After iceberg moved:
New marine life discovered
The removal of a massive iceberg from the Mertz glacier in East
Antarctica has revealed a huge diversity of new life. The 78-kilometre
long iceberg separated from the Mertz glacier last year after it was
rammed by another giant iceberg.
It has exposed a section of the Southern Ocean previously covered in
hundred of metres of ice. This summer scientists were able to deploy
underwater cameras where the glacier tongue used to be. They have
discovered new species of marine life, including sponges and fish as
well as sea stars the size of hub caps.
Oceanographers from the Australian Antarctic Division also found that
the salinity of the ocean around the glacier has decreased. Over time
they hope to learn how this natural event will affect ocean currents and
use that information to make predictions about climate change.
- ABC News |