Scientists have discovered at least 12 new species in the deep Atlantic after almost five years of unprecedented research in the deep-sea region. These species include the sea mosses, molluscs and corals. In addition, the research team also found approximately 35 new records of species in deep-sea areas where they were previously unknown.
A new report by?BBC?highlights the recent discovery. As per the scientists behind the discovery quoted in the report, the species had eluded discovery by mankind simply because the sea floor is so unexplored.?
Prof George Wolff, an ocean chemist from the University of Liverpool, who was involved in the project, said "We can still say we have better maps of the surface of the Moon and Mars than of the sea floor," as quoted in the report.??
"So whenever you go to the deep ocean, you find something new - not just individual species but entire ecosystems," he added.
Researchers from 13 countries were involved in the project that attempted to monitor the deep-sea ecosystem in the Atlantic. The research also attempted to work out the effect of global warming and human exploitation (including fishing and mineral extraction) in the ocean environment.
A concerning observation made by the scientists was the dramatic slowdown of major currents in the North Atlantic in response to the ongoing climate change. Since these ocean currents link various habitats at several regions within the ocean, changes in their movement can have drastic impact on the deep sea life, scientists associated with the study warn.
In addition to the changes in ocean currents, scientists also found that the carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean is making it more acidic. This in turn causes coral skeletons to corrode faster. This, and the depleting food resources for such species, is already posing a risk to these species and their habitat.