Scientists have long thought of deep-sea pelagic fish as nomadic wanderers, but now they suspect the fish may be meeting at ridges or seamounts to spawn.
Pelagic fish are those species thought to spend the bulk of their time in open water, as opposed to staying near the seafloor. Now the research being conducted as part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Ecosystems program is suggesting new ways in which deep-sea ecosystems should be managed to prevent devastation by deep trawling activities.
The MAR-ECO research expeditions have also led to the discovery of as many as six new fish species and the collection of some unusually large deep-sea fish specimens.
The first public presentations of results from MAR-ECO are being made this week during the American Geophysical Union's Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
'Armored' fish study helps strengthen Darwin's natural selection theory
Shedding some genetically induced excess baggage may have helped a tiny fish thrive in freshwater and outsize its marine ancestors, according to a UBC study published today in
Science Express.
'Pristine' Amazonian region hosted large, urban civilization, study finds
They aren't the lost cities early explorers sought fruitlessly to discover. But ancient settlements in the Amazon, now almost entirely obscured by tropical forest, were once large and complex enough to be considered "urban" as the term is commonly applied to both medieval European and ancient Greek communities.
Study says eyes evolved for X-Ray vision
The advantage of using two eyes to see the world around us has long been associated solely with our capacity to see in 3-D. Now, a new study from a scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has uncovered a truly eye-opening advantage to binocular vision: our ability to see through things.
Whether brown or red, algae can produce plenty of green fuel
Having studied the physiology of algae for more than 30 years, Rose Ann Cattolico is convinced the plant life found in oceans and ponds can be a major source of environmentally friendly fuels for everything from cars and lawn mowers to jet airplanes.
Second Rare Aye-Aye Born at Duke Lemur Center
(PhysOrg.com) -- Ardrey and Merlin, rare, nocturnal aye-ayes from Madagascar, are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, a male, early on July 23 at the Duke Lemur Center.
Protection zones in the wrong place to prevent coral reef collapse
(PhysOrg.com) -- Conservation zones are in the wrong place to protect vulnerable coral reefs from the effects of global warming, an international team of scientists warned today.
'Best hope at sustainable fisheries' short-changed by conservation efforts
Small scale fisheries produce as much annual catch for human consumption and use less than one-eighth the fuel as their industrial counterparts, but they are dealt a double-whammy by well-intentioned eco-labelling initiatives and ill-conceived fuel subsidies, according to a University of British Columbia study.
Intel CTO Says Gap between Humans, Machines will Close by 2050
Intel Corporation's chief technology officer took a fascinating look at how technology will bring man and machine much closer together by 2050.