A study authored by University of Delaware (UD), USA, professor Art Trembanis and colleagues reveals new details about deep-sea reefs -known as mesophotic reefs - near the island of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean. While coral reefs worldwide are in decline, the waters surrounding Bonaire comprise a marine park known as a "scuba diver's paradise" because it contains some of the most well-preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean basin. Trembanis and colleagues used AUVs to map these deep-sea reefs, situated 100 to over 500 feet (30 to over 150 metres) below the ocean surface, which are considered a lifeline for shallow reef recovery due to stressors like warming (bleaching), ocean acidification, over fishing and other deteriorations.
展开▼
