By Femi Akinola
For people who may think the sea floor is flat and featureless, this is not true as this report disabuse such people of that notion. Deep below the surface, in waters off Australia’a east coast, lies a network of what scientists are now calling ‘sea floor super highways.’
Scientists called the super highway submarine canyons, which are large cliffs and deep ravines kilometres underwater. A first of its kind survey has now proved the canyons are a hotbed for marine species, stunning experts.
The canyons gradually descend to the sea floor, connecting the bottom of the sea to the continental shelf ofAustralia. They are carved into the side of this massive wall, much like a river valley or canyons you might see on land, researchers noted.
The high-tech discoveries were made on-board the RV (Research Vessel) investigator, the CSIRO’s research ship, which ventured out from Sydney for almost a month to research the unique ecosystem. The researchers worked in collaboration with Marine Parks Australia and the Gumgaynggir Sea Country Rangers.
On board the investigator are combination of sonar technology and high-definition cameras were the eyes for the scientists almost 4 kilometress below the surface.
A team stands on board a large ship. A rig with cameras attached is lowered into the ocean behind the ship goes well beyond other traditional forms of observation like scuba driving, giving a rare insight into the species that are hard to spot.
The species that the researchers have heard about but never seen physically before, like the dumbo octopus and a really unfortunately – named fishcalled the bony – eared assfish were seen deep in the water. ”It’s something I,ve never seen before,” says Marine Parks Austrakia’s Rob Mckinnon.
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”To see the life at depth is amazing looking at the towered camera. The fish life, the landforms down at the bottom of those canyons,” he said.
”When we poked our nose into these deep submarine canyons, it was quite incredible. We saw deep coral reefs and a stringray down at almost 3,000 metres,” said co-chief scientist, Dr. Chris Chapman.
” The canyons gradually descend to the sea floor, connecting the bottom of the sea to the continental shelf of Australia. So, they are crved into the side of this massive wall, much like a river valley or canyons you might see on the land,” Dr. Chapman explained.
Meanwhile, the researchers noted that the discoveries made may likely take years to sift through, with a large trove of data to analyse. But scientists hope the discoveries will bring more light to the deepest and darkest part of the world’s oceans.
” That plan will come under review in the next couple of years nd all this information that comes in will help that review,” Mckinnon explained
For Marine Parks Australia, the parks believe those discoveries could help shape its management plans, which could be used to inform government policy, including fisheries and environmental regulations.
In the meantime, the discoveries enabled indigenous rangers to now have the knowledge of what lies below the ocean and what marine life is in their care. The month-long journey was the first time ranger Angela Williams has lived on the sea. She said the experience has been invaluable.
Angela said: ” We do have responsibility to look after what we call as kin, so when we have whale season and they pass through our country, we have an obligation to look after them.”
The group now believes the canyons could act as a ‘super highway,’ to help transport nutrients up to the shore, where they are needed.
