The Last Frontier—Discovering Deep Ocean Ecosystems

June 17, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact: Maria Sadowski (919) 733-7450, ext. 305

RALEIGH - Deep beneath the ocean is a world few have ever explored. For two weeks in June a team of marine experts will continue their long-term studies of deep coral reefs—and the public can follow along by visiting the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences web site at www.naturalsciences.org.

On June 8, a crew of 15 scientists will board a 204-foot research vessel in Florida. Twenty-four hours a day for the next fourteen days, the team will move northward up the coast to North Carolina, examining poorly studied marine habitats along the outer continental shelves and continental slopes. This is this the sixth year for these projects studying deep-water habitats, and the findings have been remarkable. The team has documented previously unmapped habitats, discovered many new animals and plants, and revealed new ecological data on species assumed to be rare.

“We are discovering a foreign environment, facing dangerous elements, and using high-tech equipment. In a sense this exploration is a lot like the Mars exploration—except that our research has a more immediate impact on the Earth, but receives less attention from the public,” says Steve Ross, chief scientist and research professor at the Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

The deep sea contains more volume of habitat and more biomass than any other Earth environment. Coral reefs, for example, aren’t simply something that people see while snorkeling. They are also found deep in the dark, cold ocean. Scientists are only now learning what role the reefs play in the ocean's ecosystems.

At depths of 100 to 1,000 meters (300 to 3,000 feet), these areas are a transition from the continental shelf to the true deep sea. Because of the topography of the ocean bottom, the areas can only be explored using unique equipment, such as a four-man submarine equipped with still, video, and HD cameras. The team also uses different nets designed to capture a targeted range of species such as squid, seaweed, invertebrates, and a wide array of adult and juvenile fishes. A major focus of the work is on habitat utilization and feeding relationships throughout the entire ecosystem.

Partners in the expedition include the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, US Geological Survey, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). On board for the research expedition will be Museum educator Liz Baird, along with Katie Cartwright, an educator from a school for at-risk youth in Newport, N.C. In addition to working alongside the scientists, the educators will use the Museum’s web site to send daily journal entries and photographs and to answer questions submitted by the public.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the web at www.naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.

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