Poster presented at 2011 Heriot-Watt University Industry Day

1. Changing Oceans: Working in
Deep Marine Environments
Hennige SJ, Wicks LC , Henry L, Navas JM, Roberts JM
Cold Water Coral Reefs Mapping Biodiversity in Marine
Protected Areas
Cold-water corals reefs are among the most three-
dimensionally complex deep-sea habitats known. Acoustic remote sensing technology is vital to
Predicted rises in atmospheric CO2 concentration cold-water coral biodiversity research at Heriot-
which result in a drop in ocean pH (Ocean Acidifi- Watt. Multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar and
cation), and predicted rises in sea temperature seismic surveys provide information about seabed
place these key ecosystems at considerable risk. bathymetry, texture and composition, data which
These systems support a vast array of associated are then used to model relationships between
bio-diversity, so in order to predict their future fate, biodiversity and environmental settings on estab-
increased biological understanding has to be lished or proposed marine protected areas in
coupled with accurate in situ mapping and sensing. areas including the Darwin Mounds, Hatton Bank
and the Mingulay Reef Complex.
Lophelia pertusa polyps and reef forming colonies
A multibeam scan showing a 3D image of coral mounds at Mingulay (left) and a picture
of the typical diversity observed on such reefs (right)
Accessing deep habitats
These coral ecosystems are between 40 and 3000m
deep, and as such, specialist equipment is needed
to inspect and sample from these habitats. This in-
cludes submersibles, such as JAGO, or Remotely
Operated Vehicles (ROVs). These vehicles are
equipped with multibeam echosounders, high defi-
nition cameras and manipulator arms, to measure
and collect samples on a broad or fine-scale.
Ecohydrodynamic modelling
Ecohydrodynamic approaches are being used to de-
scribe the physical constraints which effect biologi- The sophisticated vehicles needed to access and observe these deep ecosystems
cal and chemical conditions over the Mingulay Coral
Reef Complex, Outer Hebrides. Thse communities Sensing technology
rely on the delivery of food from the sea surface, so a
3D ocean model coupled to a particle tracking Accurate, quick and robust sensors are a key
model is being used to assess water exchange and aspect of ongoing research in deep-sea habitats.
renewal in this Reef complex. However, commerically avavilable sensors are
often not suitable for deployment in conjunction
with an ROV due to their size, slow reaction times
and sensor platform. A recent review by Heriot-
Watt on current state of the art technology identi-
fied Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistors (ISFETs) as
a potential route to improve upon current tech-
Contact nologies to rapidly assess in situ carbonate chemis-
s.hennige@hw.ac.uk
j.m.roberts@hw.ac.uk
try.
Centre for Marine Biodiversity &
Biotechnology, School of Life An ecohydrodynamic model of the Mingulay Reef Complex, Outer Hebrides
Sciences, Heriot-Watt University,
For more information Acknowledgements
Heriot-Watt University’s Environment and Climate Change theme.
Heriot-Watt University FLEDGE III Programme
Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS Roberts et al. (2006) Reefs of the deep: the biology and geology of cold-water coral ecosystems. Science 312: 543 The UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme.
EPOCA
Roberts et al. (2009) Cold-water Corals: The Biology and Geology of Deep-sea Coral Habitats. Cambridge Uni. Press HERMIONE
T: +44 (0) 131 451 3463
Royal Society of Edinburgh
F: +44 (0) 131 451 3009 www.lophelia.org