Hornsrud
Well, nudibranch fans, it’s that time again! Today’s little gem hails from the bottom of Hornsund, in southwest Spitsbergen, at a depth of 125 meters (over 400 feet!). While the guests aboard the Endeavour were exploring the spectacular landing below the towering cliffs of Gnalberget, I sent our ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) down into the dark gray-green waters of the fjord, capturing images of the amazing animals that make their home on the muddy bottom, far below the sunny afternoon on the surface in a world of eternal darkness, freezing cold and terrible pressure.
As warm-blooded, poorly insulated animals who can survive only a few minutes immersion in water at these temperatures (about 30° F or –1° C), we can be forgiven for imagining that the seas of the high arctic are inhospitable, almost lifeless places. But, in fact, the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea around Svalbard are rich with a great variety life, from single-celled algae and strange invertebrates to warm-blooded seals and great whales. Here at the top of the world the sea is a very hospitable environment, particularly when compared to terrestrial habitats. When the winter winds howl over the pack ice and air temperatures plunge far below 0°F, the sea below the ice is a balmy refuge with temperatures still hovering around 30°F. These cold seas also hold dissolved gases and mineral nutrients particularly well, which, combined with the long hours of summer daylight, create ideal conditions for the rich blooms of phytoplankton that form the base of the marine food web.
Using the ROV to get a look at the bottom of Hornsund, we encountered sea stars, hermit crabs, small fish preying on shoals of krill, anemones, jellyfish and much more. Even given a clear understanding of the ecological principles that make the Arctic seas quite hospitable to life, it is astounding to see such a variety of delicate creatures making their homes in the darkness in the depths of the fjord. This little nudibranch, only about an inch long, is a particularly exciting observation because the best publications available about the marine life of this region report no species of sea slugs at all! Modern techniques and tools, like our ROV, and the dedicated work of scientists from many nations, are constantly adding to our understanding of the unique ocean that surrounds Svalbard and it is very exciting for those of us on the Endeavour to be a small part of this.
Well, nudibranch fans, it’s that time again! Today’s little gem hails from the bottom of Hornsund, in southwest Spitsbergen, at a depth of 125 meters (over 400 feet!). While the guests aboard the Endeavour were exploring the spectacular landing below the towering cliffs of Gnalberget, I sent our ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) down into the dark gray-green waters of the fjord, capturing images of the amazing animals that make their home on the muddy bottom, far below the sunny afternoon on the surface in a world of eternal darkness, freezing cold and terrible pressure.
As warm-blooded, poorly insulated animals who can survive only a few minutes immersion in water at these temperatures (about 30° F or –1° C), we can be forgiven for imagining that the seas of the high arctic are inhospitable, almost lifeless places. But, in fact, the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea around Svalbard are rich with a great variety life, from single-celled algae and strange invertebrates to warm-blooded seals and great whales. Here at the top of the world the sea is a very hospitable environment, particularly when compared to terrestrial habitats. When the winter winds howl over the pack ice and air temperatures plunge far below 0°F, the sea below the ice is a balmy refuge with temperatures still hovering around 30°F. These cold seas also hold dissolved gases and mineral nutrients particularly well, which, combined with the long hours of summer daylight, create ideal conditions for the rich blooms of phytoplankton that form the base of the marine food web.
Using the ROV to get a look at the bottom of Hornsund, we encountered sea stars, hermit crabs, small fish preying on shoals of krill, anemones, jellyfish and much more. Even given a clear understanding of the ecological principles that make the Arctic seas quite hospitable to life, it is astounding to see such a variety of delicate creatures making their homes in the darkness in the depths of the fjord. This little nudibranch, only about an inch long, is a particularly exciting observation because the best publications available about the marine life of this region report no species of sea slugs at all! Modern techniques and tools, like our ROV, and the dedicated work of scientists from many nations, are constantly adding to our understanding of the unique ocean that surrounds Svalbard and it is very exciting for those of us on the Endeavour to be a small part of this.
