The recent deep-sea expedition to the remote South Sandwich Islands has revealed stunning images of vibrant ecosystems surrounding hydrothermal vents that were previously unknown to scientists. The 35-day journey aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, Falkor (too), was part of the Ocean Census initiative aimed at documenting marine life before it is threatened by climate change and deep-sea mining.
Located in the South Atlantic near Antarctica, the South Sandwich Islands boast the deepest trench in the Southern Ocean. Despite facing extreme challenges such as subsea earthquakes, hurricane-force winds, towering waves, and icebergs, the international team of scientists on the expedition made remarkable discoveries.
One of the highlights of the expedition was the vermillion coral garden thriving on Humpback Seamount near the region’s shallow hydrothermal vents, approximately 700 meters deep. The tallest vent chimney, standing at four meters, was teeming with life, including barnacles and sea snails, with a fleet of shrimp darting around the submarine skyscrapers.
These hydrothermal vents, located on the northeast side of Quest Caldera, were explored using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for the first time. The discovery of these vents was described as a “magical moment” by hydrographer Jenny Gales from the University of Plymouth.
In addition to the coral gardens and hydrothermal vents, the expedition also captured images of unique marine life, such as an exquisite nudibranch at 268 meters deep and a grenadier fish with parasitic copepods in its gills. A stout sea cucumber with a mysterious deep-sea puffball and the elusive Akarotaxis aff. gouldae dragonfish were also documented for the first time.
One surprising discovery was the presence of snailfish eggs on a black coral, a phenomenon previously unknown to marine biologists. Marine biologist Michelle Taylor, the head of science for the Ocean Census project, emphasized the importance of accelerating our understanding of ocean life before it’s too late.
The 35-day expedition was described as an exciting rollercoaster of scientific discovery, with implications that will shape management actions for years to come. To learn more about the expedition aboard the Falkor (too) research vessel, you can visit the Ocean Census website for behind-the-scenes footage.
