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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2001)
THE BATTALION Thursday, November 1 ! Page 8A Bottom dwellers A&M researchers delve deep to study the sea floe COURTESY OF SOPHIE Dfc BF.UKFIj\R, DEPT. OF OCEANOGRAPHY Aboard the University's research ship in the Gulf of Mexico, Dr. Gilbert Rowe, professor of oceanography, removes a small fish from the mouth of a monk fish held by a fellow researcher. By Melissa Braddock THE BATTALION Nine thousand feet below the surface of the ocean, on the bot tom of the Gulf of Mexico, the water is bitterly cold and the pres sure intense. Sunlight cannot reach these depths, and the only food is what falls from above. Yet there is life here in abun dance — creatures of all sizes, from bacteria and worms to fish and shellfish. Many of them glim mer with their own phosphores cent light, creating a scene similar to a forest of fireflies. Texas A&M scientists led by Dr. Gilbert Rowe are in the mid dle of a 4-year project to gather detailed information on these sea-floor communities. 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Such accidents could have serious impacts on deep sea life. “We're not really looking at effect; we are looking at what's there that will be affected,” said Rowe, a professor of oceanography at Texas A&M. DGoMB researchers spend the summers collecting data at sea on the University's 182-ft. oceanographic research vessel, the R/V Gyre. For the remainder of the year, they analyze specimens and send samples out to research specialists around the world. In June 2(XX). the project began with a 50-day, 43-site sur vey in which trawls and dredges were used to catch as many speci mens as possible. Based on that survey, they chose four interesting sites to use for more detailed functional stud ies beginning last summer. These studies will examine and model tlie processes for which the communities of deep-ocean organ isms are responsible, such as the cycling of organic matter, regener ation of nutrients and the transfer of material up the ftxxi chain. To reach the Gulf bottom, the team sends down a benthic lander, a 10-foot-tall device weighted to sink to the ocean fkxir. Once there, it uses sensors to analyze the water and time-lapse cameras to record animal activity. After a predesignated amount of time, a timer releases the weights and the lander floats to the surface to be collected. On the base of the lander are chambers that can sink into the mud, encasing a section of sedi ment and water. By measuring the oxygen concentration in the encased water, researchers can determine how much oxygen the local community is using and quantify how large and healthy the community is. These respiration rates Fire gen erally very low, indicating a low biomass of primarily small, inac tive organisms. The communities are probably limited by the avail able food supply, Rowe said. According to Rowe, the type and amount of life obseiv. with the location. Particularly strife researchers was the fti high density of life Mississippi C.tmon.aitp/l the mud f rom tlie Mi- j flows down the contineit bringing with it a fresh', nutrients. So far, DGoMB has ft the nonhem continental the Gulf, stretching at Florida and Texas. Th.:- which ranges farm 200 3,(XX) meters in depth, most current oil drilli place. But the deepest, turbed parts of the Gulftt Mexico. Next year. Rowe: collaborate up with Me enlists to begin expli these areas as well. A staggering number species are waiting to betfei in the world's deep oceansh ects such as DGoMB. said!) Addy. a marine scientist h for British Petroleum iBP, mini-workshop on campus. “The oceans are by it hugest living space on Bait. Addy. “yet we have i scratched the surface in e our understanding of thedst "In many ways vvekno about the surface of the mo we do about pans of the an BP is funding a three vez doctoral investigator posi work with the DGoMB pn$ investigating deep wean life, of the leading candidates it Tuesday's workshop. Addy emphasized ife it is not the mosr M10 area of study rig/U now; fj and classifying deep sea important to scientists*' oil industry. "Deep sea biodives understood and alms underestimated,” he said “If we can't name «tii| we can't measure it, andteti we can't manage it.” During the next two ya DGoMB researchers hop: establish an understandkii' composition, structure andii tioning of deep biological com nities in the Gulf and tomodd relationship between these inanities and local environirc conditions. Ultimately, Rowe said lx sions making mapsofiii species distributions, of com ties of species and of y diversity on the Gulf Hoot. "We are doing this fttl MMS to determine wtu potential effects might be) shore oil and gas product the natural community isms,” said Rowe, "but,into know so little about thesectf nities that we are doing basic research on what lives "We are interested note how many species there ate, how they interact and functif in TOlilGHT: Ladies Night all ladies 18 and up get in FREE all night *1.00 Bar Drinks 8-11 *1.00 Pints all night *2.00 Tap Teas all night Feeding 696-5570 Designate Party Safe