Bizarre ecosystem discovered more than two miles beneath the Arctic Ocean
New observations show that dynamic methane mounds at depths of about 3,640 meters act as “frozen reefs” for a bizarre array of deep-sea creatures.
UiT/Ocean Census/REV Ocean
Deep in Arctic Oceanlife gets weird. One might think that at the deepest depths the icy, dark water would be too inhospitable, but a new discovery reminds us that this is far from the case.
Off the coast of Greenland, deep seabed dotted with tall mounds of crystallized methane and other gases. These structures, known as Freya's hydration mounds, act as a “frozen reef”, a refuge for creatures that have evolved to live in conditions unlike any other on Earth.
In a new article published in Natural communicationsScientists have documented the deepest mound ever found, 3,640 meters – or about 2.26 miles – below the surface. The discovery was made as part of the Ocean Census Arctic Deep-EXTREME24 expedition, which aimed to study and explore the Arctic environment and document ocean life using tools such as underwater robots.
About supporting science journalism
If you enjoyed this article, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism. subscription. By purchasing a subscription, you help ensure a future of influential stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Incredibly, the mounds, which are also known as cold seeps of gas hydrates, spew plumes of methane into the water at an altitude of about 3,300 meters – the highest such plumes ever recorded. Over time, the mounds are destroyed and transformed, a dynamic process that researchers say provides insight into the different ecosystems of the Arctic.
UiT/Ocean Census/REV Ocean
“These are not static deposits,” said Juliana Panieri, study co-author and professor at the Arctic University of Norway. statement about a new study. “They are living geological formations that respond to tectonics, deep heat flows and environmental changes.”
Chemosynthetic creatures gathered in the mounds – life, which in the course of evolution began to depend not on solar photosynthesis for food, but on chemical reactions. Some of the creatures seen in Freya's mounds are also found in hydrothermal ventsResearchers say these ecosystems may be more intertwined than previously thought.
“The connections we found between life here and hydrothermal vents in the Arctic indicate that these island habitats on the ocean floor will need to be protected from any future impacts of deep-sea mining in the region,” John Copley, study co-author and professor at the University of Southampton in England, said in the same statement.
It's time to stand up for science
If you liked this article, I would like to ask for your support. Scientific American has been a champion of science and industry for 180 years, and now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I was Scientific American I have been a subscriber since I was 12, and it has helped shape my view of the world. science always educates and delights me, instills a sense of awe in front of our vast and beautiful universe. I hope it does the same for you.
If you subscribe to Scientific Americanyou help ensure our coverage focuses on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on decisions that threaten laboratories across the US; and that we support both aspiring and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return you receive important news, fascinating podcastsbrilliant infographics, newsletters you can't missmust-watch videos challenging gamesand the world's best scientific articles and reporting. You can even give someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you will support us in this mission.
