Santa Cruz de Tenerife 17 Mar. (Europa Press) –
Research teams from the Oceanographic Centres of the Canary Islands, Malaga, and Gijón at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO, CSIC), in partnership with specialists from the University of Barcelona, have undertaken a 12-day expedition aboard the oceanographic vessel ‘Ángeles Alvariño’ to examine the presence and distribution of four species of deep-sea coral.
The corals dendrophyllia cornigera, dendrophyllia reire, desmophyllum dianthus, and isidella elongata serve as indicators of “vulnerable marine ecosystems” (vulnerable marine ecosystems, vmes) and are essential components of the habitat classified as 1170, which is recognised for its sensitivity and need for protection.
By utilising underwater equipment including the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Liropus and the Tasife towed camera, video imagery and targeted samples have been collected to quantify the presence, density, and conservation status of the coral species in focus, as stated by the IEO in a statement.
Throughout the expedition, parts of the study areas have also been mapped at high resolution using a multibeam sonar. Furthermore, sediment samples have been collected, providing vital information about the morphology and nature of the seabed, which is critical for generating species distribution models.
Additionally, water column profiles have been recorded using CTD equipment (which includes sensors for conductivity, temperature, and pressure) to characterise the areas where dives with the ROV and Tasife camera were conducted.
Reproductive Characteristics
The samples gathered will be analysed using various techniques such as stable isotope analysis to determine the role of different organisms within trophic networks, genetic analysis to examine the level of connectivity between populations of the corals under study, and histological analysis to understand the reproductive characteristics of the four coral species.
“The data collected during the expedition will enhance the mapping of the four species, all of which are listed under the regime of special protection for wild species (Lesrpe). During the campaign, we have gathered new information regarding their presence that will enrich our understanding of their distribution and refine the distribution models,” remark Covadonga ears and Pablo Martín-Sosa, researchers from the oceanographic centres of Gijón and the Canary Islands, respectively, who led the expedition.
This campaign is part of the ‘BIODIV project: Scientific-technical advice for monitoring marine biodiversity: protected marine areas and species of national relevance (2022-2025),’ which is funded by the European Union-Nextgeneratu through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan and is supported by the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests, and Desertification of the Ministry for Ecological Transition (Miteco) and CSIC, via the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO).
