Deep sea ecosystem gone before fully explored.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deep-Sea Marine Life Under Threat Due To Climate Change, Major Losses Likely By 2100.

                                                                                                                -International Business Times-

 

Threats everywhere, from overfishing to oil and gas exploration to satisfied the demands of humans. The largest ecosystem on our planet is the deep ocean contains what may be the greater number of animal species, the greatest biomass as well as individual organisms in this world [1]. Humans explored deep ocean for the past 150 years and mainly focus on the studies of deep seafloor for oil and gas exploration which devastate the ecosystem in the deep once the operation starts. And there's more to come. Overfishing, trawling activities, pollution, climate change and mineral and hydrate extraction too threatens the deep sea ecosystem [2]. There were bout 90% of living space above deep ocean floor but the biome exploration was less than 1%, making the deep ocean biota the least-known faunal group on earth dispites their importance to this world in every aspect. 

 

The principal concern here should be the prospect of undetected mass extinctions, which threaten losses in ecosystem function, economic opportunity, and vital ecosystem services.

                                                                                                   -MBARI marine biologist Bruce Robison-

 

The potential effects of these threats include the changes in the destribution of deep ocean organisms, large-scale elimination of taxa, and a decline in biodiversity at all scales [2]. Although more species are yet to be discovered, the threats towards them continued and growing as conservation of deep sea pelagic biodiversity has never been addressed comprehensively at global proportions [1].

 

 

References:

1. Robison, BH 2009, 'Conservation of deep pelagic biodiversity', Conservation Biology, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 847-858.

2. Roberts, S 2005, Deep sea life: On the edge of the abyss, Oceana.