A massive iceberg broke off from Antarctica, prompting a research vessel to alter its course and explore an underwater world previously unknown to humans. The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too) team seized the opportunity to study the deep seafloor in the Bellingshausen Sea, where they made history by observing flourishing ecosystems at depths of up to 3,900 feet.
The King George VI ice shelf, a massive glacier attached to Antarctica, lost an iceberg roughly the size of Chicago. Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the team spent eight days exploring the seafloor and found large corals and sponges supporting diverse life forms, including rare giant phantom jellyfish and giant sea spiders.
The discovery challenges current understanding of deep-sea ecosystems, which typically rely on surface nutrients slowly reaching the seafloor. However, these Antarctic ecosystems have been isolated by 150-meter-thick ice for centuries. The team suspects that ocean currents may play a crucial role in sustaining life beneath the ice sheet.
“We seized upon the moment and changed our plan to explore this uncharted territory,” said Dr. Patricia Esquete, co-chief scientist of the expedition. “We were astonished by the beauty and diversity of these ecosystems, which have been thriving for decades or even centuries.”
Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/thriving-ecosystem-of-deep-sea-creatures-discovered-after-iceberg-detached-serendipitously-from-antarctica