nuig biogeoscience research group

CE0908: Exploring new coral grounds in Irish and Biscay margins.

In April 2009, scientists and students from the Earth and Ocean Science Department in NUIG sailed out on a three week deep-water research expedition aboard the Irish research vessel R/V Celtic Explorer to study cold water coral ecosystems off the Irish and Biscay continental margins.

                         Map above showing the cruise track of the expedition CE0908.
                                     (Photo courtesy Anna Rengstorf, NUI Galway)

Their specific goals were as follows:

• Collect data for coral distribution mapping and characterization of coral habitat;
• Describe the hydrographic regime of hotspot areas; 
• Assess the interaction between fish and corals by means of fisheries acoustic surveys; 
• Collect living coral for molecular genetic analysis and voucher specimens to aid video identification.

Above image is a snapshot from a High Definition video showing pink and white Lophelia pertusa, large solitary corals Desmophyllum sp. and anemones (Image copyright of NUI Galway)

The cruise was also one of the first to deploy the new 3000 m rated Marine Institute Remotely Operated Vehicle, the “Holland 1”, and test its performance in deep waters.

Images to the right and below: The new Marine Institute Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) “Holland 1”

A regional high resolution habitat suitability model for cold-water coral reefs along the Irish continental margin was developed (Anna Rengstorf, Chris Yesson, Colin Brown and Anthony Grehan). This model is based on a wide range of terrain-based, hydrodynamic and water chemistry variables and predicts potential coral reef habitat on mound features and in canyon areas along a narrow band following the slopes of the Irish continental margin, the Rockall Bank and the Porcupine Bank.  To learn more, download a  PDF [0.5MB] with a summary of the progress of this project.