New alien species threat

摘要

Marine scientists studying life around deep-sea vents have discovered that some hardy species can survive the extreme change in pressure that occurs when a research submersible rises to the surface. The team's findings, published in Conservation Biology, reveal how a species can be inadvertently carried by sub-mersibles to new areas, with potentially damaging effects on marine ecosystems, just as with a ship's ballast water.. After using the manned submersible Alvin to collect samples of species from the Juan de Fuca Ridge under the northeastern Pacific Ocean, the team discovered 38 deep-sea limpets among their sample. Intriguingly this species is believed to occur only in the vents of the Gorda Ridge, which are 635km south of the dive site.