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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 coral 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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