Global warming has made it possible to access areas at the South Pole that were previously impossible, and in the process has presented humanity with the unique opportunity to see a vibrant ecosystem with a multitude of life forms new to science.
Hello dear friends of Ecotrain, today I want to bring you a short article with some images and a video about a world very little known to humans, the coral reefs under the Antarctic ice sheet, really a sample of the power of life to thrive in any environment, and we will talk a little about the implications of these discoveries.
The existence of some types of coral formations and reef-like life forms in the tropics beneath the Antarctic ice sheets has been known for several years, yet scientists still find it hard to believe that a magical world of vibrant life exists at depths of more than 200 meters and temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius.
However, an expedition organized by Greenpeace earlier this month in the Weddel Sea began to reveal a vast expanse of such an ecosystem, including life forms never before studied by science.
The expedition is the farthest south that has ever gone under the Arctic ice sheet in history, revealing areas never before seen by humans. After 12 dives, the Greenpeace team discovered 12 ecosystems, a new area on each dive, demonstrating that the seafloor beneath the Arctic is teeming with life. Although scientists are still evaluating the discovery and the information is only just becoming accessible, already in 2019 a team of Australian divers had obtained the first images of what could be found under the South Pole ice sheet.
And for dessert I leave you with this short video of the Australian team's 2019 expedition.
The implications of this discovery are diverse and important.
Firstly, the new life forms are something important for science, since among them there are new species of a special type of fish that produce proteins to prevent their blood from freezing, in addition, ice water corals are more resistant to ocean acidification, and they are already experimenting with genetic combinations of ice water corals with the most common ones from tropical waters to try to save coral reefs in the tropics from ocean pollution.
Secondly, the discovery of new reefs under the Antarctic ice comes at a very important time, as a new treaty to protect the seas from overfishing, pollution etc. is being discussed at the UN this very week... https://news.mongabay.com/2020/10/no-other-choice-groups-push-to-protect-vast-swaths-of-antarctic-seas/
The certainty that underneath the Arctic there is a vibrant ecosystem full of color where sunlight never reaches, which is also important for the whole world and science is a new compelling argument for new treaties to be passed.
Finally, it should be noted that the coral reefs of icy waters have the particularity that absorb carbon dioxide, store it in their bodies, and when they die these pollutants are buried under the seafloor, which makes them a kind of purification filters of the oceans, and the Weddell Sea is a very important point because in it converge currents from different oceans, making it a kind of distributor of the seas, the reefs there, may be the most important for the health of all seas.
Undoubtedly an impressive discovery that shows us that nature has even more to offer us, however, it also shows us how far climate change is reaching, and the importance of protecting it.
More information in the bibliography, happy evening to all.
Recommended Bibliographic Reference
[1] VULNERABLE ANTARCTIC REEFS REVEAL WEALTH OF LIFE AS RICH AS TROPICAL CORALS< /a>
[2] ANTARTIC EXPEDITION SUBMARINE DIVE ABUNDANCE MARINE LIFE< /a>