There are estimated to be around three million shipwrecks sitting on sea beds around the world, many of them made from wood – and these submerged wooden islands are proving a vibrant breeding ground for deep sea microbes, a new study reveals.
sitting on sea beds around the world, many of them made from wood – and these submerged wooden islands are proving a vibrant breeding ground for deep sea microbes, a new study reveals.Scientists say these human-made structures are having an important impact on the delicate ecosystems down at the bottom of the oceans, to an extent that hasn't really been appreciated before.
Deep sea microbes living on submerged shipwrecks are positioned at the bottom of the underwater food chain, so changes to them could have a knock-on effect on other marine life – and, ultimately, everything living on the land as well. "Microbial communities are important to be aware of and understand because they provide early and clear evidence of how human activities change life in the ocean,"Hamdan and fellow researchers picked two 19th century shipwreck sites in the Gulf Mexico for their study. They placed pine and oak blocks around the sites, from right next to the shipwrecks to up to 200 meters away, and left the wood there for four months.
The wooden blocks were then recovered and measured for bacteria, archaea, and fungi. Microbial diversity varied depending on proximity to the wreck sites, peaking around 125 meters away. The type of wood made a difference as well, with oak more favorable to microbial biodiversity than pine.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New study finds 19th-century wooden shipwrecks to be thriving habitats for deep-sea microbiomesHistoric wooden shipwrecks alter seafloor microbial communities, reports a recent study. There are millions of shipwrecks in the world's oceans, each providing a potentially new habitat for sea life. Microbes form the foundation of ecosystems and this is the first evidence of how human structures impact their distribution in the deep sea.
Read more »
How Old Is the Oldest Sea Turtle?Happy WorldOceanDay! We spoke with some amazing NOAAFisheries scientists about the age of SeaTurtles. Click the link to read all about it! 🐢 NOAA WorldOceansDay
Read more »
Blancpain Calling: World Oceans Day 2022Blancpain's connection to the oceans starts not only with its Fifty Fathoms dive watch but also with its continued support for ocean conservation and exploration like The Gombessa Expedition. WorldOceansDay WorldOceanDay
Read more »
All Ocean Life Follows This Massive Pattern—Except Where Humans Have InterferedWorldOceansDay: Humans have shifted the weight of life in the sea.
Read more »
Hear 'Sounds of the Sea' in Ocean Scientists' Music ProjectEarth's oceans are constantly changing—so for WorldOceansDay, NASAGoddard scientists took data from our Earth-tracking satellites and transformed these ebbs and flows into music. Here's a sneak preview:
Read more »
Parenting, Baby Names, Celebrities, and Royal News | CafeMom.com
Read more »