Spectacular Deep-water Coral Province Discovered Off Ireland's West Coast

I knew of the continental shelf off the west coast but never realised we had coral reefs

NUI Galway researchers, during a recent deep-water expedition, have confirmed the existence of a major new coral reef province on the southern end of the Porcupine Bank off the west coast of Ireland. The province covers an area of some 200 sq. km and contains in the order of 40 coral reef covered carbonate mounds. These underwater hills rise as high as 100m above the seafloor.

the scientists also remark of their surprise to find the reef in such cold water. I always assumed that with the continental drift coming up from the south atlantic that the waters around Ireland were not so cold. Ah well I live and learn every day.

Anna Rensdorf, a Griffith Geoscience PhD student in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, NUI Galway, who had previously worked on tropical corals, said: “I can’t believe that coral reefs like these can be found in the cold waters of Ireland. On many of the mounds surveyed, living coral thickets stood up to 2m high where ordinarily they are less than half a metre in height”.

Read the full article here

daz__

reply to post by daz__


Thanks for posting I am a reef nerd and this is interesting. Just goes to show how little we know about the ocean deep.

Edit:

I just finished reading the full article and the end upset me, where it mentions tapping into reefs for anti-virals or anti-bacterials...I disagree. Unless it cures AIDS or cancer, I say leave the reefs alone. We kill and destroy them enough as it is!

[edit on 27-5-2009 by Heatburger]

reply to post by daz__
Nice one Daz,
I enjoyed the article. Have to admit to no knowledge whatsoever when it comes to coral off the coast off the British Isles and Ireland. I also didn't know that there are canyons off the English Channel and French coast that haven't been explored. I sort of assumed that drift nets and deep sea trawlers had devastated the coastal sea floor and we'd been been all over it already. Cheers, I'll be reading up on coastal corals...

Heatburger, I'm a cynical guy sometimes, maybe goddamn pharmacorps patenting coral reefs is their best chance of survival? Life and ecosystems frequently come a distant second to corporate interests.

reply to post by daz__


Great post -lets hope they don't destroy it to get to the oil:

IRELAND: SITTING ON A FORTUNE; EXCLUSIVE EUR5trillion Oil Field Could Defeat Recession but Gloom Grows

IRELAND has EUR5.4trillion of oil lying off the west coast, it was revealed yesterday.

The oil reserve is enough to pay off our national debt of EUR60billion almost a hundred times over and banish our recession woes for decades to come.

But contracts with foreign companies are preventing us from selling it and transforming us into the Saudi Arabia of Europe.

royaldutchshellplc.com...

reply to post by Kandinsky


I never considered that. It's true they would probably go to great lengths to protect their investment! I'm starring you for that point.

Originally posted by Heatburger
reply to post by daz__

 

I just finished reading the full article and the end upset me, where it mentions tapping into reefs for anti-virals or anti-bacterials...I disagree. Unless it cures AIDS or cancer, I say leave the reefs alone. We kill and destroy them enough as it is!

[edit on 27-5-2009 by Heatburger]

Good point but from some of the topics disscused here on ATS I have come to the conclusion that there already exists a cure for Aids and Cancer so im my humble opinion the reef should not be disturbed even for that. With what is happening to the coral reef's on a global scale such an envoirnment need's protection..

daz__

reply to post by daz__


Yes. If these cures exist of course. But Kandinsky made a point earlier I find quite interesting...If Big Pharma somehow bought up all the reefs, It may benefit the reefs in being protected (ie: no boat/ship zones, no overfishing, etc) while they remove only a small portion of the reef for whatever research...this small sacrifice might benefit overall.

But then again, Big Pharma could buy up all the reefs, destroy them in the researching process and so much life would be lost.

It's a double-edged sword regarding that idea...

Originally posted by Kandinsky
reply to post by daz__

my pleasure. I was so surprised myself to find this out. you hear stories all the time about the areas of the sea we know nothing about and to find one on my own door step was pretty amazing. Not much of a reef nerd myself but still interesting.

Originally posted by karl 12
reply to post by daz__

 

Great post -lets hope they don't destroy it to get to the oil:

IRELAND: SITTING ON A FORTUNE; EXCLUSIVE EUR5trillion Oil Field Could Defeat Recession but Gloom Grows

IRELAND has EUR5.4trillion of oil lying off the west coast, it was revealed yesterday.

The oil reserve is enough to pay off our national debt of EUR60billion almost a hundred times over and banish our recession woes for decades to come.

But contracts with foreign companies are preventing us from selling it and transforming us into the Saudi Arabia of Europe.

royaldutchshellplc.com...

thanks for that. I knew we had oil here but never realized it was so much. I wonder which foreign companies are preventing the sale. Makes me wonder what kind of people have so much clout that they can prevent that amount of money being made. Could it be the US Navy or some such organisation. I believe thay have a base somwhere around Bantry Bay. Now I am curious.

daz