Invidious link

In the deep ocean, life is concentrated at chemosynthetic oases where primary production is made possible via chemosynthesis at cold seeps and deep sea hydrothermal vents. The non-chemosynthetic regions of the deep are divided into two very different worlds. First is the midwater, where pelagic wanderers tread migratory routes that span entire oceans, and planktonic drifters and their predators take part in bioluminescent light shows. It is separated into zones based on depth, including the sunlight zone (epipelagic), twilight zone (mesopelagic), midnight zone (bathypelagic), abyssal and hadal zones. And below, lies the deep sea floor. A kingdom of mud and ooze, where sessile creatures cling to any solid outcrop and corals craft kingdoms on the seamount crusts. The worlds of the deep sea could not be more different, and yet their stories are fundamentally intertwined. In this episode, we delve into the Twilight Zone.

A new study published in Nature unveils a surprising discovery: a substantial amount of meltwater is temporarily stored within the Greenland Ice Sheet during summer months. For the first time, an international group of researchers was able to quantify meltwater with positioning data. The finding challenges current models of how ice sheets contribute to global sea level rise.

The Greenland Ice Sheet is currently the largest single contributor to global sea-level rise,

The study highlights the importance of international collaboration in addressing one of the planet's most pressing environmental challenges.

• As delegates to COP16 debate conservation measures like 30×30 initiatives, a new op-ed by the environment director of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Antha Williams, and the founder of Pristine Seas, Dr. Enric Sala, says that protecting our ocean is more than a conservation measure — it’s a lifeline.

• Well-managed and highly protected marine areas (MPAs) help restore ecosystems, ensuring food security and livelihoods for the billions who depend on them, but a new analysis shows that only 8.3% of the world’s ocean is protected in this way, and that most MPAs are either protected weakly or in name only.

• “Ocean protection has never been more urgent. As leaders gather in Cali, they must ensure that ‘protecting our ocean’ means truly protecting it. The 30×30 target will only be meaningful if we protect areas effectively — not just on paper,” they argue.

A group of marine scientists is calling for focused research that provides “incontrovertible evidence” of how ocean acidification impacts marine life.

In a report published Oct. 16., the scientists say that studies establishing a direct causal link between acidification and marine life are currently lacking, but are needed so policymakers can make informed decisions.

More than half the Commonwealth members are small countries and many face significant, some even existential, threats from rising seas

Note: If this tiny part of 30% around the Azores is really the largest network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the North Atlantic, this tells me that much-much more needs to be done and soon. Please don't get me wrong, I believe it's totally great they did this.

New research has uncovered what could very well be the key to our very existence.

A special conference on the sidelines of the UN Biodiversity Conference later this month has been called for to urgently address the crisis coral reefs face due to climate change.

Top 10 eco-friendly diving practices. Eco-friendly diving more than just following a set of rules; it’s a mindset to care for the ocean and its inhabitants.

Residents and marine scientists unable to identify pale masses, as myriad theories are blown out of the water

Marine Protected Areas are key to sustaining long-term fish populations

Research by Professor Joshua Cinner, looking at data from more than 2600 coral reefs across the globe, shows that marine conservation efforts have had a modest effect on fish stocks but more needs to be done to meet international commitments.

Looking at fish survey data across nearly 2,600 tropical reef locations, the team developed a model that showed approximately 10 percent of fish biomass (the number and size of fish in an area) can be attributed to existing protections.

At the UN Biodiversity Conference in 2022, 196 countries adopted the Global Biodiversity Framework and committed to protecting 30 percent of the world’s terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine areas by 2030 – an initiative commonly referred to as 30x30. The authors hope their study will help maximise the benefits from this initiative.