi-agency effort to systematically map and characterize the stunning coral ecosystem right on the doorstep of the U.S. East Coast is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we pool resources and focus on exploring the approximately 50% of U.S. marine waters that are still unmapped," says Derek Sowers, Ph.D., Mapping Operations Manager for the Ocean Exploration Trust and lead author of the study. "Approximately 75% of the global ocean is still unmapped in any kind of detail, but many organizations are working to change that.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
A wide variety of marine creatures were found living among the newly mapped corals. (Image credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration)
Nope, un-possible. All the coral is dead due to climate global warming change. Al Gore and F’n Johnnie Heinz told me so.
I thought all the gas and oil spills in the Gulf killed all the sea life there. Something is wrong!
nature’s water filter
There’s that too.
Cool!
Oil Rigs....................
This giant reef has zero sun exposure.
Nothing that requires radiant energy can survive there.
It is also frigid - the water temperature is below 40 degrees F, all day, every day.
And, the water pressure would kill a human being in microseconds.
previously called Lophelia pertusa
She take her husband’s name?
A wide variety of marine creatures...
Not much meat on those crab legs!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.