Scientists Study Coral Reef Protection In 10-day Expedition To Underwater Lab

Scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology embarked on an underwater mission

last month as they spent ten days in the Aquarius underwater laboratory as part of a study to find out how seaweed-eating fish affect coral reefs.

The team of researchers lived 50 feet below the surface of the ocean for a 10-day period from 13th September where they spent the time scuba diving and working in the scientific laboratories at the world"s only underwater research station.

The laboratory is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary which is one of the most popular scuba diving destinations in the United States.

During the scuba diving mission, the scientists gathered information that can help them protect and even restore coral reefs in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.

Mark Hay, a Georgia Tech professor of biology, led the project and prior to the trip, he explained: "Consumption of seaweeds plays a critical role in structuring coral reefs and in selecting for algal traits that deter herbivorous fish.

"Recent studies have noted dramatic variance among species in the susceptibility of herbivorous fish to seaweed chemical and structural defences. These differences can translate into dramatic direct effects of herbivore diversity on seaweeds."

Hay added: "Our mission to Aquarius will allow us to study experimentally how herbivore diversity may be managed to conserve and even restore reefs.

"In previous studies, we have demonstrated that herbivore diversity affected the function and structure of the coral reefs. We plan to build on that research in this new study through Aquarius."

Throughout the expedition, researchers evaluated changes in reef communities near Aquarius and studied the different species of fish in large cages that were built specifically for the project. The divers were looking to determine which seaweeds are most damaging to corals; how algae chemical and mineral defences generate the mechanisms that drive the changes in the community; and the long term effects of the fish in the community structure.

The Aquarius research station is managed by the University of North Carolina Wilmington and owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Later this month, an international team of astronauts will be staying at Aquarius for 13 days as they take part in the 15th expedition of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO). During the trip they will test innovative solutions to engineering challenges during a crewed mission to an asteroid.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary attracts thousands of divers every year, from professional divers and underwater photographers, to recreational divers taking scuba diving holidays. The marine park is thriving with corals and marine species including sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, jellyfish, barracuda, trunkfish, moray eels, sea stars, lobsters, crabs, parrotfish, snappers, angelfish, and many, many more.

by: Orly Withmolaw

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