We often hear about the damage suffered by the Antarctic ice layer, especially as a consequence of climate change. However, the icy continent is not only changing on the surface. The impact of the human being can also be noticed in the depths
New images. A team of researchers He has published images of the seabed in the immediate vicinity of the Antarctic coast in which the effects of human activity in the region can be seen. Specifically they show us the impact on the marine soil that the anchors of the ships that arrive in the coasts of the southern continent.
The problem is not simply landscape, it also affects the sea life of the seabed. The team showed special concern for the communities of sponges that inhabit this remote region of the ocean.
Unprotected environment. The trail of human activity in this region is the result of various changes in the environment of the Antarctic Ocean. On the one hand, climate change has made waters that once remained vetoed to navigation are now accessible not only to oceanographic ships and breakfast but Also to tourist and recreational vessels.
According to the team, during the 2022-23 season, at least 195 tourist, scientific and fishing vessels approached the coastal region in which possible to throw the anchor (areas with depths of no more than 82.5 meters).
After the trail of ships. The group of researchers used underwater cameras to study 36 points of the seabed located in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula and San Pedro Island (or Georgia del Sur). As explained, The images Captured to different depths showed disturbances both in the seabed and in underwater life, a consequence of the anchors of the ships that arrived in the environment.
“The documentation is late, given the importance of these ecosystems and the protection we assign. The impacts of anchoring are infrastudiated and underestimated globally. It is important to recognize and mitigate the impacts throughout all industries and limit planned anchors,” explained in a press release Sally Watson, co -author of the study.
Analysis details have been published Through an article In the magazine Frontiers in Conservation Science.
Sponges in danger. The anchors are a risk to the life that extends in the seabed. According to the team, the affected areas showed few signs of marine life. What they did find were the traces of colonies of crushed sponges By effect of the arrival of humans. In contrast, in the adjacent areas “marine life flourished”, they emphasize.
Especially vulnerable. An added problem is in the fact that life in these cold environments (part of this endemic life of the environment) tends to be slow growth, which makes it especially vulnerable to these types of problems. An example is found in volcano sponges (Anoxycalyx Joubini), A species found by the team in their expedition to which specimens belong that can be considered among the oldest living animals: they can reach 15,000 years of age.
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Image | Jeremy Stewardson / Matt Mulrennan / Kolossal
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