Marine Life & Conservation
New corals discovered on the UK’s highest underwater mountain
Scientists have discovered new populations of deep-sea corals growing on the slopes of the UK’s highest underwater mountain, a site recently added to the list of Scotland’s new Marine Protected Areas.
Reaching a height of 1400 metres above the surrounding seafloor, the Hebrides Terrace Seamount is the UK’s highest underwater mountain.
The deep sea corals were found by a robot sub during the first-ever visual survey of the steep, sloping flanks of the Hebrides Terrace Seamount, an extinct, subsea volcano.
The corals support rich communities of other species and play a critical role in the life history of species that range far beyond the UK’s shores, such as threatened deep-sea skates which lay their eggs on them.
Researchers were surprised to find the corals growing at such depths, in seawater that is less hospitable than shallower water such as Rockall Bank where some of the best-known cold-water coral reef systems in the world are found.
At the seamount depths, the seawater is naturally more corrosive to coral skeletons and as ever- greater levels of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere, the oceans of the world are becoming more acidic.
Therefore the corals discovered during this survey may provide an important warning gauge of climate change, because they are already growing close to their limits.
If the water gets any more corrosive as the oceans become more acidic, then the parts of these deep-sea coral reefs that support so many other species will dissolve away.
The knock-on impact of ocean acidification on already-threatened and little known deep-water species such as the deep-water skate, could be catastrophic.
Because ocean ecosystems are under pressure from ocean acidification and other aspects of global climate change, Marine Protected Areas will become a vital way of conserving fragile ecosystems like those on the Hebrides Terrace Seamount.
The international survey team was led by Professor J Murray Roberts of the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, aboard the RRS James Cook. Supplementary ship time funding for the Hebrides Terrace Seamount ROV survey was received from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee with the agreement of NERC.
Speaking about the discoveries made during the survey, Prof Roberts, Professor of Marine Biology, said: “These were some of the most exciting surveys we’ve ever carried out at sea.
“We had spent almost a month at sea before we surveyed the Hebrides Terrace Seamount and it was so different from the other sites we examined.
“Now we need to get back to these sites to work out how these corals are able to survive in these harsh conditions.
“In the meantime it’s very promising to see this important place included as one of Scotland’s Marine Protected Areas.”
Source: phys.org
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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