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Oases of life in the deep sea
Aug 2, 2016
In the darkness, cold-water corals form polymorphic ecosystems, offering vistas of ethereal beauty. Fascinating photographs of this deep-sea habitat will be presented in August at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK) in Delmenhorst. The exhibit opens on Tuesday, 11 August 2016.
A crab stares defiantly into the camera lens pointing at him from the submersible research vehicle. Behind him are the white branches and colorful tentacles of the cold-water corals. Together they form a mystic spectacle against the dark background of the deep sea. Scientists have known of the existence of cold-water corals for over 100 years. The significance of these corals for the deep-sea habitat, however, has only been recognized over the past few decades. Researchers encounter the cold-water corals at water depths from 200 to 1000 meters, where no light can penetrate. But the colorful biotic community is like an oasis in the darkness. To study the cold-water corals, expedition teams deploy underwater robots called ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) into the ocean depths.
“In the deep sea, reputedly hostile to life, exquisite oases develop around the cold-water corals, exhibiting a biological diversity that would never be expected in such an environment. And the fact that we continue to discover new examples of these oases suggests that our investigations so far have only revealed the tip of the iceberg,” says Prof. Dr. Dierk Hebbeln of MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences of the University of Bremen.
“The cold-water corals are not only interesting scientifically, they are also fascinating in their beauty. Nature has created art with a diversity of form and color, which the ROV pilots have captured with their cameras, thereby merging art and science. The exhibit reveals this deep-sea art,” adds Prof. Dr. Gregor Eberli, a marine researcher who holds a professorship at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami (Florida, USA) and is presently a guest scholar (Fellow) at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. He was struck by the idea to exhibit underwater photos in the HWK last year during his first residence period, when he recognized the multidisciplinary nature of the HWK.
Based on long years of constant collaboration between the HWK and the MARUM, HWK Fellows in the field of marine sciences can take advantage of the cooperation for their research projects. They can either participate in existing joint projects with the MARUM scientists or introduce new research ideas and plans.
The pictures can be viewed through 15 September 2016 under the title “Oases of Life in the Deep Sea” (Oasen des Lebens in der Tiefsee) in the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. We warmly invite you to attend the opening of the exhibit with an evening of public lectures on Thursday, 11 August.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Gregor Eberli
Telephone: 0421 218 65882
Email: [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript]
A crab stares defiantly into the camera lens pointing at him from the submersible research vehicle. Behind him are the white branches and colorful tentacles of the cold-water corals. Together they form a mystic spectacle against the dark background of the deep sea. Scientists have known of the existence of cold-water corals for over 100 years. The significance of these corals for the deep-sea habitat, however, has only been recognized over the past few decades. Researchers encounter the cold-water corals at water depths from 200 to 1000 meters, where no light can penetrate. But the colorful biotic community is like an oasis in the darkness. To study the cold-water corals, expedition teams deploy underwater robots called ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) into the ocean depths.
“In the deep sea, reputedly hostile to life, exquisite oases develop around the cold-water corals, exhibiting a biological diversity that would never be expected in such an environment. And the fact that we continue to discover new examples of these oases suggests that our investigations so far have only revealed the tip of the iceberg,” says Prof. Dr. Dierk Hebbeln of MARUM, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences of the University of Bremen.
“The cold-water corals are not only interesting scientifically, they are also fascinating in their beauty. Nature has created art with a diversity of form and color, which the ROV pilots have captured with their cameras, thereby merging art and science. The exhibit reveals this deep-sea art,” adds Prof. Dr. Gregor Eberli, a marine researcher who holds a professorship at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami (Florida, USA) and is presently a guest scholar (Fellow) at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. He was struck by the idea to exhibit underwater photos in the HWK last year during his first residence period, when he recognized the multidisciplinary nature of the HWK.
Based on long years of constant collaboration between the HWK and the MARUM, HWK Fellows in the field of marine sciences can take advantage of the cooperation for their research projects. They can either participate in existing joint projects with the MARUM scientists or introduce new research ideas and plans.
The pictures can be viewed through 15 September 2016 under the title “Oases of Life in the Deep Sea” (Oasen des Lebens in der Tiefsee) in the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg. We warmly invite you to attend the opening of the exhibit with an evening of public lectures on Thursday, 11 August.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Gregor Eberli
Telephone: 0421 218 65882
Email: [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript]
- Date: Thursday, 11 August 2016
- Time: 7:00 p.m.
- Welcoming remarks: Prof. Dr. Michael Schulz, Director of MARUM, and Prof. Dr. Reto Weiler, Rector of the HWK
- Short lectures: Prof. Dr. Dierk Hebbeln, MARUM/University of Bremen
Dr. Nicolas Nowald, MARUM/University of Bremen
Dr. Monica Meyer-Bohlen, Curator at HWK - Location: Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Lehmkuhlenbusch 4, 27753 Delmenhorst
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 15:00
Additional information / Photo material:
Ulrike Prange
MARUM Public Relations
Telephone: 0421 218 65540
Email: [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript]
Ulrike Prange
MARUM Public Relations
Telephone: 0421 218 65540
Email: [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript]