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The iAtlantic project set out to complete one of the largest assessments of deep and open ocean ecosystems across both space and time ever attempted. Now, as the project draws to a close, a new publication – iAtlantic Research Highlights – presents a digestible summary of the project’s results, achievements and highlights from the past 5 years. Check it out here: https://www.iatlantic.eu/news/iatlantic-results-and-achievements-showcased-in-new-publication/

As iAtlantic winds down after five, incredible years of research and discovery, we're beyond proud of the 114 publications that came out of the project! Here is just a sampling of some recent papers, which can all be viewed — along with many others — on our publications page: https://www.iatlantic.eu/our-work/publications/.

I spy with my little eye...iAtlantic's science brief "Responses of deep pelagic jellyfish to mining-induced sediment plumes" at the International Seabed Authority meeting in Kingston, Jamaica! Link in our bio...

Photo by IISD/ENB - Diego Noguera

🚨New Science Brief! 🚨 Head over to our website to read iAtlantic's new science brief, which summarises key results from its research into the highly specialised hydrothermal vent communities found along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), providing important insights for their sustainable management and protection.

As competent authorities across the Atlantic basin work to develop management strategies to protect marine biodiversity, these new findings are important considerations for effective protection of hydrothermal vent communities.

https://www.iatlantic.eu/news/connecting-the-vents/

Love seeing behind the scenes of research expeditions (like this iMirabilis expedition, photographed by Murray Roberts)? Head over to our Expeditions page, and stay tuned for upcoming, exciting ways to see even further into the world of iAtlantic's expeditions...
https://www.iatlantic.eu/our-work/expeditions/

: The Holocene epoch began 11,700 years ago, marking the end of the last Ice Age. While it is often seen as a period of warmth and stability, tropical regions have experienced significant environmental changes. Approximately 5,000 years ago, the Sahara Desert underwent a profound aridification, altering dramatically its ecosystems. Understanding past oceanographic conditions at these latitudes and during this time is crucial for understanding the Holocene environmental variability, especially considering the ocean's important role in regulating the climate.

In this research, Irene Rodriguez and her colleagues at the Centro Oceanografico de Vigo Instituto Español de Oceanografico (IEO) use various palaecoeanographic proxies to unravel the environmental history of the area. They look at the planktonic foraminifera, which provide valuable insight into surface water conditions such as temperature, salinity, type of food, etc. Additionally, the researchers analyse the chemical composition of the sediments, which offers clues about the sediments origin, including whether it was sourced from rivers, winds, marine or terrestrial environments, etc. Through these analyses, their findings reveal significant changes in the structure and stratification of water masses in the study area over the past 12,000 years. Moreover, these processes have occurred concurrently with changes in the continental environment. Understanding the connections between these processes is a key focus of their research.

Text and photos courtesy of Irene Perez Rodriguez, and Andrea Gori (corer photo)

— "Building your own mountain: the effects, limits, and drawbacks of cold-water coral ecosystem engineering." Lead author Anna-Selma van der Kaaden writes: "Combining hydrodynamic simulations and annotated videos, we separated which hydrodynamic variables that determine reef cover are engineered by cold-water corals and which are not. Around coral mounds, hydrodynamic zones seem to create a typical reef zonation, restricting corals from moving deeper (the expected response to climate warming). But non-engineered downward velocities in winter (e.g. deep winter mixing) seem more important for coral reef growth than coral engineering."

Description of Figure:

Fig08: (a) Schematic representation of the broad-scale environmental control on reef cover, (b) Schematic representation of the hydrodynamic zones in a top and side view and the associated benthic zones

Last month, the Institution of Environmental Sciences held a webinar on deep-sea mining with four iAtlantic scientists to discuss the potential environmental impacts of seabed exploitation and the research that's been done thus far. Read about it: https://www.the-ies.org/analysis/iesturningthetide-examining

Just last month, iAtlantic celebrated the publication of its 100th paper! It's been a busy start to the year, because we already have six more new publications — head over to our "Publications" page to check out the newest articles from iAtlantic's all-star scientists. https://www.iatlantic.eu/our-work/publications/

Who can name this species of cold-water coral from the Rockall Bank?

Credit: The University of Edinburgh

from Fähse et al. (2023)'s paper, "Ecophysiological and behavioural response of juveniles of the Chilean cold-water coral Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) huinayensis to increasing sediment loads"

Said Melanie Fähse, the student researcher conducting the work: "Working with juveniles of an already small solitary coral species often required finesse. This is also a reason why I was so surprised that all individuals survived the 3-month sediment stress experiment, albeit with severe impairments. This endemic species has adapted well to its distribution area with a generally increased sediment load. Nevertheless, the results of the experiment show that high concentrations can have strong negative effects on Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) huinayensis, especially over long periods of time. If additional stress factors - e.g. triggered by climate change - are added, this can have a very negative impact on the survival of this endemic species, not to mention the possible further effects that may occur due to the loss of this species. I am really happy that this study may help to better understand the threatening impacts on especially cold-water-corals."

Wondering what it's like to live and work on a scientific vessel? Curious about the expeditions and experiences behind iAtlantic's results? Why not explore our myriad blogs, videos, and other resources that document the team, technology, and tenacity that have defined our scientific missions: https://www.iatlantic.eu/our-work/expeditions/

Thank you to Murray Roberts for these photos!