Tiny bubbles #DeepWonders

#DeepWonders scientists went “wah under dey” as they say in Trinidad and Tobago. During the July expedition, the team mapped over 11,335 square kilometers of the island nation’s uncharted seafloor and used this data to locate 219 bubble streams, indicators of possible cold-seep sites. Powered by chemical energy bubbling from the ocean floor, cold seep ecosystems support marine life — including mussels, clams, and tubeworms — through chemosynthetic bacteria rather than sunlight. Scientists used the bubble streams to visually confirm 25 cold seep ecosystems with ROV SuBastian. The largest cold seep is half an acre in size and covered in mussels and tubeworms. The team witnessed many charismatic animals and discovered 20 suspected new species. They also encountered abandoned fishing gear and trash, an important reminder that humans can have an impact even in places they’ve never seen or visited before. All the data collected, from mapping to biological data, will contribute to future marine governance and spatial planning efforts within Trinidad and Tobago, including the establishment of marine protected areas, said expedition Chief Scientist Dr. Diva Amon of SpeSeas.