|
CANYBAL
– From the Canyons to Balanus Seamount
NOAA’s
Undersea Research Center at the University of Connecticut
use R/V Atlantis & Alvin submersible for Deep Sea Coral
Research
Where
are they now???
Background
 NURC-NA&GL
solicited proposals for undersea research focused on deep
sea corals (DSC) in the North Atlantic region off the northeast
United States to be conducted in 2005. To support this DSC
Initiative will utilize National Deep Submergence Facility
(NDSF) assets including the Research Vessel Atlantis, the
Alvin submersible and the Deep Tow system to support three
research projects to be conducted on the Georges Bank Canyons
and Balanus Seamount.
 |
The
Alvin diving in Oceanographer Canyon.
Painting by M.J. Brush |
Our
understanding of the distribution, abundance and ecological
role of DSC is limited. However, we do know that DSCs are
generally long lived and sensitive to human-caused disturbance.
In order to better manage DSC resources, research is needed
to: (1) map and characterize DSC habitats, including research
to understand oceanographic and hydrographic conditions that
affect DSC distribution and abundance; (2) identify and describe
the biology (e.g., growth rates, age) of key DSC species and
their role in structuring communities of associated organisms;
(3) describe ecology of DSC communities and the role of DSC
and associated communities as fish habitat; (4) assess impacts
of human activities on DSC communities; and (5) evaluate DSC
species as recorders of paleoclimate and past oceanographic
conditions.
Three
projects will be supported as a multi-investigator cruise
beginning on October 20th, 2005. The following
provide links to the projects
|
