Deep sea corals in the South Atlantic: new insights from an interdisciplinary study

Ubiquitous to all oceans, scleractinian corals have been the main framework builders in the shallow and deep-sea since the Triassic. In contrast to their shallow-water counterparts, cold-water corals (also known as azooxanthellate or deep-sea corals) do not live in symbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates. This means that they can live deep within the ocean without the need for light. Occurrences of deep-sea corals have been reported from Antarctica to the Arctic and down to depths as great as 6,300 m. Despite their global distribution, and potential importance in forming habitats, little is known about the controls on their distributions. With ongoing changes to the ocean environment it is timely to consider the potential vulnerability of these important ecosystems. This proposal represents a unique opportunity to combine the efforts of deep-sea coral researchers in the UK (Laura Robinson and Michelle Taylor) and Brazil (Marcelo V. Kitahara). The project seeks to initiate a long-term partnership which aims to build a coherent view of the long term controls (both today and in the past) on deep-sea corals in the South Atlantic.

The South Atlantic holds numerous records of deep-sea coral species, especially on the Brazilian Margin - extending onto seamounts and ridges. These records encompass more than 60 species of which some are purported to form the largest deep-water coral reefs in the world. Such large reefs are formed under the influence of several water masses originating in both the high northern and southern latitudes. These waters have very different properties such as nutrient concentrations, pH and temperature. With this diversity in habitat and water column properties the South Atlantic is an ideal testing ground to explore the large scale controls on deep-sea corals in space and time. With access to samples to the North and South of Brazil (UK collaborators) and within the South Atlantic (Brazil) and with world leading expertise in taxonomy, genetics, deep sea ecology and coral mineralogy, growth rate, geochemistry and past climates we are proposing to come together in a new collaboration to share our ideas, samples and techniques.

Within the two-year program we will organise exchange visits, establish a shared data base, share samples and access to laboratories. During the project we will seek to establish additional support to continue these efforts beyond the scope of this initial pump priming proposal.

Beyond the scientific community, we have identified five end-user groups who may benefit from the new collaboration and science outcomes.

a) Policy makers: Diversity and connectivity data are often requested from policy makers (e.g. regional marine fisheries organisations), Marine Protected Area managers, and required by industry for Environmental Impact Assessments. These data are widely lacking for the deep sea; especially the South Atlantic. This project will provide raw data for this purpose as well as core specimens for future connectivity studies.

b) General Public - Project Website and Public Lectures and Events: Our project provides an excellent teaching opportunity for public engagement through the visually impactful imagery and footage from the deep sea. We will publicize our research through Facebook and Twitter, providing links to associated websites and our latest talks, press releases, and papers. We will continue to participate in outreach events to reach the largest possibly audience.

c) Undergraduates: We will engage undergraduate students directly in the project by enabling hands-on laboratory expertise, a passion for scientific endeavour, and a deep knowledge of the research field. Summer projects and final year projects provide a great opportunity for advisors and students to integrate education and research beyond the classroom, advance discovery and understanding, while providing training on solving scientific problems and laboratory skills. Major findings will also be posted on the Departmental Facebook pages allowing the wider undergraduate community to maintain awareness of cutting-edge research activities that are happening in their building.

d) Early career scientists: This project will enhance the career development of two early career scientists, one in Brazil (Kitahara) and one in the UK (Taylor). The project will bring a direct benefit to them through financial support, as well as providing the basis for a collaboration that has the potential to bring long term scientific benefits. Robinson will provide support and mentoring within the framework of the project and beyond.

e) Increasing Women in STEM: The proposal supports two female investigators who will continue to provide mentorship and act as role models for junior women in STEM subjects. Efforts will be made during the project to include female graduates and undergraduate students in the project through direct internships and through outreach presentations.