Antarctic Krill Discovered Living In Deepsea
Researchers have discovered Antarctic krill, a vital species in the Southern Ocean food web, living and feeding near deep-sea hydrothermal vents over 3,000 feet below the surface, challenging previous assumptions about their habitat. The krill found were all reproductive females, feeding on chemosynthetic microbes and showing elevated levels of essential minerals and toxic heavy metals.
Why it matters
This discovery significantly impacts marine policy and conservation efforts for the Southern Ocean, revealing new ecological roles and potential vulnerabilities for a foundational species in a changing climate.
Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean, Antarctica - 2024/12/26: Antarctic krill specimens retrieved during a dive by ROV SuBastian. Credit: Luján Agusti/National Geographic
A new paper published in Communications Biology reveals that Antarctic krill, a crucial species that underpins the Southern Ocean food web, use deep-sea hydrothermal vents as a habitat, challenging long-held assumptions about where they live and thrive.
For the first time in scientific history, researchers have observed Antarctic krill - all reproductive females - gathering near and feeding at hydrothermal vents, which act as hot springs on the ocean floor, more than 3,000 feet below the ocean's surface. These findings have significant implications for Southern Ocean marine policy. The paper's lead author, National Geographic Explorer and biological oceanographer Kim Bernard, made this discovery during the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expedition "Into the Southern Ocean," conducted in collaboration with the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
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