<
https://theconversation.com/into-the-ocean-twilight-zone-how-new-technology-is-revealing-the-secrets-of-an-under-researched-undersea-world-182280>
"Despite New Zealanders’ close connection with the oceans, very few will have
heard of “temperate mesophotic ecosystems” (TMEs). Even fewer will appreciate
their importance for coastal fisheries, and possibly climate change mitigation.
TMEs typically occur at depths of between 30 and 150 metres – the twilight zone
of our oceans, where little sunlight remains. But science is beginning to shed
light on these remarkable ecosystems, and the need to protect them.
While there has been plenty of research on the deep oceans (greater than 200m)
and the shallow seas (less than 30m), TMEs have received surprisingly little
attention. They have only been recognised as distinct ecosystems in the past 15
years.
TMEs are beyond the reach of most scientific divers, but the recent development
of relatively small and cheap remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) now allows
greater access to these extraordinary undersea regions.
ROVs, such as the New Zealand-made Boxfish, can be deployed from small boats
and are equipped with high-resolution cameras and robotic arms to identify
organisms and collect specimens. We’re now able to regularly observe TMEs and
our understanding of them is growing rapidly."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
