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Deepseawaters
Home Deep
Sea ExplorationsTwilight
Zone 2007
Cayman Islands Twilight Zone 2007
C oral reefs and sunlight are almost synonymous
in marine biology since most corals exist in an unusual symbiosis
with microscopic plants called zooxanthellae. However, recent
evidence indicates that light-limited deep reefs
(between 50 and 150m: also known as the “Twilight Zone”¹)
are an important transition habitat where many shallow-reef
and deep-sea organisms coexist with each other and with species
unique to this depth range. To date, deep-reefs worldwide
have been examined almost exclusively using video photography
from Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) since
these communities are deeper than the typical safety limits
of SCUBA divers. Recent advances in technical diving procedures
have made it safe and practical to explore the deep reefs
in person. We have assembled a team of highly trained technical
divers and support divers to mount an expedition into the
Twilight Zone of the Cayman Islands.
In the Cayman Islands, unusual sponges
and soft corals cling to nearly vertical
walls that drop into the abyss of the Cayman Trench 7500m
below the crystal-clear surface waters. Identifying the biodiversity
and health status of these important transition communities
is the first step towards effective management and conservation
of these deep-reef habitats. We will also characterize
the physical environment of these deep reefs to better understand
how factors like water-flow, nutrients, temperature and light
control the distribution of deep-reef species. In
addition, we will explore the connectivity between the deep-
and shallow-reefs to determine whether organisms from these
Twilight Zone communities can “reseed” degraded shallow reefs.
Finally, biological adaptations of these organisms make them
excellent candidates for biotechnology research efforts, and
we will look at their potential to produce new drugs from
the sea.
This research is a collaborative effort between the University of Mississippi, the University of New Hampshire, and the University of Alabama. We are supported with funding from NOAA’s Ocean Exploration program, and from the National Institute of Undersea Science & Technology’s Ocean Biotechnology Center & Repository. The Little Cayman Research Center provides on-site logistical support, and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, and the Marine Conservation Board, have graciously provided permits to explore their reefs.
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